Goose Island...Craft Beer??

If it's not craft beer, then I guess I'm not a craft beer drinker :shrug: I was excited to hear about the InBev deal and the return of Nut Brown Ale only increased that excitement- more good beer is good, imho, craft or otherwise.

 

good beer is GOOD, craft, macro, micro, WHATEVER, if coors made awesome beer I would buy it, but the do not, so I don't, lets just hope that goose island continues to produce theses quality brews

 

Does the title 'craft' or 'micro' somehow change the beer? No. Who cares... assess the beer for what it is.

 

I think 'craft' originated as an imagery word like, "Artisan" (Care for an "artisan french baguette" or a "slice of white bread"?) and once incorporated by enough firms became adopted to use as a distinction. The issue of defining has been around ever since.

In my opinion GI makes damn good beer. And the recipe didn't change magically overnight last March 28. Same as it didn't skip a beat when they entered the AB distribution arrangement in 2006. In fact since then we've seen BCCS, Rare, Sophie, Pere Jaques, Pepe Nero, etc. I will judge by their actions: the day my fresh 312 tastes like some AB swill I will cease to purchase. Until then...

 

These are the same people that don't know a pint is 16 #@%#^#$@ ozs.

 

Are you, anal?

 

It's going to blow your mind when you learn how they define the meter.

 

It'd be an insult to the brewers at GI to say it's not craft just because ownership changed.

 

The only reason we value a brewery for being "micro" or "craft" is because these breweries tend to make better beers than the larger ones. But that's not to say there aren't large breweries that don't make good beer. Goose Island is one of those, and deserves to be grouped with all the great smaller breweries around. Basically, valuing "craft" is instrumental to valuing good beer.

 

I am not so sure that is completely true, I am sure you would find a good amount of people who adhere to an anti big business mantra...

 

Ok, then change "we" to "I"

 

Here here

 

Goose Island makes a lot of beer. I don't care what it is categorized as. They make good beer in general, and a few that are truly world-class. I don't care who owns them, as long as the quality is consistent. I'll keep buying it.

 

GI is definately craft. I get a kick out of waiters upon asking if they have any craft beers tell me they have Blue Moon. I think hell is some combination of being forced to watch Jersey Shore reruns and drink Blue Moon.

 

Not being from the Chicago area I don't have heavy opinions about Goose Island but I have noticed them being distributed out east here a bit more recently and when at O'Hare last week I ventured into the GI "Brewpub" in Terminal C for a few hours. The Matilda was really delicious, but I was very put off when I see a meager number of taps (six) and of them only 3 of their own "craft" (read "tasty") brews were available. Room for Bud Light though! See, that ain't right. Why do they waste a tap on Bud Light? I understand that Bud/ InBev is their master now, but just peddle the crap beer in bottles for the masses that are content with anything as long as it doesn't challenge their sensory nodes, is cold, and oh yeah, familiar. Leave those taps for those of us that can actually tell the difference and really get off on oatmeal stouts and Belgian IPA's, or whatever the craft industry has to entertain us with. So this then was a sign of deterioration in Goose Island's principles to me. Bud will sell their piss beer at every venue in Chicago. Why do they need to clutter this precious little haven in Terminal C? Oh, that's right, 'cause they can. Oh what a slippery slope GI.....

 

Actually the GI "Brewpub" has never been that great... I went there before the whole AB-Inbev thing and it was still disappointing. Passed time with a Honker's Ale.

 

Yet, you agree with their assessment of Goose Island.

 

Which brewpub did you go to?* Wrigleyville or 1800 Clybourn. If it was Clybourn and you still have the same opinion, I'll have to think you were impaired.

Also, before it gets to the point, the A-B buy out did not include the pubs.

*It appears you may have been talking about the O'Hare "kiosk" pub... this should not be considered in any assessment of Goose Island brewpubs -- it's an airport bar.

 

He appears to be emoticonphobic. Sarcastic, but phobic!

 

Hence "brewpub" as opposed to brewpub.