Another One Bites the Dust...

Yakima 728
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I wouldn't call it a crash if they are getting bought up.. more like the conglomerates are "top cropping" the craft brewery scene. You can't take the analogy too far, but this is a good thing for beer and variety. There will be more space for little guys at the bottom.
 
It doesn't mean the brewery will start making only American pilsners. In fact, it may mean that craft beer will be more widely distributed and available.
There is nothing worse than going to a little honky-tonk or pub out in the middle of no-where (and I do this often when we go on our weekend fishing trips), and stopping at these little one-stop-sign towns local watering hole and all they have is what the Bud or Miller traveling distribution truck drops off as it goes through town, a keg of Bud, a keg of Bud lite, and some even have "craft Pabst Blue Ribbon". Now that Bud has bought Goose Island, and Miller_Coors has Leinenkugel and Blue Moon, the chances of getting something else to drink gets better. The big guys are realizing that their variations of the same Pilsner, all segmented and differentiated by the marketing behind them instead of a difference in taste, will only get them so far. There is a growing consumer market of people that want actual flavor, and that is where the higher rates of growth in sales are coming from.
 
I don't think I've ever seen their beer around these parts. When I do buy commercial beer I try to buy the local stuff. It's more fresh than anything I can buy and I like to support the neighborhood breweries.

I'm wondering what's going to happen when there's too many big "craft" breweries? I can see how every neighborhood having a brewery would work, as long as the locals buy the beer, but I don't get why these big guys want their beer to be available everywhere. There's already so much old beer on the shelves. I'd think quality control would be difficult even though it's usually the distributors job to deal with that mess. I'm just wondering where the tipping point is on these big guys and when breweries will start failing because they're too big. Can we all drink this much beer? lol.
 
MrFancyPlants said:
I wouldn't call it a crash if they are getting bought up.. more like the conglomerates are "top cropping" the craft brewery scene. You can't take the analogy too far, but this is a good thing for beer and variety. There will be more space for little guys at the bottom.
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Craft brewers, in particular obscure ones, getting bought up was one of the major things that led to the craft beer crash, this sounds an awful lot like that.
 
Just 4 years ago when I started homebrewing and buying craft beer to get ideas, I would go into a liquor store and there would be maybe a dozen choices of craft beer. Now the worst stores have over a dozen and the good ones have up to hundreds of different craft beers...

For the few craft breweries that have been bought up there are a lot more new ones opening.

I don't think the demise of the industry is imminent.
 
The question for me is when the craft brewery gets purchased by a big corporation, will the brew eventually change? Looking at the "natural and organic foods" market makes me think yes. Long Island NY is home to Blue Point brewery, recently purchased by AB. The deal was made for wider distribution, but over time I fear it will start to be like Bud-yuck.
 
Hoppy2bmerry said:
The question for me is when the craft brewery gets purchased by a big corporation, will the brew eventually change? Looking at the "natural and organic foods" market makes me think yes. Long Island NY is home to Blue Point brewery, recently purchased by AB. The deal was made for wider distribution, but over time I fear it will start to be like Bud-yuck.
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Sure, the beer is going to change, but I don't think it will end up as 'Bud-yuck'. These big Corporations are interested in the bottom line and nothing else. Costs will be cut, which will lead to an inevitable change in the products.
 
Another brewing entrepreneur creates a successful brewery and gets bought out by Major Brewing Corporation. Good for them, I hope they made a ton of money for all the work they put into building it - for they risks they took and money invested. And it's time for me to move on to the next startup brewery to help the next guy with the guts to try to build something from nothing. I don't see the flood of cash from the big players as a bad thing (except maybe when my favorite beer gets bought).

Given the choice, I'll drink non-corporate beer every time.
 
I say more power to them. Cash out, retire and enjoy life. But I won't buy it anymore. Same thing happened on our side with Widmer, full sail, 10 barrel and Elysian. They won't see my money in spite of liking some of their offerings in the past. There are many more options out there. And frankly most of the stuff you can't get in bottles is better than what you can. Plus, I can always make my own.
 
bobeer said:
Can we all drink this much beer? lol.
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Wisconsin on its own will drink all that beer. We drink all of New Glarus' beer, then a,k of our local brands, and still have room for BMCs after.

