Countdown to the Goose

If we even start getting some of the basic stuff, like Pere Jaques and Pepe Nero, I'll consider it a win for now.

 

It depends on how the $100 is applied. Often times they give you a discount on a future/current order for carrying a new product (SEE: All the crazy Vodka flavors). Maybe they aren't specifically saying "Pull X tap and put on Y tap", instead saying "Hey we got this new Hefe, when your current Hefe is tapped we will give you $100 off promotion to your entire weekly InBev order."

When I worked for Red Bull (Taylor Distributing) we had a program where a store would get a free case a month for having a full row of Red Bull (amoung the various programs we ran)....this promotion squeezed competition out of the walk-in cooler space. Illegal, no; shady, can be (but I'm no lawyer and I only have a limited perspective so feel free to disregard)

 

When i read that article i nearly choked, i thought i sold Goose Island. (John Hall is also my name lol)

 

At the moment every beer that I have had from them has been great (even Big John mixed with Blushing Monk was amazing) until that stops I wont quit buying it. I don't care who makes the beer if BCBS came in a Miller Lite can and I tried it for the first time I would buy out HEB. Good Beer is good beer

 

Goose Island.

http://www.gooseisland.com/pages/se...nes_at_goose_island_beer_co___chicago/312.php

Cheers,
Chad

 

If any of you want an explanation on why someone might not want to support a big conglomerate like AB InBev, there are many reasons. I'll preface ALL of this by saying that I still intend to purchase Juliet, BCS, and maybe an occasional beer here and there that is in the Goose Island portfolio. All that being said, from an economic standpoint many Americans are enjoying a return to local products in the last 5 years or so. There are many advantages to supporting your local businesses and entrepreneurs, whom are in most cases, individually and collectively more passionate than any conglomerate can be. It's just a fact. Hire 500 people to represent a cause, and the original plight of one man or woman will be diluted.

In the long run, no business (which stays the same) can remain profitable from an economic standpoint. Businesses must continue to innovate and stay ahead of the competition. This is why Starbucks eventually had to close hundreds of their stores. Their competition didn't really exist at first, and when people figured out that $4 cups of coffee were really profitable, they opened their own shops selling $3.50 coffee and forced Starbucks to lose a lot of market share.

Let's consider AB InBev using unfair business practices against a small competitor like No Label like paying a bounty to remove a local competitor's tap handles. Do you think that's fair? Of course not, but they're huge, have expensive (and probably well trained) lawyers, and will fight it if No Label were to sue. Do you think a small business like No Label can afford to withstand a lawsuit against a huge corporation like AB InBev? Absolutely not. It might even bankrupt them if they put enough time and money into it. Let's assume that No Label decides to pursue this anyway. Do you think AB InBev could buy off a legislator or a judge even if the ruling could be in favor of the small guy? Absolutely. Is it fair? No it's not, but these things happen all the time. Why do you think our archaic beer laws in Texas (and other states) are still on the books? Organizations like the WBDT (Wholesale Beer Distributors of Texas) keep lawmakers in their pockets, which are typically supported by large breweries like AB InBev. Finding the money is difficult, and the moment one whistleblower tries to track it down, he/she loses their job. Any number of movies has been made about this very subject in other industries. Believe me, this is happening right now.

So the real issue here is, do you want your craft brewing selection to continue to expand? Then support your local brewers, the craft brewers, and the small guys, and our choices will continue to expand as long as the market can support additional choice. The more dollars that gets funneled to AB InBev and other large corporations, the less choice you may have in the future. Every dollar counts, and I'm not 100% innocent, but I sure try everyday to do my best in supporting the little guy. If you believe in the American dream of an entrepreneur being able to make his or her way in this world, you'll do the same. That may or may not be important to you, but it certainly is to me.

Cheers,
Chad

 

This is seeming more and more like AB Inbev trying to make inroads at craft beer bars with Goose Island taps, instead of actually distributing their brands that craft beer fans actually want. Expanding distribution into 30 states (estimate) at one time and expecting that they will distribute any of their Belgian Style beers or BCBS series seems pretty improbable. I am not saying we wont see any of those brands, but I think this is a pretty unlikely situation.

I have thought that Goose Island buyout was good for them since there has been a big investment into expanding barrel aging and adding distribution. I think this nationwide expansion stinks like AB Inbev trying to gain a bigger foothold in the craft beer market. Don't get me wrong, when Matilda or Sofie etc. shows up here I will buy it and enjoy it but I will not be buying any "craft" beer brewed at a AB Inbev brewery.

http://beerstreetjournal.com/goose-island-312-being-added-to-abs-draftmark-system/

 

Personally, it does not bother me that AB owns GI now. I will buy beer I think I will enjoy, I think that is pretty simple. Saying that, if all the sudden the major Texas markets get flooded with 312, Honkers, and the IPA I don't see me purchasing any of that. While I think Honkers and IPA are nice beers, they are certainly not as good as a lot of stuff we already have. No way in hell is 312 better than Weisse Versa, and I am not going to stop buying say Full Moon or Mirror pond for Honkers. Same with the IPA, there are plenty of local and national stuff that are just as good or way better.

I can see the three core beers for GI selling pretty fast when they first hit the Texas market. After the initial surge, I think they will just sit around on the shelves. Just what we need at Specs, more beers that sit around way past their prime and take up shelf space. Unless someone else has some inside info, I don't think we will see much more than that.

On a side note. Does anyone know if Goose Island still makes the Nut Brown and Oatmeal Stout? I remember really liking both. I know they stopped making them before the AB purchase, but they are still listed on the GI website. I would definitely purchase either of those two.

 

Oatmeal Stout isn't in production according to GI website.

 

Nut Brown is back in production now. Hopefully they bring back the Oatmeal Stout as well.

 

I'd rather see Night Stalker in 4 packs.

 

The base beer used to make Night Stalker is the same as BCBS. I just don't see Night Stalker coming back for quite awhile.

 

If you live in the US you should make an effort to support US businesses.

 

What do they do to said base beer to make it Night Stalker?

 

Dry hopped

 

Seems like it would benefit them to brew more of the base. They could use as much as they had room for for BCBS and then use the rest to dry hop it for Night Stalker. That way you get more money out of the base from the Night Stalker.

Maybe I'm thinking about this wrong, but it seems to make sense.

 

They said the wild stuff like BCBS would still be made at the Chicago brewery. The general releases will be made in Colorado and such.

me thinks that we probably still won't get BCBS here, rather just their general release.

 

If its the year round beer only, it'll save me money.

 

Agreed.

 

Given that they have more than doubled their barrel program and they recently said this year's BCBS release will be the biggest they've ever done I wouldn't doubt if we eventually got BCBS next year.