Mapping United States breweries 1612 to 2011

Abstract

The location of breweries in the United States is closely tied to historical themes. Economic expansion, war, immigration, temperance/prohibition, politics, religion, transportation, and economic depression all shaped the beer brewing landscape from colonial times to the present. This chapter draws upon a brewery database from the American Breweriana Association to geolocate breweries across the United States over time. I provide a time-series set of maps to illustrate the interplay and imprint of the aforementioned themes. Comprehensive time-series maps of this nature have rarely, if ever, been assembled. By compiling maps in this way it is possible to observe geographic patterns and explore historical connections and spatial relationships from regional and national perspectives. In some cases, we find what we expect from known historical events; but we also find inconsistencies, distinctive patterns not accounted for in the history literature. In this way we may come to understand better the regional patterns we see today. Brewery locations today are not only a legacy of the past but also a reflection of contemporary society and culture.