-The Craft Beer Blacklist-

I wouldn't trust Wikipedia for much, but for your purposes here, I'd utilize them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SABMiller_brands
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AB_InBev_brands

 

Making more money is one thing. I personally am against the strong arming business moves that eliminate competition that eventually hurts the consumer by eliminating choice.

Everyone is happy that Walmart sells a widget for 99 cents, until all of the smaller stores that used to sell higher quality widgets are out of business.

 

McDonald's could make more money and still put out the same product if they kidnapped homeless six year olds in India and forced them to run the fryolators. Their product would stay the same and they'd just be pursuing a bigger profit, so no harm, no foul, right?

I joke. But the point is, that we all want great products and few of us want to stop someone from pursuing a profit. However, there are many people who have certain lines that they don't want to see crossed (like the example above which, I hope, would cause many people to stop going to McDonald's). There's obviously a lot of variation as to where these lines are (as ABinbev and SABMiller aren't doing anything as outrageous as my example). However, sometimes the lines are crossed for less over-the-top behaviors. For you, ABinbev or SABMiller buying a craft brewery and continuing to put out the same product isn't crossing a line. For others, it is.

 

Knowledge is never a bad thing. I like to know where my dollars are going, especially when some of the larger brewers are using pretty heavy-handed tactics to win business from their smaller, local competitors.

 

I understand, but that is pure snobbery, and the reason people look at craft beer drinkers in that light. Good beer is good beer.

 

Yes but no one is forcing these breweries to "sell out". It's their choice and right to do so. Walmart in most cases muscles their way into communities and forces small business to dissipate.

 

I don't buy ABinbev or SabMiller products at all. My reason for this is because of the various pieces of information I have been exposed to that suggest that these companies are trying to put small craft brewers out of business. Given that small craft brewers are more likely to spend their profits locally, as opposed to invest them in international markets/store them in international banks, I believe this is a worth while endeavor. I try to bring this type of purchasing behavior to all areas of consumption, not just with beer. I am far from perfect with this and likely never will be, but I strive nonetheless. If giving a shit about local economies makes me a snob, so be it. If giving a shit about local economies casts a bad light on craft drinkers, so be it.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say that it's the person that desires delicious products constantly available for purchase at a reasonable price, without any care for the economic, social or environmental impact that said desire produces, who is the real snob. This individual brings an entitled mentality to the market place, which large businesses are happy to cater to, often times at the expense of low-income people and communities that the consumer in question doesn't care much about. That seems like snobbery to me. (to be clear, I'm not saying this is you. I don't know you. Just stating an additional thought on the matter).

 

Whether Bourbon County is on a blacklist or not I'm still buying and drinking it. Hopefully they fix BCBCS, 2014 sucked

 

I don't hold enough allegiance to any of these "sell out" breweries to lose any sleep at night over this.

 

I'm purely playing devils advocate here. As a small business owner myself I am in full support of the little guy, I just can't hate a brewery for purely selling out given their quality remains in tact.

 

Your beer drinking does not exist in a vacuum. Good beer is good beer. Bad beer is bad beer. Neither of these statements invalidates the assertion to which you were responding. No one is forcing you to research the corporate money tree of your beer. I also drink what I like. But "Good beer is good beer" as a response is akin to me explaining to you how an HD Television signal works, and you replying "That is pure snobbery. Pictures is pictures, man."

 

I'm not hating on the small guy for selling out. It's your business, do what you gotta do. But why are you worrying about hating the small guy when the small guy doesn't own it any more? If said small guy starts another business, I won't hold it against her/him. And honestly, I've got nothing against the big guy vacuuming up the small guy. It's what the big guy does with his power that I will hold against him.

 

Budvar is not owned by ABInBev. It is a state owned company and it has not been privatized for fear of getting on one of those list, I presume.

 

I don't think that list is even complete for AB/Inbev... for example, it includes Spaten but not Franziskaner, which are both part of the Lowenbrau group which is owned by AB/Inbev.

 

It's not about the ones who sell out (which I don't blame them for at all...it's smart business on their part). It's about the money that goes to the big corporate brewers who employ legions of lawyers and lobbyists who will put tremendous effort into creating laws that favor them and hurt ALL small brewers. Don't think for 1 second that AB/Inbev and Miller/Coors want any other craft beer besides the brands they own to continue to exist. I don't want my $$$ to help them hurt any small brewer anywhere.

 

If you don't want to buy beers that have been bought out be larger companies, and you still use any sort of technology, you are basically a hypocrite. The technology sector buys up little guys much more often. And if anyone had a product that Apple/Facebook/Yahoo/Elon Musk wanted to throw money at to squire, everyone would take the billions and walk away.

 

Please name popular beers that have stopped being made after small(er) breweries have been bought by larger companies.

AB InBev does not give a **** if I am drinking Bud Light, Toasted Lager, or Sofie, they just want me drinking something they own.

 

Actually that is not a good analogy because any person would say HD is better than SD, its a fact.