Once the kind of places where only mass domestics might have been on tap, or at least bottled and refrigerated, there is now a little oasis in the desert. While much of the craft market is still trying to break into the mainstream in their own local markets, it’s been breweries like Lagunitas that have taken on the burden of clearing the way for the rest of the industry. Forging new relationships, creating new customers, turning tap handles in out-of-the-way places, and producing the volumes needed to reach the fringes of the market. And there are more every day across the country thanks to our newest national backbone for beer — a consumer demand that's nowhere near its saturation point, and a passion and ingenuity among our newest producers that’ll make sure there’s always plenty to go around — even in the beer deserts.

The infrastructure and dedication that Adolphus Busch put into the service of beer in this country is exactly what now makes it possible for me to belly up to a bar in the middle of the desert and order an IPA that I know will taste exactly how I've come to expect it. And maybe that could of all happened a different way. And maybe it doesn't have to continue being a curse and a blessing for today's craft brewers. And maybe you don't see it that way at all. I'm okay with that, truly I am. But I was goddamn proud in that moment — of how serious we are in the US about craft beer. Hell, I'm proud of how serious we are about beer in general. And that's nothing new. We've been taking beer seriously since we landed here — we want it cold, fresh, and everywhere we go. Because even in places where water might be considered a luxury‚ we damn well better have good beer.