Sites of consumption and sights of production: brew bars and craft beer in the city

“Brew bars”—bars and restaurants that include beer brewing facilities—are one of the elements associated with the rise of the craft beer industry. In some ways, these enterprises can be seen as an extension of the production process, whereby a retail outlet is attached to the brewery. The craft brewing credentials of the brewery are laid bare for consumers to see, smell, and sample. The production process, replete with vats, pipes, and instruments, is highly visible and closely juxtaposed with the point of consumption. Although breweries may be located in both rural and urban areas, brew bars are most frequently found as part of a diverse and highly competitive entertainment and hospitality sector in cities. This chapter draws on a study of brew bars in Wellington, New Zealand. It argues that, while these characteristics are present and several small local breweries do operate bars associated with the brewery, there are other instances where larger operators seem to have consciously constructed sites of consumption (bars), in which there is a visible performance of production. In particular, “corporate craft” operations reflect the differentiated and complex nature of the craft beer sector and the tensions toward concentration, which are unfolding although often well-hidden. This chapter suggests that the rise of “sights of production” evident in the craft beer sector of Wellington and elsewhere is part of a broader evolution of experiential “more-than-commodity” sectors that extend product life cycles and add competitive advantages.