Some hotels are turning to an old standby as a way to attract new customers

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN never said that "beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." (He preferred wine.) But apocryphal quotes spread because they ring true. Business travellers who don't spend much time in America may have missed the revolution in craft beer and microbrews that has taken place here over the past few decades. (It's a trend you can actually trace back to the much-maligned Jimmy Carter.) But suffice to say that if you're looking for a decent ale, there's a lot to be said for American beers these days.

Now hotels, too, are cashing in on the beer revolution, using beer tie-ins to stand out from the competition. USA Todayreports that some chains and local favourites are selling local craft beers at happy hours and special events or even teaming up with local breweries to get custom brews of their own:

•The Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia this month released Cherry Verbena Saison, its third collaboration with Dock Street Brewing. The beer was brewed with lemon verbena harvested from the hotel's rooftop garden. •Four Fairmont hotels have partnered with breweries to create their own house microbrews using honey from their onsite beehives. "The Fairmont San Francisco Honey Saison," for instance, was crafted in partnership with Almanac Beer Co. and will be offered on draft in the hotel's Laurel Court Restaurant & Bar. •The Four Points by Sheraton/Los Angeles Airport recently appointed a new director of brewer relations, created a beer advisory board and has customized in-room beer fridges. The Four Points by Sheraton has a brand-wide "Best Brews" program that features a variety of local, regional and imported craft beers.

I'm not sure this quite qualifies as a nationwide trend—when your local Comfort Inn or Courtyard by Marriott starts brewing its own beer or hosting craft happy hours, call me up. But as a beer fan, I could see myself picking one hotel over a comparable one if I knew one of them had a great craft-beer happy hour or similar promotion. Differentiation really matters in the hospitality business, and having a great bar or restaurant associated with your property has always been a big selling point for some hotels. Why shouldn't we feel the same way about breweries?