150-year-old George Gale Brewery to close

The third rule of of the study of breweries is that breweries always consolidate. (I'll talk about the other two rules at another time.)

Fuller, Smith & Turner recently took over the historic brewery. Production of the Gale's beers - including HSB (Horndean Special Bitter), Buster, Festival Mild and Prize Old Ale - would move to Chiswick.

Back in the day, before modern transportation, every city had their own style of beer. This beer was made with local ingredients by local people. Today, as more and more breweries consolidate, this local variation will disappear. This local variation is the closest the beer world gets to appellations in the wine world.

The closing of a local brewery is a sad day, because beer is more than a commodity, it is an art.

links: Ananova
Edinburg Evening news