I imagine the title of this blog written in Death Metal Font with all of those lines scribbling on it, so that it looks like black and white tree bark. Christy, can you make it happen? No? Ok.

(s/o to Christy @browndesign, our awesome design and website specialist.)

But guess what, whether or not Christy made it happen, shopping local is super freaking hardcore. And that means you can be hardcore too.

Did you know that on all Roundhouse beer products in the liquor store you can find a super freaking hardcore logo that reminds you that Roundhouse is cool af? Check it out right here. It’s the Brewers Association’s (a big conglomerate of awesome beer nerds) logo, which means that we are certified a small and independent brewery. We love being small and independent so much we print it on just about everything and hang this giant logo on the back of the bar, too. 

You can see lots of other breweries use this logo on their packaging as well, everyone from Jack Pine to Surly, prints it to remind you that we are independent and small. (Well, Surly barely fits the definition of small, but as long as they account for less than 3% of total North American beer sales, and are not owned by a beer giant who does, they can use this label. And while they are barely small, they are definitely hardcore.)

Next time you are out looking for a craft beer in the liquor store, skip those giants who don’t have the ability to print the independent label, and buy our beer.

Shopping local doesn’t just apply to beer either, although that’s my favorite! It also applies buying coffee. It applies to buying a new battery for your car when it’s dead this winter. It applies to buying baked goods. (Have you checked out Knotty Pine Bakery yet?) It applies to supporting the small hardware stores around town.

But let’s be honest, it’s really hard to not support the multi-billionaires in 2019. It takes total conscious effort to not order something off Amazon, or swing into Walmart or Target. So let me toss out an idea to you: Make a goal to purchase a particular category of thing locally for the next year. (May I suggest beer?) See how it goes. Then when 2021 comes around add another thing to that mix.

Personally, I only drink MN craft beer. Lately, I have decided if Carlson Hardware (in Nisswa) carries it, and I need it, I need to purchase it there. I am two steps deep. I can and plan to do better.

We have our awesome Lakes Proud stickers around here too. You know, those bright blue ones, “Shop. Buy. Support”. These remind us of who our awesome local small businesses are. Keep your eyes peeled for them. It’s like our own little local hardcore brand.

Saturday, Nov. 30th, is Small Business Saturday, please go out into the community and buy gifts for your loved ones (and those in need!). We will be hosting an awesome event here at the brewery as well and we would love for you to visit our vendors and #shoplocal and buy beer, and then you will be as hardcore as you can be.

Cheers y’all,

Zach Malecha