Funky Buddha Joins Constellation Brands

I grew up on that, Pearl and Falstaff (this was before home brewing was even legal and before all of pioneer brewers yada-yada-yada ...

 

thanks - coulda googled, but figured somebody was about to type it

 

Good one! Is Polar from Venezuela distributed in your neck o' the woods?

 

Yes, I did understand what you were saying and my point is that I've "seen" them since buy out and don't agree the beers themselves have become shitty. Nor do the folks spending money at those bars listed in PhillyTapFinder's list who are still buying them this long after the buyout. (Personally I never did think much of any Watermelon beers from anybody so that one I admit to having little experiences with.)

The Philadelphia area has a lot of great beer both made here and distributed here, so the BP beers wouldn't be getting repeated around here if they had become or were "shitty." Bad beers doesn't really survive around here since there are so many good choices that they simply don't get repeated. Further, many tap lists are curated by folks who know what they are doing, so what's hard to find is beers that have been or have become "shitty."

 

I just had a ballast point ginger rum the other night. It looked like a beer and was branded like BP so I grabbed it thinking it was barrel aged with ginger. Was a bit odd that a clear uncarbononated liquid came out. I then looked at the can. It was pretty tasty as as someone that does not drink rum too often.


Never had a FB beer so not concerned with the buy out.

Enjoy

 

¡No!

 

Completely agree. I love FB, but it's for seasonal and limited stuff; their standards are pretty meh.

I have a lot of friends who are obsessed with Floridian, though, so this is obviously objective. I have always found it tastes really citrusy, and lacks just about any of the other hallmark flavors I want from a hefe.

 

That can be said about a lot of other popular breweries as well.

 

Amen! FB, to me, has always been more of a dessert beer brewer than one that knows how to handle hops and make a good IPA. I don't plan on stopping my purchases of FB beers, but I will be a little bit more wary and worried about the quality.

 

Ballast Point announced the release of the canned cocktails in August of 2015, supposedly after a year's worth of research:
Ballast Point Set to Launch Ready-to-Drink Canned Cocktails

Constellation announced the purchase of BP 3½ months later, in November of the same year (expecting to close by "the end of the year").

 

I think with this announcement, they are no longer worried about hiding it.

 

. . . except Constellation had nothing to do with the cocktail cans. Ballast Point had a spirits division as well, and these were released by Ballast Point before the buyout happened. Additionally, when Constellation bought Ballast Point, they only bought the brewery, not the distilling side of the business. The old owners still retain control of the spirits and cocktails, which have been rebranded as Cutwater. In summary, Constellation had absolutely nothing to do with the canned cocktails and in fact Ballast Point canned cocktails don't even exist anymore thanks to the buyout. Sorry, but if you're looking to vilify Constellation you will have to come up with something else.

FWIW I also happen to think some of the canned cocktails are good. Particularly the gin and tonic. House made tonic water with cucumber and grapefruit. Pretty solid stuff. But everyone has different tastes.

 

On a sort of related note, why are canned cocktails a thing? When did people become too stupid and/or lazy to make their own? It's REALLY fucking easy.

 

Not sure where you're going with this. Constellation is an independent, family owned company that operates out of New York. Yes they jumped at a golden opportunity to gain the rights to Modelo when ABI got caught up in the monopoly issue. Are you suggesting that ABI somehow owns or puppets Constellation because of this? Just because the two companies made a mutually advantageous deal, does not mean they are in cahoots.

 

Haha agreed. I was actually thinking this the other day. Like how lazy do you have to be to not be able to mix a rum and coke? But Bloody Mary and a gin and tonic with a house made, tasty tonic water at least justify the purchase in my mind.

 

How much do (did) these things cost?

 

Again, these beers were formulated, brewed, and distributed by Ballast Point well before the buyout. Grapefruit Sculpin has an excellent 95 rating on this site. You got any evidence that they're using concentrate and adjuncts in the beer? Otherwise that's a pretty spiteful and slanderous statement to make.

Constellation's MO seems to be to keep pretty hands off and let the businesses they acquire stay pretty autonomous.

 

Wanna say $15 per 4pk.

 

To add to that, most of the fruited entries that have been canned or bottled since the sale to Constellation were available in the taproom before the transaction took place. I guess you could say the sale enabled them to bottle/can these beers.

 

I skimmed this thread so I may have missed it... But I assume this means FB will no longer be invited to BA events, similar to Wicked Weed?