Our Enemy is Clever

Not quite getting it since 2008

Our enemy is not crafty, but they are certainly adept at finding devious ways to sneak their influence into our craft-brewed world. Consider this blog post a public service, informing all who read it of the truth behind the Craft Brew Alliance (or CBA).

What is the Craft Brew Alliance you ask? It was first formed as the Craft Brewers Alliance in 2008 when two of the Pacific Northwest-based crafty power-brewers merged into one super company. The two breweries were Widmer Brothers Brewing and Redhook Ale Brewery. They added Hawaii-based Kona Brewing Company to their alliance in 2010. By pulling their efforts and resources, the three breweries were able to cut costs and expand distribution across the entire Unites States and beyond. They grew into one of the largest beer brewing efforts in the world.

Be on the lookout for these would-be crafty brewers

So far, it sounds like an effective business model, and as long as the quality of the product doesn’t diminish, which many craft beer enthusiasts maintain it hasn’t, what exactly is the problem? The problem is Anheuser-Busch – those no-talent-purveyors of industrial, corn/rice-based, yellow, fizzy swill beer that have been ruining beer brewing’s good name for the past 150 years. Somewhere in CBA’s expansion phase, they entered into an agreement with AB in which CBA gets to use AB’s distribution network in exchange for AB owning 32.2% of the business. In other words, the Craft Brew Alliance sold out. Giants of our industry and well respected craft brewers since the beginning of our revolution, Widmer Brothers, Redhook and Kona are now no better than the big beer miscreants that pollute the palates of beer drinkers everywhere.

Besties since 2011

This whole mess also resulted in another casualty – Goose Island Brewery, which is located in the Chicago, Illinois area. During their colonization period, CBA acquired 42% of Goose Island to add to their galaxy of crafty beer. Goose Island, which has been brewing crafty beer since the late ‘80s, announced in 2011 that it was selling their remaining 58% stake to Anheuser-Busch. CBA then sold their 42% stake to AB, resulting in 100% ownership of Goose Island by AB. This was an arrangement that was probably agreed upon by all parties involved ahead of time, but it’s still very much NOT okay.

Please do not misunderstand me… I am not against Capitalism, branching out, expansion, growing the business, or any other effective business practices that helps the bottom-line. I am, however, against sacrificing principles and quality in order to get there. Craft breweries like Widmer Brothers, Redhook, Kona and Goose Island were some of the pioneers of craft brewing, and now they have all sold out in order to position themselves for mass production and mass distribution. I know that it’s primarily just distribution and not production that’s affected by this AB ownership nonsense, but Anheuser-Busch is not just a competitor – they are the enemy. Their corny brewing practices spit in the face of everything craft brewing is about. If you sell out to them, you are just as guilty as they are, in spite of what you’re brewing. Personally, I’ve had many of the beers made by these sell-outs and many of them are very good all things considered. I will even drink them if in the absence of better non-sell-out alternatives. But allegiances with the enemy cannot go overlooked.

So now you know. The next time you see a bottle of Widmer Brothers, Redhook, Kona or Goose Island, know that you’re actually looking at a bottle of Anheuser-Busch’s efforts to take over craft brewing, and that you have the Craft Brew Alliance to thank for that. In my opinion, if they take it over, what’s to stop them from eliminating it all together?

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!