Goose Island won me back

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by ZDub, Jul 13, 2013.

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  1. JrGtr

    JrGtr Pooh-Bah (1,689) Apr 13, 2006 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I've never been a big fan of the Honkers, 312 and such, so I haven't bought them... Beforemofmafter the buyout. I do like the !matilda, Sophie, Pepe, and of course BCBS. Those I will buy, though I do get a slight pang about supporting AB-InBev, however minimally.
     
  2. danimalarkey

    danimalarkey Initiate (0) Mar 3, 2008 Illinois

    It's entirely possible that you just don't like Matilda -- but I would also hazard a guess that the airport bar may not clean out its tap lines as often as they should.
     
  3. chinabeergeek

    chinabeergeek Pooh-Bah (1,837) Aug 10, 2007 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah

    i have to say, despite my admiration towards many of GI's other beers, that matilda has consistently disappointed me. granted, i've only ever had matilda within the past 3 - 4 years that GI has been available in MA and thus associated with AB-Inbev, but even bottles that i've cellared since then have disappointed. the main problem of course is that i can't get orval out of my head, which it is supposedly inspired by. but every time i give it another go, even aged bottles are just too cloyingly sweet, with little to no brettanomyces to be found.
     
  4. otispdriftwood

    otispdriftwood Initiate (0) Dec 9, 2011 Colorado

    Nice to hear something positive from someone who has seen the GI operation first-hand instead of all of the rants about how GI has sold out to InBev and how InBev is going to ruin GI's product from those who are just spouting unfounded opinions out of their pie holes. I'm not surprised that the price of GI beers has not gone up even though InBev has to take their cut; I'm thinking the economies of scale has brought the cost of raw materials down for GI, not to mention the brewers can concentrate on brewing and not so much on the business side.
     
  5. beenitty

    beenitty Pundit (841) Nov 27, 2010 New Jersey

    I understand the principle of not liking InBev, but if you've been brewing for a lifetime with long hours and modest profits, then someone drops 40 million in your lap, what do you do?

    You take the money Greg Hall and give yourself a better life. You earned it!

    It looks like this situation has been a win for everyone, especially in NY/NJ where BCBS is still on shelves and we dont have to fight like animals over the last 4pk.

    The principle in this matter is kinda bullshit.

    The beer is still ridiculously good and now more available for the ppl who love their products.

    WIN WIN
     
  6. evilcatfish

    evilcatfish Initiate (0) May 11, 2012 Missouri
    Trader

    I can't really hate on InBev at all. Foreign owned company? Yea, but a lot of American people are employed by them
     
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  7. rundownhouse

    rundownhouse Initiate (0) Sep 15, 2005 Tennessee

  8. rundownhouse

    rundownhouse Initiate (0) Sep 15, 2005 Tennessee

    It's crazy to me that it's widely acknowledged that InBev has justified it's purchase of AB by lowering quality and firing people, and their purchase of GI is greeted by, "Nothing to see here!" I appreciate cavedave being honest about not caring how the sausage is made, as long as he likes the taste and it's cheap enough.
     
  9. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Yah. As said before, there has been a consistent rollover of people learning the craft at GI then moving on to their own work (as is shown in your lazy Google Search -- I thought you may have had real insight). Has nothing to do with the A-B buyout and as someone who's been drinking the beer since the original brewery opened, I can say that I see no quality lowering -- not yet anyway.

    Sorry to report that your perspective and view are pretty unfounded. The Honkers, IPA, and even the Summertime are still top-notch beers to enjoy.
     
  10. IceAce

    IceAce Pooh-Bah (2,220) Jan 8, 2004 California
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Did you read this? http://drinkinsider.com/2013/07/goo...&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=hovercard


    Now that I think about it, you're right. There is "nothing to see here".
     
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  11. BrettHead

    BrettHead Initiate (0) Sep 18, 2010 Nebraska

    Who exactly have they fired?
     
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  12. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Hell, the article about Jared Rouben is so removed from A-B that it's laughable:
    If you've been following along you'd (and not IceAce, but anyone) know that A-B didn't take any ownership of the brew pub -- at all.

    And then there's this one, from this month, that contradicts any scoffing at GI employees not believing in the brewery anymore.

     
  13. BradenMK

    BradenMK Pundit (897) Sep 24, 2012 Alaska

    Never had any problem with AB/InBev purchasing GI, but if anything, this thread has taught me: If I like Sofie, I had damn well better try Duvel. Can't believe I haven't done so yet. *shame*
     
  14. VictorWisc

    VictorWisc Maven (1,355) Jan 2, 2013 Massachusetts

    To echo Steveh here, but did you even look at the results? Every link that mentions a "brewmaster leaving" follows with "to start his own brewery". This is normal OP and not just for Goose Island.

    I had a moment to chat with some Goose Island people (not sure who was who, but it was not regional reps), and, unless I got it completely wrong, they did mention that 1) GI has full control of development and 2) ABI is limited by contract in what influence they can have or they have to walk away from the deal. Someone else said above it was a "bad decision" by GI. I don't even see it that way. They got an influx of cash and a distribution headache removed for some of their (inferior by BA standards) products in exchange for letting them be brewed at regional facilities. I don't see anything sinister in this.
     
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  15. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Indeed.
     
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  16. bismarksays

    bismarksays Initiate (0) Dec 7, 2008 Iowa

    Maybe there is not much of a difference if you get them fresh, but most of the GI beer here in their everyday lineup has had a noticeable decline(at least what I get in Iowa). They have all dulled their flavor, like an auto tuned note. Their higher end stuff remains completely world class though.
     
  17. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I'd imagine you're getting your Goose Island "top 3" (Honkers, IPA, 312) from Colorado. I've only had the New York brewed "contracts." Can't comment on how the Fort Collins brewery is matching the recipes.
     
  18. Peter_Wolfe

    Peter_Wolfe Initiate (0) Jul 5, 2013 Oregon

    Yes, yes we will!
     
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  19. BrettHead

    BrettHead Initiate (0) Sep 18, 2010 Nebraska

    We get the NY ones surprisingly so I'm sure Iowa does too.

    Still waiting to here who was fired, rundownhouse
     
  20. Peter_Wolfe

    Peter_Wolfe Initiate (0) Jul 5, 2013 Oregon

    To BrettHead, in response to:

    [Just to be clear, I am a current employee of Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis. I work and talk with the brewers at Goose Island, and consider them friends.]

    I believe Rundownhouse is referring to the (hostile) takeover of Anheuser-Busch by InBev, not to the voluntary acquisition of Goose Island. While it's true that some people were let go after the 2008 buyout of AB, most chose to exercise a stock buyout option, which, if they'd been with AB for any length of time, was extremely favorable for them. Many were able to take an early retirement because of it. Others went on to start their own craft breweries. With respect to lowering quality following the buyout, that is simply not the case. The day-to-day brewing at AB is essentially the same as before. The day-to-day brewing is essentially the same at Goose Island as well, with the exception that now 312, Honkers, and GI IPA is now also made in Fort Collins and Baldwinsville (under the very close watchful eye of the GI brewmasters, who routinely taste it to make sure nothing is changing or drifting). This off-loading of production allows the Chicago brewery to do more of what you guys love: BCBS, Paradiso, etc.

    The Brewmasters in Chicago were initially (and understandably) leery of allowing any offsite production. However, they've repeatedly told us how impressed they are with the stuff coming out of the two AB breweries; it's as good and occasionally better (their words) as the stuff made in Chicago. The fact that they now have freed-up fermenter space to experiment and have fun is icing on the cake.
     
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