Needed: List of Fake Craft Brews

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by GaryGreen, Jan 3, 2013.

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  1. GaryGreen

    GaryGreen Initiate (165) Jan 3, 2013 Indonesia

    I've run into a few of them and was disgusted. Is there anywhere that keeps a current list of corporate swill being passed off as craft? Thank you.
     
  2. phooky

    phooky Initiate (0) Jan 23, 2010 New York

    Not sure if there's a comprehensive list, but I'll start with some of the most prevalent:
    Blue Moon
    Shock Top
    Killian's
    Goose Island :wink: (owned by AB but not 'fake' craft quality...yet)
     
  3. pghlee

    pghlee Initiate (0) Feb 24, 2006 Georgia

    Great Idea! A contract brewed list would be longer but useful as well
     
  4. Hawkharvs

    Hawkharvs Initiate (0) Sep 9, 2012 Iowa

    Leinenkugel (although I enjoy their vanilla porter)
     
  5. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,071) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Here's a list of all the brands, domestic and imported, from AB and MC (includes some ABI and SABMiller brands not exported to the US):

    The Big Brewers Brands

    Although it hasn't been kept up so neglects newer brands like Coors' Batch 19, Third Shift, that Colorado branded one, etc.
     
  6. Providence

    Providence Pooh-Bah (2,628) Feb 24, 2010 Rhode Island
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Goose Island Bourbon County Stout and all its variations.
     
  7. manutdfan

    manutdfan Initiate (0) May 25, 2012 Florida

    Grayton, awful beer
     
  8. paulhargus

    paulhargus Initiate (0) Jun 8, 2012 Pennsylvania

    what makes them fake? not being sarcastic at all, i genuinely don't know. is it their production numbers? more than regional distribution?
     
  9. HipsterBrewfus

    HipsterBrewfus Initiate (0) Jun 3, 2012 Maryland

    My guess is their owner.
     
  10. Bay01

    Bay01 Initiate (0) Nov 19, 2008 Illinois

    This thread should be re-titled "Tell me what I like to drink based on your own misguided sense of authenticity"?
     
  11. jdaelhousen

    jdaelhousen Initiate (0) Nov 24, 2004 Massachusetts

    how would a list of contract brewers be useful and/or comparable to macro brewers? Contract brewers produce some fantastic beer.
     
    Ranbot, JulianB, dennis3951 and 3 others like this.
  12. Hawkharvs

    Hawkharvs Initiate (0) Sep 9, 2012 Iowa

    I'm not extremely snobbish but they are owned by Miller/Coors.
     
  13. paulhargus

    paulhargus Initiate (0) Jun 8, 2012 Pennsylvania

    heh, i probably should have looked before i even asked. i just figured i can get their stuff here in PA, so that was enough to break the "micro" label.
     
  14. Brew33

    Brew33 Initiate (0) Oct 24, 2007 Ohio

    God, I love these threads....
     
    JohnB87, barleywinefiend and yamar68 like this.
  15. pghlee

    pghlee Initiate (0) Feb 24, 2006 Georgia

    Just printed the list and hung it up on the cork board under "Beers not to buy in 2013"
     
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  16. HipsterBrewfus

    HipsterBrewfus Initiate (0) Jun 3, 2012 Maryland

    If you're not going to buy GI or Widmer Bros, I'm ok with that. more for me.

    A lot of these on the list, aren't Miller or InBev purely owners on a financial basis?
     
    Porkhustle and cnbrown313 like this.
  17. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,071) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    For the true faux brands (how's that for an oxymoron?) - those brewed by AB or MC at their own US facilities, usually using dba names for the brewery name on the label, looks for these cities:

    Newark, NJ​
    Jacksonville, FL​
    Merrimack, NH​
    Fairfield, CA​
    Baldwinsville, NY​
    Cartersville, GA​
    Golden, CO​
    Shenandoah, VA​
    Eden, NC​
    Albany, GA​
    Trenton, OH​
    Irwindale, CA​
    Houston, TX​
    Ft. Worth, TX​
    Columbus, OH​
    Chippewa Falls, WI

    And these cities should raise an eyebrow, at least, for "unknown" new beers and further research should probably be done before purchasing:

    Williamsburg, VA​
    Fort Collins, CO​
    Milwaukee, WI​
    St. Louis, MO​
    Denver, CO​
    Los Angeles, CA​

    And then a lot of "craftish" store brands (like those of Winery Exchange) and other "faux" craft are contract brewed at old line breweries like:

    Genesee/NAB - Rochester, NY​
    F X Matt - Utica, NY​
    The Lion - Wilkes-Barre, PA​
    City - La Crosse, WI - Latrobe, PA - Memphis TN​
    Minhas - Monroe, WI​
    Stevens Point - Stevens Point, WI​
    Cold Spring, Cold Spring, MN​
     
    LiquidAmber and Lucidious like this.
  18. ao125

    ao125 Initiate (0) Dec 1, 2010 Virginia

    I hate what AB InBev did to Old Dominion. It used to be one of the best things about living in NoVA. Now, it's just a sad joke.
     
    dunix likes this.
  19. Grintbrad

    Grintbrad Initiate (0) Oct 22, 2007 Pennsylvania

    Yes, Goose Island is partially owned by InBev. But it doesn't taste like most InBev products, So who cares??

    I got some "real" craft beer here if you want to trade your Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, Pepe Nero etc...
     
    ErikTheRedd likes this.
  20. codysjb

    codysjb Pundit (994) Jun 16, 2010 Florida
    Trader

    I believe the answer is "kinda". InBev acquisition of Goose Island certainly didn't kill the amazingness of Bourbon County, if anyone thinks it did then feel free to send it to me for disposal, but they did a little more than just take over financial ownership. The barrel program exploded, the head brewmaster stepped down. The exact results of this may not be known at the moment but it could (and I say could not will) lead to lower quality. Its somewhat inevitable that when you get rid of the man who started a brand of beer and decide to make 10 times as much, especially given the necessary care for BA beers, the quality will be affected.

    In terms of purely financial ownership, a brewery like Terrapin could be thrown in here since MillerCoors owns a minority interest in the company (I believe Terrapin took out a loan from MillerCoors in exchange for stock but don't quote me on that), but I drink Terrapin every week and will continue to since they make excellent beer and the big brewery owning some share didnt affect the quality.
     
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