The Battle of Brews

The Battle of brews was a rather embarrassing conflict for The Royal Army. Their strict laws about the brewing of ales was suffocating local towns to the east of the Capitol as neighboring countries far outpaced them in modern ale making. Those towns began to suffer, losing their trade and soon the only business to be found came from the soldiers and locals of Estia, who also admitted to preferring outside ales. Relations between the towns and The Royal Army began to deteriorate rapidly. Populations were dwindling, with children leaving for better prospects and lifestyles elsewhere and so production of the ales suffered. The Royal Army could not be without their ales, and so the Capitol began importing ales from other countries which was the final spark of rebellion.
Bordertowns unilaterally declared themselves as part of the neighboring countries, and with their newfound freedom began brewing new and creative ales, bolstering what was left of their towns and working to revive their reputations and economies. However this was an unlawful act, and so the Royal Army had to step in. At first they tried to persuade the towns to return with negotiation. But as the lawful nature of the Royal Army would not allow them to revise the brewing laws, the negotiations failed.
Shortly after, a call went out. That anyone in those border towns who were loyal to Estia, were to take refuge in the capitol. Few left, but the rest saw this for what it was: a warning of an impending attack. They sent word to the neighboring countries they claimed to belong to, and begged for defense. And those countries responded in kind, sending militias that the Royal Army was not expecting. However they did not meet until after several towns closest to the Capitol had been burned and ransacked.
In the end, The Royal Army was beaten back to the Capitol, at which point a truce was declared. Borders were renegotiated, and the conflict ended quietly only several weeks after it had begun.