Craft breweries are fermenting change, addressing local ills while serving local ales

(THE CONVERSATION) - Some scholars say beer and wine – and fermentation in general – helped develop civilization and shaped culture and landscapes over millennia.Today, craft breweries, which are by definition small and independent and thus focus their production on innovative, small-scale methods rather than industrialized, mass-produced ones, are still playing that role.They are increasingly prominent players in America’s social and environmental landscape