The first of May brings a convergence of home brewing and craft brewing in a celebration of the persistence of beer. This May, we celebrate two high-profile events: National Homebrew Day (May 1) and another year's National Craft Brewers Conference and Exhibition (April 28-May 1). Each testifies to the staying power of beer. Although the issue you hold was mailed in April, for many it will likely arrive too late to allow us raise a glass together on May 1.

Nevertheless, beer is patient, so let's each allow May 1 to linger and take a moment to consider the rich and powerful tradition of which we are a part. It should come as no surprise that brewing persists through time and the vagaries of cultural change. It is, after all, one of the most ancient arts, reaching back to the very origins of civilization. Academic opinion is divided over the question of whether beer in fact caused civilization, but the considerable physical evidence available and logic itself make a strong case for beer predating bread. Today, we enjoy beers from the expansive range of beers in the established canon of beer styles, developed over centuries of evolution.

Clearly beer persists. Yet one would not always have thought so. The Dark Ages of beer in America this century were dark times indeed for beer and for any American who remembered what beer could be. With the push of industrial production, mass advertising campaigns, and the dumbing down of the popular palate, beers became more and more insipid. As a testimony to how far things had sunk, the best beers available were imports in green bottles, whose skunky off-flavors were regarded as hallmarks of quality.

But the spirit of beer retained its hold. Veterans returning from bases in Germany and elsewhere brought with them a taste for full-flavored traditional beers. And some stalwart beer lovers living at the fringes of the law home-brewed beer from Prohibition in the 1930s until the 1970s, when home brewing was finally made legal. President Carter's signature in 1979 opened the door to the massive movement of home and craft brewing that followed.

Anyone who has been following this column, or the specialty brewing market in general, is aware of the challenges it has faced over the past year. Home brewing is down in most areas, and growth in the craft brewing segment has fallen to a slow trickle. Anyone with a narrow view of time might conclude that specialty beer was a fad whose time has passed.

But we who know beer know better. Beer is far from a passing fad. The latest figures coming out of the Institute for Brewing Studies show that although growth in the overall craft brew market remains down, the market itself is dynamic, with many new entrants and many established breweries increasing production. The truth is that while some marginal operations face ultimate unsustainability and closure, others thrive, the result of good business practices, and, of course, good beer.

On the home brewing front, the Homebrew Publicity Campaign continues to build momentum toward the release of a 30-second national TV ad spot promoting home brewing to the general public. Spearheaded by BrewingTechniques and sponsored by home brewing's most forward-thinking companies -- Advanced Brewing Technology, Briess, California Concentrate (Alexander's), Cascadia Importers (Coopers), Crosby & Baker, Five Star, HWBTA, L.D. Carlson, Vinothque, and Wine-Art -- this program aims to increase the general public's awareness of home brewing and to help new brewers discover their calling.

Similarly, the Masters Championship of Amateur Brewing (MCAB) has brought new life to the spirit of excellence and friendly competition among amateur brewers across North America. Thanks to the passion and energy of Louis Bonham, this event succeeded in selecting and honoring the finest homebrew in America through a process of qualifying events and scrupulous judging. And thanks to the support of the sponsors, two major goals were achieved: substantial prizes for winners, and universal free admission to all attending the technical and awards presentations.

Clearly great things can be accomplished when forward-thinking minds collaborate on a shared vision. And clearly the spirit of beer continues to bubble forth in the hearts and minds of those called to brew. Each of us is a part of this great process.

Stephen Mallery
Publisher