Never underestimate the alcoholism of Wisconsin.

On topic if my favorite brewery sells out I will still drink the beer if they fulfill 2 criteria. The taste doesn't change. And the brewery doesn't move and keeps the jobs they have created in those communities. Either one gets messed up, I'm done and hope it burns to the ground, and hope the people the sold it just start a new brewery.
 
IMO their IPA and DIPAs are world class since they switched brewers. Enjoying a Mosaic DIPA right now. Think Pliny or better without the hype...yah I said it.
 
I live in San Diego where they're located and heard they were started by a bunch of skaters and surfers and even movie types looking to make some money. Doesn't surprise me at all they sold out since I think that was their goal from the start. Their IPA is pretty good though.
 
ciderWI said:
Given the choice, I'll drink non-corporate beer every time.
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Given the choice, I'll drink a good beer over a bad beer every time; regardless of who makes it.

I've had too many bad beers lately from many of the small breweries popping up.

They need to focus of quality prouducts, not just the hipster "local, small batch, non-corporate " nonsense.
 
AZ_IPA said:
Given the choice, I'll drink a good beer over a bad beer every time; regardless of who makes it.



I've had too many bad beers lately from many of the small breweries popping up.



They need to focus of quality prouducts, not just the hipster "local, small batch, non-corporate " nonsense.
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Anyone that calls them "corporate sell outs" need to put themselves into the owners shoes. Worked really hard for a decade or so brewing beer and creating a brand, then you are offered a couple million dollars for it? Come on, that's not selling out.

Sign the non-compete for a couple years and then start a new brewery with your new money. Or if the buyer wants to keep all the employees and facility just run your facility and brew great beer.
 
Quaffman said:
I live in San Diego where they're located and heard they were started by a bunch of skaters and surfers and even movie types looking to make some money. Doesn't surprise me at all they sold out since I think that was their goal from the start. Their IPA is pretty good though.
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Yep. I never really trusted them. I always thought they were trying to build a brand, more than trying to build a brewery.

That said, after they replaced their original brewer, the beer was pretty decent...
 
I've been skeptical of major breweries buying up micro brews as well. BUT, I've also had a few mega brewery beers that I've enjoyed - and they would never have been made if it weren't for the encroachment of micro breweries in recent years. Are they AS good as micro brew? Sometimes yes, and sometimes no (I've had lots of bad beer from some highly marginal micro breweries trying to make a dollar off of the increased demand).

Lots of bars still only serve mega-brewery beer (ever been to Tilted Kilt? WTF? Ever seen more mass produced LAGER options in one place before???) And its good to at least see some OPTIONS coming from the mega breweries now. They'll buy up the companies more focused on a quick profit, and increase distribution of better beer, which I will enjoy - but the best micro breweries who enjoy the art and fun of brewing will likely stick to it. Win-win in my opinion.

Now I must go refill my glass.
 
AZ_IPA said:
Given the choice, I'll drink a good beer over a bad beer every time; regardless of who makes it.

I've had too many bad beers lately from many of the small breweries popping up.

They need to focus of quality prouducts, not just the hipster "local, small batch, non-corporate " nonsense.
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which was kind of my point, we've seen this happen before. A bunch of people get into the brewery business because it seems like an "easy" and "fun" way to make money, what with all the small breweries getting bought out by the big ones. So you get a lot of people going into the business, then selling out the first chance they get without any real concern about if they're making good beer or not. Then, once the craft breweries get bought out, BMC reduces the quality of ingredients to save money and the people working their no longer have passion for the job. Wash, rinse and repeat until the whole industry crashes on a flood of bad beer.
 
