Zombie Beer Brands

This is exactly what InBev wants, and you express the naivete they prey on so elequently.

 

You know what, I really don't care. As a CONSUMER I spend MY hard earned dollar as I want. I answer to NO ONE. No one tells me what company to shun. I buy what I like, I buy what makes me content. Mega, micro, local, whatever. In an odd sort of way I do miss the 70's when beer was just beer. Man, I miss my Schmidt's (from Philly). Pabst won't you please bring that back?

 

"...their lingering infestation acts as a bitter reminder of what they were and have become."

"...our utopia was breached years ago and we’ve allowed it to fester into a pandemic as we’ve high-fived each other on the craft brewing train."

I don't disagree with the premise of the argument in the article, I really don't.
But this writing is just over the top.

 

There are 10 now actually unless something's changed--the ones you mentioned plus Four Peaks (AZ), Devil's Backbone (VA) and Karbach (TX).
Wouldn't necessarily say that each of these breweries were on the global radar, or that ABI's spoils were 'crazy good' in their acquisition.

 

I've always considered myself a beer advocate, which is why I love this mag & site. But the whole tone of things in recent weeks with the BA seal and articles like this show the division that continues to tear the industry apart instead of building it up. Let's keep enjoying ALL beer, tell it's stories, and bring more people into this amazing culture

 

goose island, elysian and wicked weed. i'd consider that crazy good if their goal was to trick consumers to think they are drinking craft, which it is.

 

I hate the assumed definition of "Craft". It has come to be defined by some organization that decided being owned by big companies isn't OK. It seems like the brewers at GI who make prop and come up with one-off beers at the Fulton and (soon-to-reopen) Clybourn taprooms are practicing "craft".

Big companies buy little companies all the time. Not unique to beer. Sometimes it turns out for the better (I think Goose Island is an example), sometimes it doesn't. AB certainly does some crap things to hold its market position. Maybe the negative stuff outweighs my point above, but the positive still exists. See below.

Compare your options at a baseball game 15-20 years ago to today. They're better. Still expensive as hell, but also better.

 

I am really curious how GI has turned out for the better. After packaging changes, production issues, quality controls mishaps I feel the opposite. Now you add in the fact that InBev has control of one more door in the liquor store or two more taps at the ball park it seems if this continues there won't be any choice left.

 

I have never understood the sentiment expressed in this article. If big corporations have decided that the best way to win over consumers is to make better beer then I'm happy. Founders, Goose Island, and Lagunitas still make very good beer and now people at big corporate events that my little local brewery isn't going to serving anyways will be exposed to much better beer and hopefully start seeking out the local independent brewers in their free time.

Enthusiast often forget that broad distribution, consistency, and accessibility help bring people into their hobby. I see this a lot in the gaming community. Hard core games complain about games getting "dumbed down" and that people who are unwilling to build their own PC aren't "real gamers" forgetting that accessible games and consoles allow people to have fun without having a lot of prior knowledge.

 

That's a real jump in logic regarding someone trying goose island only to forego the new found beer and support local independent breweries.

 

No, it's not. Go back a re-read one of the many "what beer got you started in craft?" themed threads.

 

Yeah, it is. What percentage of beer drinkers are on BA? You're talking about a fraction of a fraction of a niche my friend.

 

No, it's not. (We could go on and on with this, you know...)

 

Since neither of us have proof, it's merely differing opinions. I will say I enjoy the banter with you as there's little name calling or belittling involved. Cheers!

 

Yeah, me too with you! Cheers!

 

Most of the people that are doing this shaming/bashing have absolutely no idea why they are doing it. They've simply been told that it's bad and that they should revolt against it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm ALL for shaming and bashing, but it NEEDS to be informed shaming and bashing, or it isn't effective.

 

Indeed. Not only is it ineffective, it may even produce exactly the opposite effect when it is uninformed and not based in reality. It is so much easier to ignore and/or laugh at attempts to bash when they are uninformed.

 

At the heart of the matter, I think that is my biggest issue with it.

 

Yes, it is.

 

While I will agree that making great beer is a craft, one must assume that every business mans' dream is building a quality product and selling it for a profit. When you get your business (craft brewery) to a certain point the offers are going to come in from bigger businesses. When faced with an offer a business owner simply cannot refuse why shouldn't the business sell their craft brewery and retire for the rest of their lives?