Another AB Inbev buyout

[jeffpn]

Here’s another thought I’ve pondered. Let’s say your favorite craft beer becomes wildly popular, and the company finds itself upping production of it, to the point that it sells as much of their product as AB sells Budweiser. Is it still craft beer? If it’s not, and nothing changed in the product, when did it stop being craft beer? Budweiser started out small, too. Was it craft beer then?

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

if its good beer and cheap Ill buy it but just because a beer has a fancy label on it and says tuns of hops but cost $13 a six pack doesn't mean its good in any way

 

[jmcnamara]

Here’s another thought I’ve pondered. Let’s say your favorite craft beer becomes wildly popular, and the company finds itself upping production of it, to the point that it sells as much of their product as AB sells Budweiser. Is it still craft beer? If it’s not, and nothing changed in the product, when did it stop being craft beer? Budweiser started out small, too. Was it craft beer then?

I think it's more of the faceless nature of a big corporation. Sam Adams and Dogfish Head are pretty big craft brewers in the US, and you know who their founders are
It's not about volume of beer produced to me, it's who is making it and is it good

 

[Group W]

Here’s another thought I’ve pondered. Let’s say your favorite craft beer becomes wildly popular, and the company finds itself upping production of it, to the point that it sells as much of their product as AB sells Budweiser. Is it still craft beer? If it’s not, and nothing changed in the product, when did it stop being craft beer? Budweiser started out small, too. Was it craft beer then?

No, Craft is a designation by the Brewers Association requiring certain ingredients, less than 6 million barrels/yr and no more than 25% non Craft ownership.

Personally I don’t care much about all this cause there’s a time and place for all styles. If we are camping (hunting, fishing, etc.) we bring no Craft and have plenty of the “bigs” on hand. If socializing at the pub, it’s Craft all the way.

 

[Nosybear]

No, Craft is a designation by the Brewers Association requiring certain ingredients, less than 6 million barrels/yr and no more than 25% non Craft ownership.

Personally I don’t care much about all this cause there’s a time and place for all styles. If we are camping (hunting, fishing, etc.) we bring no Craft and have plenty of the “bigs” on hand. If socializing at the pub, it’s Craft all the way.

Agreed. AC Golden (the "Craft" division of Coors) has some pretty good brews and I'll drink them gladly in some instances (at Coors Field, for example). At home the beer is definitely craft - mine. Haven't had a Sam Adams in years.... I really don't care about the "craft" designation, either. It's quite the artificiality.

 

[jeffpn]

Good point. To me, what a beer tastes like is what’s important. The volume made has nothing to do with how it tastes.

 

[Medarius]

InBev is

I'm trying to figure out how they have so much money that they can buy so many breweries, were talking millions on each purchase

Budweiser, Fosters, miller coors, Labatts, coca cola bottling in britain, all Inbev co. InBev takes in over 63 billion pounds guess a few million US$ for homebrew shops isn't much to them ) And the homebrew retail business takes in $23 billion a year, about 22% of US beer market ($108 B). Good investment if you get the lions share by cornering the market.

 

[Mark D Pirate]

AB Inbev recently bought one of my local favourites (Pirate life )

There was the expected threats of boycotts but it still moves off the shelf in a hurry .
As an upside for locals they've announced a 300 seat tap room / restaurant and a new and much larger brewery to keep up with demand , employ more locals and help rejuvenate a slightly worn down suburb

 

[Hawkbox]

Boycott promises for beer are about as effective as they are for fuel. Not at all.

 

[jmcnamara]

i think it's getting easier to boycott now that there are more options for us to buy. you might not be able to at a large stadium or other event, but on a day to day level you can

 

[Nosybear]

On a day-to-day level, I do. But I've also read that AB Inbev has stopped their acquisitions of craft brewers for a while anyway, stating something to the effect that they've accomplished their goals in acquiring craft breweries. Meaning they must not be finding it profitable enough.

 

[Mark D Pirate]

Daresay AB will enjoy decent profits with Pirate life beers , the DIPA usually retails at $13 a 500 ml can but can buy a 6 pack of Coopers pale ale for about $21 ( 6 x 375 ml bottles )

 

[Nosybear]

Our LHBS is clearancing all their Northern Brewer merchandise because of the Inbev connection. Kind of a shame, NB makes some good stuff - the kettle mentioned elsewhere is a Megapot from NB.

 

[Mase]

Our LHBS is clearancing all their Northern Brewer merchandise because of the Inbev connection. Kind of a shame, NB makes some good stuff - the kettle mentioned elsewhere is a Megapot from NB.

I buy 90% of my supplies from them.

 

[Nosybear]

I buy 90% of my supplies from them.

I wouldn't hesitate to order from them, either, if they had something I needed that I couldn't source elsewhere. The Megapot was a great acquisition and due to the clearance, I got it at a great price. The beer boiled in it won't be AB Inbev tainted (generally to me meaning tasting of acetaldehyde). The other side, I applaud the LHBS for their stand against the Borg.