BANDING TOGETHER IN THE NAME OF BEER >>>

I imagine Morgan Alexander at home with a notepad, scribbling wildly as fresh ideas literally burst from his creative brain. Er, scratch that; he be banging away on a keypad so fiercely smoke should rise from his fingers. Alexander - civic innovator, community organizer, editor of The Tacoma Sun, co-founder of Historic Tacoma and Tacoma Streetcar, and owner of the Amocat Café in downtown Tacoma - has done it again. His latest bit of awesomeness is the Tacoma Beermakers Union Local 253, an organization of local beer makers with a group on Facebook totaling more than 130 members.

During his college years Morgan got into beer making; this passion has lingered. What does he hope to get out of gathering everyone up for a face-to-face? He hopes to forge a beer making co-op and followed by a homebrew home crawl (think pub crawl) for starters. Sharing resources, recipes, equipment, technique and economies of scale would be logical and to the betterment of the whole group.

"I'm looking for people doing cool innovative things - trying new combinations, new ingredients," Alexander writes via email.

With the numerous South Sound brewpubs, breweries, beer tastings and large beer festivals such as the July Lakewood Rotary Homebrew Festival, Hops & Crops at Mary Olson Farm in Auburn and the second annual Tacoma Craft Beer Fest, which has been extended to two days next month, Alexander is confident the Tacoma Beermakers Union Local 253 can be a reality.

Alexander will host an introductory meeting for the Local 253 Friday night at his Amocat Café. The meeting is open to the public and, most importantly, he carries beer.

Tacoma Beermakers Union Local 253

Friday, Sept. 24, 7-8 p.m., no cover
Amocat Café, 625 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma
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