University Presentation Showcase: Undergraduate Poster Gallery
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Creation Date
Spring 2016
Major
Recreation and Park Administration
Department
Recreation and Park Administration
Degree
Undergraduate
Mentor
Michael J. Bradley
Mentor Department
Recreation and Park Administration
Abstract
The cultural and historical significant of bourbon in Kentucky is well-documented and known. While recent growth has been tremendous, locally brewed beer also has a storied tradition in the Commonwealth. The places where bourbon and beer are crafted have become great tourism destinations throughout Kentucky. There are 26 distilleries and breweries across Kentucky’s counties, and more craft distilleries and breweries are in development (Kornstein & Luckett, 2014). The bourbon trail and brewgrass trail are significantly contributing to local and non-local tourism. While Kentucky is perhaps better known for bourbon, local breweries are gaining popularity, especially at the local level as these places develop a strong sense of community through social interactions accompanied with beer and food. Being a connoisseur of beer, a new American past time, has helped people in these communities support local brewery development. In addition to helping build a strong since of community, local beer connoisseurs develop a taste for certain brands of beer, further helping the local economy. Many develop this taste by visiting breweries and finding their new favorite beer during their visits. While the popularity of local beer has increased in Kentucky, the research to understand the increase in popularity is missing.
The objective of this exploratory study is to investigate how the sense of community influences the preferences of buying local beer. In the investigation, key factors such as the motivations of buying local, the sense of community, and the trends of the community buying local will be examined. In order to do this, the researcher used survey research methodology to attain information from visitors to Dry Ground Brewing Company in Paducah, Kentucky. Once all data were compiled, relationships between the specified variables were analyzed to enhance understanding and knowledge of brewery visitors in Kentucky.
