Saint Archer

Well, this oughtta be entertaining...

 

Now see, that pretty much confirms it or that it is still being negotiated. If it wasn't happening I would assume he would just say so. Ah well.

 

I figured this was gonna happen. It almost seems like the company was built just to be bought.

 

I mean, they make decent IPA's, but is it really that much of a loss? Honestly, I'm surprised it took them this long. Saint Archer just screamed bought out by big corporation a long time ago.

 

Another One Bites the Big One
and another one gone.
Another One Bites the Dust!

 

Provided the acquisition goes through, you guys still going to drink Mosaic?

 

Of all the breweries to sell in the SD/OC/LA area, this one would probably get the biggest "oh well" from me. From everything I have had of theirs, everything is just really solid to style. Mosaic is the one that I would really care if it got messed up, and as good as it is, we live in a part of the country that gets more good beer than our fair share.

And not like there is much of a difference but MillerCoors buying up a brewery doesn't seem as gross as ABInBev does.

 

It's probably because they just buy up the brewery. They don't make crappy commercials making fun of craft beer while buying up breweries.

 

2nd best thing Saint Archer has ever done. 1st was helping create Fall Brewing by firing Ray, Dave, and Mike.

 

stole the words out of my mouth

 

My question is if they are bought out, will Stone drop/be able to drop their distribution contract?

I guess it would benefit them to jump over to Crest, but who knows how it'd all work out.

 

that would be a wonderful question! ive been wondering if firestone will be stone distro as things shake out since everyone else in the duvel family is

im sure its a great part of these deals for the small guys is the built in distro so who knows what will happen

 

Not surprised. But I'll gladly see the Coffee Brown on the shelves more often...hopefully.

 

Firstone will see no change in distribution. As for this not shocking and totally different. Firestone "head hanchos" are still In control of the brewery. From what I have been told this is an outright acquisition of st. Archer.

 

Can't get any worse than the GF/Alpine mess.

 

Pat, I've seen you say something to this effect before. Not an SA fan I gather? If not, is there something in particular you don't like about them?

Anyway, not entirely surprising if true, as the owners of the joint definitely seem less beer nerd than entrepreneur.

OTOH, as I've stated previously in this thread, I think that, while they never got out from the hole they dug with the beer nerds due to their slick marketing and such, the beer itself is generally really darn good. Not surprising considering who's at the helm there with Yiga and Kim. Huge fan of their DIPA and Pale Ale. And my guess is that, if it came in a different colored can, (say, all white, minimalist script lettering ) it'd be getting a lot more love.

Regardless, will be interesting to see how this one plays out. SD isn't just any old city for a brewery -- I could see some serious blowback on this one.

 

I am neither a fan or a detractor of their beer. Yiga and Kim are great people and great brewers. My problem with the owners/company is the way they treated those three people I mentioned. They all worked their asses off to get that place off the ground and once it was up and running all three were fired, which in my book is a dick maneuver. Also in the planning and run up to opening I met some of the $ people who were behind it, not any of the sports people who gave their $, people who had a history of opening other businesses and were now opening a brewery. I found them to be more interested in $, not concerned with making great beer, and it seemed their attitude was to make as much $ as quickly as they could. I found both these people and their attitudes towards opening a brewery to not be in line with most other people in the San Diego brewing community. There are always two sides to the story so maybe there is more to it, but from my experience I have chosen not to support them. But more power to them in the future. I will continue to drink Loudspeaker and 2AM bike ride instead.

 

wouldnt be so sure since stone recently picked up boulevard. it wont be immediate but im sure it will happen

 

Thanks for background/insights, man. Interesting stuff here, though, kinda like I mentioned, not super surprising given the background of some of the folks involved.

It's a really interesting "case study" kind of situation -- questionable ownership values/focus but good folks making the actual beer. How will folks respond? Again, in a place like San Diego, where options (from breweries with less questionable ownership) are plentiful, I'm not surprised by the initial question marks over SA, and I sure as heck won't be surprised if they get more blowback from the community than they think (if they do in fact sell to Miller Coors).

Crazy times.

 

Blowback? They may not care. Their little Padres/Dodgers snafu got a lot of blowback (though to what financial effect I do not know), and they ended up blaming it on a PR rep (which I think was a blatant lie).