Is non-craft really that bad?

If Yuengling decides to start canning their summer wheat, I will be all over that next summer. I also have no problem slamming a few lagers or Buds on the golf course. Budweiser is not a bad beer by any means, I've had plenty of craft beers that are far worse.

I really don't like the term "craft" as it applies to beer. It connotes a quality product being made my a master craftsman. So much beer labeled "craft" is crap, made by someone who either lacks the self-awareness to realize they are making an inferior product, or is trying to cash in on a trend.

 

I'm already not someone that exclusively buys craft beer, so of course I'd buy a great beer from a non-craft brewer. I already buy less than great beers from some of them.

 

As long as it tasted good and was made of great quality, I don't care who makes it.

 

What about it's the summer and I want more than 1 beer when it's hot out. Save the drink better, drink less for the other 8 months.

 

I will drink any good beer no matter who it is made by...and actually a few not-so-good ones from time. I find an AAL pairs well with whiskey/bourbon for what we called a "citywide" when I lived in Philly.

One thing I used to want to see was a good, mass-produced hoppy beer from one of the large producers, but I no longer want that. The good beer segment has grown quite a lot since I got into it about 10 years ago, despite all the evil efforts by the big boys, but the one that I think could have a real and lasting negative effect on the beers we know and love would be the large brewers taking a bigger chunk of the specialty hops market. I don't know if it's a legitimate concern, but it's a concern for me nonetheless.

 

I seem to recall reading somewhere that AB has their own hop farms.

 

Yes it is that bad!!!

 

And J.P. Morgan would have crushed them all.

 

If a macro can produce a good-tasting beer, I don't mind trying it out. For instance, I have enjoyed several Colorado Natives, but generally speaking, I have not had anything that I would consider outstanding. So I think while it's not necessarily "that bad", I have access to too many craft beers to even bother with brews that aren't exceptional.

 

I voted yes, and I guess most agree anyways so I don't really have to explain. Quality is self evident. If someone put a beer in front you and you drank and liked it, but then when you asked what brewery it came from it was revealed to be non-craft, would you then not like it?

 

I don't want to support a large brewery based on principal.

This. I do have to make an exception for the annual purchase of a 4 pack of BCBS and the once every two years or so purchase of Sofie. Damn you, ABInBev, for taking even once cent of my money. Until they bought GI, I hadn't given the major brewers a cent. Well, not more than 20 bucks, anyway.

 

I agree with this, but I kind of see the Ballantine thing more as going after hipsters' lust for retro stuff than as an attempt at wooing craft drinkers. But man if they could do both at once they'd have hit the jackpot.

 

Good to see there is much more reasonable voting going on here then I would have thought. A good beer is a good beer... And stereotyping large companies as bad is no different than stereotyping craft beer as shit. Overly exaggerated on both ends by people who spend way to much time analyzing things they don't necessarily understand.

 

No, for the same reason I try to buy local eggs, dairy, produce, and even frozen pizzas. I like fresh food. I like to know where it came from, who made it, and what's in it.

 

If I liked the beer and thought it was a good value I'd be a repeat customer no matter who brewed it.

 

I feel like the craft beer industry presents a rare opportunity to fully support local businesses. Find your favorite local breweries and buy from them often.

75% of the beer I buy is brewed in my home state. 85% is brewed by craft breweries that don't have national distribution. Another 10% is nationally distributed craft beer (SN, NB, GF, etc). The final 5% is non-craft beer (I'm including Blue Point and Goose Island in this percentile).

I really try to buy all of my food and beverages this way- if I can find good quality closer to home, I buy it. I support small businesses because I can actually go meet the people who are handling the food I am putting into my body. I'm not always able to do this, and sometimes I just break down and pick up fast food on the way home. But I think trying to source locally is important.

Plus, it just tastes better.

 

First, I prefer to avoid large corporations as much as I can. I know, sometimes it's impossible because I did purchase an Apple laptop (large corporation computer). Second, I truly don't believe a macro brewery would never dedicate the effort and resources of making a truly quality craft beer. That's like expecting McDonald's to make a really good hamburger. It's not going to happen. Third, there is just far too many good craft brewers out there that if BMC wanted to get in the game, it's too late.

 

Yes. Along the same lines, I would buy a Honda Civic even though it is not a craft car and Levis even though they are not craft jeans.

 

I'd prefer it if larger, macro brewers made the beers I actually love. They would be found everywhere and a lot cheaper.

 

Do you know how much they produce per year out of that facility?