Craft beer is booming in my hometown!

[FedoraDave]

The town where I grew up and where I currently live is not a bustling city, even on a small scale. It's just a bedroom community in the NYC suburbs, bordering New Jersey, just a 20-minute drive from the George Washington Bridge. But it's a great place to live, raise a family, and it even has its share of independent small businesses. For a while now, Defiant Brewery has defined the craft beer scene in Pearl River, with their signature brews, Medusa IPA and Muddy Creek Lager, and their specialty beers, such as O'Defiant Stout (very popular around St. Patrick's Day) and Baron von Hefeweizen. It probably doesn't hurt that they're located just a short walk from the commuter train station, so people can stop for a pint or two between work and home.

Soon there will be another brewpub opening here, also a short walk from the station. I'll be interested in both their beer and their barbecue, and I hope they flourish here in the Town of Friendly People.

http://gentlegiantbrewing.com/

[Kealia]

The BBQ sure looks good and reads like they know what they are doing. Good luck to them.

[FedoraDave]

Whatever happens, I just think local competition is a positive thing.

[Tabasco]

[John Sand]

More local brew!

[FedoraDave]

More local brew!

I just hope it's good. I know Defiant has some excellent offerings, and I'd really like to see some tough competition. It makes the breweries work harder to become the best, and that can only be good for both the businesses and the consumer.

[John Sand]

True. While I love to drink local beer, it has to be good. I'm not just drinking okay beer because it's brewed around the corner. There are too many good options, good local options, to settle. But I have been unimpressed by a local brewery on my first visit, only to go back and find it much improved.

[FedoraDave]

I'm willing to accept a learning curve. Not too many people hit a home run in their first at-bat.