I am fairly stunned after relocating to Durham, NC how many of my coworkers don't drink at all.

Happy hours are like herding cats/children who stubbornly either refuse to go or sit in the corner sipping on ice water waiting to leave.

Lots of small breweries, home brew shops and pubs all over the place. Heck, even the Durham Bulls have their own on-site brewery. Can't top that.

I work at a local golf course and in the summer I work with a bunch of high school students. I came in late on a Sunday and found seven unopened beers down in the cart barn. I looked at all the high school aged boys and asked them why those beers were still there? They all said they didn't like to drink beer. Naturally, I confiscated the unclaimed brews. When I was in high school, free beer was like a miracle. I weep for the future.

Homebrewing appears to be a prerequisite of a micro brew culture.

I was no longer living in the state at this time, but my recollection is that some of the big beer distributors lobbied hard to keep that 6% threshold and were successful for a quite a while. Free the Hops eventually organized to get the law overturned.

Per Alabama State Rep Alvin Holmes - "What's wrong with the beers we got? They drink pretty good"

• Click here for link at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZoTJzh13n8

I was reading an article earlier this week about how it is often seen in the same vein as moonshine. You are right that without a homebrewing base you won't get a micro brew culture, but I think it takes a while for homebrewing to actually reach critical mass.

just kidding...have no clue.