Craft Beer and Small Towns—A Perfect Pairing

Craft breweries are attracting investment, and young people, to rural towns across the United States.

That's the premise of an article by Kirk Siegler for NPR. Siegler starts the story in Bend, Oregon, a Mecca of beer and the home of Chris Hernstrom…that is, before Hernstrom moved to Valentine, Nebraska, population 2,700, to become head brewer of Bolo Beer Company.

According to this article, Hernstrom's tale is far from singular, and a lot of 20- and 30-somethings are finding ways to bring the best parts of life in larger cities and towns to small towns. Beer can big a big part of that small town revival, according to Siegler, when craft breweries become community gathering places and provide supports for other new businesses.