Lagunitas Buys Stake In Three Smaller Breweries

I too get aggravated listening to the rhetoric coming from the mouths of all these guys saying how they do it for the love of Craft Beer, and staying Independent, then someone comes along with a pile of cash and bam, they are on board and singing the praises of their new master, all the while claiming how it increases their ability to provide us, the consumer, with more volume and better access to their brews. Honestly, I understand it even though I don't like it. It is human nature. We can hold onto ideals all we want; in the end the almighty dollar speaks louder then the words they so piously spew forth about staying true to themselves and what they believe in. My most shocking moment was when Alpine sold out to Green Flash. I personally think the quality and taste of their beer slipped a bit. But now Alpine beer, once limited to a small corner of California, is available to the masses. Its the nature of the beast. For better or for worse, I think it is a trend that will continue until we are back to like it was 30 years ago; several major corporations running the show and deciding what goes out. That is when we will see innovation stop and the little guys who do not conform get squeezed out of the market or remain just what they are. Isolated pockets serving a local population with not much chance of expansion.

 

I am not a fan of the Green Flash brewed Alpine beers. I recently posted about Duet: http://www.beeradvocate.com/communi...est-ipas-right-now.425298/page-9#post-4876439

Cheers!

 

I wonder if Brian Hunt is going to be able to keep with his points mentioned in this article:

http://www.beeradvocate.com/mag/14011/brian-hunt-of-moonlight-brewing-company/

They are average in my book. A couple of good beers, but nothing to go out of your way to get.

 

blasphemy

 

if it means Reality Czeck and Death & Taxes make it to SoCal regularly, I'm okay with it