“Beer is best drunk in the shadow of the brewery” is a beer saying that means that beer is best when it’s fresh (close to or “in the shadow of” the brewery). It’s not known where or when the saying originated.
 
“There is wisdom in the old saying that beer is best drunk in the shadow of the brewery” was cited in print in 2008.
 
   
Not PC
FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2008
Beer O’Clock: Auckland Beer
This week in Beer O’Clock, Neil from RealBeer gives Auckland beer-lovers the benefit of his Wellington wisdom:
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Where it gets interesting is when these same people are selecting a beer to go with their gourmet conquests. All too often, their “buy local” philosophy is abandoned in favour of the bland certainty of a global mega-brand. It is a shame – there is wisdom in the old saying that beer is best drunk in the shadow of the brewery.
 
Salient
September 29, 2008
by Neil Miller
Where to drink Beer in Wellington
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4. Mac’s Brewery Bar – It is said that beer is best drunk in the shadow of the brewery and this is about the only place you can do it round here. Savour a Sassy Red accompanied by the little sausages.
     
The Courier-Mail (Australia)
Broaden your beer horizons with seven top boutique and craft beers
MATT KIRKEGAARDS THE COURIER-MAIL NOVEMBER 30, 2011 10:43AM
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2. Duke Premium Lager
Burleigh Brewing Company; European-style lager 4.8% ABV
Apparently the Germans have a saying, only drink beer in the shadow of the brewery, meaning the best beer is local. So why would you drink a European lager that has been sent halfway across the world, when you can enjoy one true to style that has been brewed down the road?
   
Beer, Bites & Blather
Thursday, 27 September 2012
Think Globally, Drink Locally
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I really am falling for these two rather excellent local breweries and you can expect that they will get many more mentions in this here blog as the year progresses. They say that beer is best drunk in the shadow of the brewery (technically the two breweries are in my shadow, as I live on the hill and they’re in the valley, but I digress), but to say this is the only reason their beer tastes great would be doing them a serious disservice.
 
TheVine (Australia)
April 2013
Is imported beer better than ‘imported’ beer?
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“The old adage is that beer’s best drunk in the shadow of the brewery. One-day-old beer is better than one-month-old beer, which is better than ten-month-old beer. So that’s number one. Number two is that beer has three big enemies: one is time, the second is heat, the third is sunlight.”
 
Twitter
Ameya
‏@Ameyapil
Beer is best drank in the shadow of the brewery - Drinking a Boyl’r Mayk’r @ Founders Brewing Co. - http://untp.it/OkBisZ
Grand Rapids, MI
5:55 PM - 21 Feb 2014
   
Parma Daze (Australia)
ATTEMPT #185 – ‘CLIFTON HILL BREWPUB’
Posted on May 23, 2014 by Parma Daze
“The best beer is drunk in the shadow of the brewery”, A quote emblazoned on the front of the Clifton Hill Brewpub’s immense drinks menu. This is a pub that loves its beer, both made in house or sourced from around the country, The Clifton Hill Brewpub is an amazing place to stop in for a fantastic craft beer.
 
Medium.com
Michael Donaldson on Jan 8, 2015
I’m a big fan of the old saying that beer is best drunk in the shadow of the brewery.
 
It’s a way of saying, in days of yore, that beer didn’t travel that well. These days, as long as beer is kept cold on its journey, it should reach you in a pretty good state.