Liberty Street

I got a text message from my friend last night around 9:30pm.  He was trying to send me a picture of his beer from the Liberty Street Brewery.  The reason he was doing this is that when I used to travel for work all over the Western United States, I would finish my work and then stop in some local brewery to sample a beer or two.  While sitting there, I would often send him a picture of the beer via my phone, in essence, saying, "Ha Ha, you are toiling away at work, and I am drinking beer overlooking the San Francisco Bay (and getting paid)."


I didn't get the picture, and am not sure why I got the message, as my phone has texting disabled (or is supposed to).  Crazy, I know, but I don't miss texting and have not had found a good use for it over phoning someone, so I got rid of it.  I will have to see if it shows up as a charge on my bill, and dispute it with the wireless company...another thing to do, what a pain.


Anyway, my friend was at the Liberty Street Brewery  throwing back one of their Pilsners.  He said it was pretty crowded and they had a band going upstairs.  It is nice that they are still doing well.  I believe every town should have its own local brewery, and if Plymouth, Michigan can sustain one, many towns can.  I like to know that more than one of my groups of friends have begun frequenting this brewery on my urging.  Others who live out of town have visited, or make plans to visit this establishment, but it sounds like they don't need me to chat them up, their beer speaks for itself and it has a great crowd and word travels.  Even my friend who likes light beer, he has graduated up to a Bohemian Style Liberty Light Pilsner from Michelob Ultra.  That is a big step for him, but also a reminder that breweries big and small are brewing a variety of beers big and small, dark and light.  There is something for everyone (of drinking age, that is), but sometimes even a delicious home made root beer or soda is also on tap.  If you say you don't like beer, you just haven't found one you like yet.


Local breweries make a fresh product locally, often employ people, buy many of their supplies locally, and even have employed local firms to help construct their brewery.  They have made an investment in your community.  We don't talk about the need to frequent our neighborhood shops enough.  It keeps the money at home.  After all, a dollar spent locally gets re-spent seven times over.  Damn it.  Buy American.  If you can, buy it locally.  Again, if you can, use cash.  It helps improve the local establishments bottom line (using credit costs the company a little as the credit card companies skim off the top...I am guilty, I rarely use cash, but try to when I know I will be at a local business).  Beer choices are vast and often you have to go out of your way to buy it from the brewery, but I promise you, it is so worth it on so many levels.