The Reading Warehouse

Beer Terrain reveals the story of the emerging farm-to-glass revolution on the New England and New York craft brewing scene. Just a few years ago, if a brewery wanted to use local ingredients, they were limited to what farmers had on hand for other markets, such as honey or fruit. Today, the region fosters numerous small hop farms as well as several malt houses that use local grain exclusively. As a result, breweries are now able to capitalize on a growing locavore economy by creating "beer from here." Small farmers are bucking a stagnant economy by marketing directly to the public as the growing number of both farms and farmers' markets demonstrates. The public wants local food, and no drink is more of a meal than the liquid bread in a pint of beer. In recent years, craft brewing has grown at a 15 percent clip. In 2014, there were 2,700 craft breweries in the US with another 1,500 in planning. Not since the 1880s have there been so many breweries throughout the country. As more brewers try to get their brand noticed, the incentive to distinguish one beer from another increases. Tapping the existing local food market by supporting small farms can help garner some attention for these start-ups. In the 19th century, brewers of the Northeast had plenty of local malt and hops to choose from. Now, old meets new in a way that supports tradition and contributes to the future security of our farmlands . . . whether it's the young mother who began her thriving and unique business by growing barley in her garden and malting it in her kitchen, or the incredible passion for the land of a brewer who began as a farmer himself. Not only does this book tell the story of these people, their products, and the land that supports them, it also serves as a guidebook for readers who want to explore this terrain for themselves. With an extensive resource section that illustrates the connections between the land and the beer, Beer Terrain will be a valuable companion on any New England vacation or staycation.

Jonathan Cook has been brewing beer with homegrown ingredients since 1999, when he and his wife, Suzanne LePage toured New England brewpubs on their honeymoon. Cook runs the chef's garden at the historic Salem Cross Inn in West Brookfield, Massachusetts and also operates One Acre Farm, raising chickens, hops, and berries.