Talgrath said:
which was kind of my point, we've seen this happen before. A bunch of people get into the brewery business because it seems like an "easy" and "fun" way to make money, what with all the small breweries getting bought out by the big ones. So you get a lot of people going into the business, then selling out the first chance they get without any real concern about if they're making good beer or not. Then, once the craft breweries get bought out, BMC reduces the quality of ingredients to save money and the people working their no longer have passion for the job. Wash, rinse and repeat until the whole industry crashes on a flood of bad beer.
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Except there's more breweries now then there's ever been.

This conspiracy of BMC trying to destroy the market just isn't true.

They're trying to make money off of the popularity of the craft beer movement, like any good business would do.
 
Talgrath said:
which was kind of my point, we've seen this happen before. A bunch of people get into the brewery business because it seems like an "easy" and "fun" way to make money, what with all the small breweries getting bought out by the big ones. So you get a lot of people going into the business, then selling out the first chance they get without any real concern about if they're making good beer or not. Then, once the craft breweries get bought out, BMC reduces the quality of ingredients to save money and the people working their no longer have passion for the job. Wash, rinse and repeat until the whole industry crashes on a flood of bad beer.
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I doubt that will be the downfall of craft beer. If you built a brand but made bad beer you would fail and wouldn't get bought by a BMC. I also doubt you can make good beer, build a good brand, and have no passion for the craft and only do it for the money (seeing as you barely have to search google to hear from everyone brewing won't make you money for at least 5-10 years). Someone that half hearted without a passion for good beer, and the business plan of "I want to make a lot of money" would never get a business loan to build a brewery.

If they had a lot of passion for the craft and built a good brand and made good beer, then 10 years in got the offer to retire early or they were just tired and needed a break, who can honestly blame them for taking a pay out?

There's so much that hasn't happened yet.

Have they fired all the original staff?
Do the original owners still have general control of the brewery?
Does the beer taste the same?
Are they moving the brewery to another state/location?

You're insane if you're going to judge the already without knowing the answers above. If New Glarus was bought tomorrow I would continue to buy all of their beer happily, until the taste changes, if they fire any of the original staff, or the owners no longer have general control of the brewery.

Leinenkugel's is a good example in my area and I'm less than 20 minutes from the brewery. Now you can argue about the quality of their beers but their standard normal beers are definitely decent. As far as I can tell the flavor hasn't changed, they didn't fire anyone, if anything they expanded a little, and haven't moved the brewery. They're great for the local economy and when I feel like a tasty almost-beer I reach for a Leinenkugels.

Edit: Do not confuse this with defending BMC. I dislike their beer and I'll skip drinking beer sometimes if that's the only thing to drink. But I am a strong believer in "if it tastes good eat it" and by extension "if it tastes good and gets your drunk, drink it".
 
I have drank some of their bottles and it was pretty fair, I hope they can continue to make good beer and enjoy the better distribution.
 
Talgrath said:
Craft brewers, in particular obscure ones, getting bought up was one of the major things that led to the craft beer crash, this sounds an awful lot like that.
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Which craft beer crash are you referring too? I know that prohibition had a detrimental effect on the craft brewing industry and that was worsened by big brewers with dollar signs for pupils when it was finally repealed, but the reverse mitosis of the modern capitalist processes, in my opinion only help the variety of beers available indirectly. A "Little guy" getting bought up only encourages more new home grown ventures, whether the "bought up" beer continues in it's previous form or not.

I'll admit that conglomerates copying the look and feel of craft beers annoys me, but if you don't like the beer than don't buy it. There are tons of options available these days including BYO.
 
hifidelity said:
If BMC ends up ruining craft beer for me I guess I'll just have to start making my own. Oh wait...;)
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In the words of Jim Koch from Beer Wars, 'don't worry I can make more'.

I love craft beer and love finally having more local options in my drag-butt state. However rather than spending $10 per a 6er every week I'd rather have one or 2 per month and put the remaining cash plus some toward brewing my own! Besides even at just one sixer per week that's half a grand a year ... half a grand per year! And yes, I'm aware there are people that spend 6 and 10 times that much in a year on beer ... but I've got whiskey to buy! (and kids and dogs and ....)
 

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