Local breweries fight to make SC a national beer power
The 6th annual World Beer Festival returned to the Columbia Convention Center on Jan. 18 with pools of beer, dudes in lederhosen and thousands of pretzel necklaces. Tasters of all kinds (from the seasoned beer snob to the college student with a pallet accustomed to Natural Light) perused taps from dozens of breweries, filled complimentary tasting glasses with generous samples of over 150 craft flavors and fought through 5 p.m. hangovers.
The all-day beerfest was an opportunity for the craft community of South Carolina – a state not yet known for its selection of brews – to show they have what it takes to be a national beer power.
“We want to help grow the South Carolina beer market … to tell people who we are and where we’re at,” said Dan Baker of Ridgeland-based River Dog Brewing Co. “Other states are known for being beer states: California, Colorado, North Carolina … but our goal is to help put South Carolina on the map as a beer tourism state.”
The reason South Carolina lags in the lager world isn’t a matter of quality, but a matter of bureaucracy. The state’s beer community is still reeling from a system set up by the national government way back when prohibition was repealed that makes it illegal for local breweries to sell directly to their customers. This forces brewers to go through distributors to turn a profit, which some say leaves the little guy out to dry. The big beer states like California, Colorado and North Carolina opted out of the law years ago. South Carolina hasn’t.
“It’s kept the ‘I want to brew a couple of kegs on the side’ business impossible,” said David Ellisor, brewmaster of Columbia’s Conquest Brewing Co. “It’s not worth it for the distributors to pick up a small amount of kegs to sell in their stores.”
“Here in South Carolina, we’re behind in a lot of things,” added Conquest’s Scott Wallace with a laugh. “Look at Asheville, [N.C.], they’re world renowned and that’s because their laws are easy on them. You see breweries big and small all over the place.”
Diversity in who can make and sell beer is what creates the internationally-recognized beer hot spots.
But that’s not to say South Carolina beer isn’t on its way. A few years ago, the state allowed breweries to run tours and offer tastings of up to a pint.
“It’s coming along,” said Ethan Boylan of Lagunitas Brewing Company, which is based in California. “Allowing local breweries to serve pints is a step in the right direction, but you guys need to ease up on the tax of beer.”
So, why are all these small-time brewers so essential to turning a state into a beer state? Why should we replace the Budweiser in our koozies with Conquest’s Farmhouse IPA?
“We’re a lot more hands-on, a lot more personal,” Wallace said. “Every bag of grain goes on my shoulders and up into the mill. When all you do is push a button, you lose that connection with your art.”