Ok, it’s not quite like that, maybe. Still, this crossed my intertubes yesterday:

BRUSSELS - Belgian beer exports have been on the rise for a number of years now, but since last year Belgium is exporting more than is consumed in the country itself.

In 2006 Belgian beer exports rose by 15%, while the amount of beer consumed in Belgium itself fell to under 90 litres per Belgian for the first time ever.

So it seems that rising exports and dwindling consumption have conspired to render Belgium a net exporter of beer. Should we worry? Well, no. As long as Belgian breweries are doing well, that’s great- it means we’ll be able to continue to buy their many fantastic beers.

However, it also reminds me that one of the joys of being a beerophile/beergeek/total beer nut is that in order to get the best, freshest samples, you must actually travel; and Elvis Costello knows that “travel broadens your mind/till you can’t get your head out of doors.” While I do love the fact that I can wander over to Premier or Consumers or even Holly Farms on Allen and purchase beers from all over the world, it’s also true that the expanding of your horizons that goes along with studious beer travel is a great thing for you and for the world. Moreover, there is an environmental aspect to the “Think local, drink local” mentality. The shorter distance the beer travels from the brewery to your mouth, the less energy is consumed (and again, the fresher the product you are consuming is, as well). And of course, for the ultimate in freshness, you can brew your own.

So, I guess my thoughts on this news are dichotomous. I certainly want Belgian breweries to be doing well, and I applaud the idea that I don’t have to travel to Belgium to taste one. On the other hand, credible Belgian-style ales are being brewed much closer to home as well- here, here and here, for example, and so I give great thought to what I pick up off the shelf to quaff back at home, letting “closer is better” guide my decision-making.