Meddlesome Brewing Co. co-founder Ben Pugh wants Memphians to get out of their usual routines and explore more of the beer, wine and spirits being made across Shelby County.
That’s the idea behind Sip Local, a new printed guide that maps out breweries, wineries and distilleries across the county. Pugh produced 20,000 copies of the brochure and has distributed them to local craft beverage businesses, where customers can pick one up for free.
“The idea really came from looking at the Memphis brewery scene as a whole and realizing that we could do a better job of promoting each other,” Pugh told Memphis Beer Blog.
“There are some great breweries here, but they’re spread out across the city, and I think a lot of people tend to find one or two places they like and stick with them.”
Pugh said people who aren’t following every local brewery on social media may not realized how many options are available.
“I wanted to create something simple that someone could physically pick up, look through, and say, ‘I haven’t been there before. Let’s go check it out,'” he said.
Encouraging Memphians to explore
Pugh hopes people will use Sip Local almost like a checklist for exploring breweries across Shelby County.
“If somebody picks up the guide, I want them to flip through it and find two or three places they haven’t visited yet,” Pugh said. “Maybe they live in Cordova and rarely go Downtown, or maybe they’re always Downtown and have never made the trip farther east.”
Pugh said part of the appeal is that each stop offers something different.
“Shelby County has a lot of locally produced beer, wine and spirits, and these businesses all offer completely different products, personalities and experiences,” Pugh said. “I’d love for someone to use Sip Local almost like a checklist: get out, explore Shelby County, try something new and eventually visit every place in the guide.”
Copies have been distributed to the businesses featured in Sip Local, including Soul & Spirits Brewery, where the guides can be found on the taproom counter.
“It’s great to showcase all breweries and distilleries in one place so tourists and Memphians alike can learn more about what Memphis has to offer,” Soul & Spirits co-founder Ryan Allen said.
Supporting the local craft beverage community
Pugh said the response from other businesses has been positive, and he sees the guide as one way local breweries, wineries and distilleries can support each other during challenging financial times.
“The craft beverage industry has changed quite a bit, and we’re all competing for people’s time and attention,” Pugh said. “Anything we can do collectively to remind people of what is being produced right here in Shelby County is valuable.”
Pugh hopes that Sip Local is made available at every craft brewery, winery and distillery in Shelby County, with each business helping point its customers toward other locally owned producers.
“That’s important to me because the entire idea is built around like-minded local businesses supporting one another,” Pugh said. “If a business chooses not to participate, that’s their decision, but they’re choosing not to be part of an effort centered on local growth and the belief that a stronger local craft beverage community is good for everyone.”
Pugh said the goal is to get people moving between local businesses, discovering new places and spending more of their money locally.
“If Sip Local sends somebody into a brewery, winery or distillery they’ve never visited before, they try something they enjoy and eventually become a regular customer, then the guide did exactly what it was created to do,” he said.