When is somebody going to step up and become the ABInbev of craft?

Green Flash bought Alpine. Thats a start but I don't want to say that I want to see local breweries be bought out, Ab or craft.

 

I completely agree, but some brewers are poor business runners, and I would rather see them hand ownership to someone that knows how to run a business than shut their doors (speaking only about selling out to another craft brewer here).

 

Duvel is craft and only owns craft breweries. This answers your question.

 

I think you're forgetting one important point. AB Inbev is buying regional craft breweries to get a piece of the action they can't manage to get otherwise, and to diversify their portfolio of products. New Belgium, SN, Lagunitas etc. are already making the beer they want to make, and by all accounts doing quite well. What's their incentive to buy other smaller craft breweries?

 

Particularly if you're not even meeting the demand for your own beer. Why take on an extra business when you can just expand (or profit wildly without expanding)?

 

Hmm, I am not sure I want to see this happen. I know there are some that get into this for the big payday, not saying to make tons of money but to cash out to the highest bidder. I think if that is their intention than so be it, the don't owe me a damned thing, nor anyone else, free market. But I thing it is kinda neat when some of these guys hobble their shit together and make their dream come true. I like that story, and even if I don't like that beer, I wish them well. I think that having all these small breweries out there competing with each other makes them do something to define themselves. I have a friend who has a friend who has a shit load of money and he wants to build a brewery. My question to him is what makes me want to drink your beer. What will you do that is not being done by others, perhaps even better? I think all these guys are out there doing some really wild stuff, and I am kinda glad to be along for the ride. If they were all cobbled under a conglomerate, not much incentive to do anything very crafty with hops/malts/aging etc...

 

Let's not forget the Craft Brewers Alliance formed between Widmer Bros and Redhook and later joined by Kona and their new brand Omission.

 

I hope not Stone.

 

Businesses can generally grow one of two ways:

1) they can innovate, which means creating new products and/or services, providing new value to customers and creating new markets

2) they can acquire other companies (i.e. purchase their growth)


Its not really in the DNA of craft breweries to purchase their growth.

 

Nor should it be! A big part of the allure of craft beer is the rarity and purity of the beer itself. Im all for people making money but I definitely do not want to see Pliny on the Safeway shelf next to a case of Natty Light.

Without the years of waiting to get your hands on a certain bottle, would the beer taste as good?

 

It's worth looking back at where the brewers making up InBev started out.By being what would be called "craft" brewers nowadays.

 

It seems like everything that becomes "popular" morphs into something no one wants it to become. So many want to cash in, it will make more availability, but possibly make everything a little more generic...just my opinion.

 

Thats exactly what will happen.

 

As soon as someone does what the OP is suggesting, they'll become tragically uncool here.

 

Truth.

Honestly as easily as so many of the posters on these forums already get offended...this would just be another feather in their cap of discontent.

Less bitching please and more beer drinking...oh wait...maybe it's all the beer drinking that is causing the bitching

 

ABI has lots of cash because they have cash cow products. Beers that are profitable but have low growth potential so few capital needs. Craft brewers generally need all their cash ti finance internal growth. They are more likely to buy each other only when the growth of the category slows down, I think.

 

So what is the opinion of those craft breweries whom have diversified their market into hard and soft ciders, root beer, and other softdrink products? Is that a sell out or doesn't matter as long as their beer is still decent?

 

I think it's good. Cider and mead are fast growing segments of the alcohol market as well. A brewery that gets a piece of that is very smart, and also makes themselves more attractive for a buyout (read:Cigar City)

 

The 3 breweries you mention have invested in new breweries in NC (SN and NB), while Lagunitas has built a new brewery in Chicago (actually 2 brew houses when done).