The news today that AB InBev has increased its offer per share to SABMiller is fairly significant; well, significant if you care about beer or you own stock in either company. Essentially, the largest brewing company on the planet is trying to buy the next largest brewing company on the planet. Like the Yankees buying the Red Sox.
What does it all mean?
I won't try to analyze this from a financial perspective, because that's not my expertise. In actuality, I have no expertise in anything, but in ranking those things of which I am not an expert, financial markets would be so far down, I couldn't even fake it like I do with photography, the Middle East, or hockey.
Somehow, though, I just can't imagine better beer coming from this acquisition, and in the end, that's all that concerns beer drinkers. Because I can create a baseball analogy for just about anything, this reminds me of the late 1980's Yankees. They decided that spending more on high priced free agents would lead them to another World Series title. Their net worth increased, but what the fans saw on the field showed very little improvement, just more famous faces to use in marketing campaigns, and no championship would arrive until the mid-90's, when they used actual home grown talent (Jeter, Rivera, Pettitte, Posada, Bernie Williams).
As I have stated before, Beer Run doesn't believe in bashing mega-breweries. A cold Bud Light, High Life, or Coors will always have its place in the American beer landscape, and surveys are showing that most craft beer drinkers are not automatically turned off by a craft brewery being acquired by a Mega, as long as the quality doesn't suffer (the Twitter page for Beer Stud has several good links to this topic).
One thing is certain, though: if the Megas don't change their attitudes and approaches to craft breweries, the more open-minded beer consumers like myself will stop defending Megas. And they will lose even more market share amongst consumers.
An analogy: at the end of the 90's, a seismic shift occurred in the music industry with the creation of downloadable music. The major labels scoffed at it and refused to participate (even trying to thwart progress), deciding instead to stick with the old model. It wasn't until downloads became the norm that the big guns in the industry realized they had to adapt, that most consumers were not interested in the way they packaged their product (or even the product, for that matter). The Majors lost money, as independent labels and artists were finally given a new creative expression platform that leveled the playing field. The publishing, television, and film worlds adapted as well, most with tremendous success. And I'm not judging; I held onto cassette tapes as long as I could before I realized I was going to have to adapt if I wanted access to what I liked.
In the end, it's about giving people what they truly want. Statistics show that the vast majority of Americans still want their Mega-brew, just as music consumers still want their Coldplay and Jay-Z. But people also want music by that indie band they saw last week at that club downtown, the one that a Capitol or Warner Brothers wouldn't find mainstream enough to sell. Just as some people want an IPA or brown ale instead of a pilsner.
In 2015 America, we can have it all. So why mock freedom of choice, Megas? Embrace the brave new beer world!
DS
Monday, October 12, 2015
First Round is on us!
Welcome to Beer Run's blog, the print version of what will hopefully be a successful web series about craft beer and the dedicated artisans who make it. Each episode will take the viewer to a craft brewery and allow him/her to see some of the process and creativity therein. Further, the show will give you some good reasons to visit the town in which the brewery operates, and at the end of each show, a short Beer School segment with some interesting facts about our favorite adult libation.
A little about us:
Two brothers who live in a state that arrived to the craft beer party a little later than most, but who live in a city that boasts several wonderful breweries with more on the horizon. One brother is an award-winning journalist, the other an educator and part-time filmmaker, both beer enthusiasts. But neither are experts, which we view as a positive.
Why do a web series?
First, a web series is certainly more accessible to the masses, and it allows us to create a show where we decide all of the parameters (translation: control issues). More importantly, we believe there is a place for a show about beer that is fun, educational, interesting, and enthusiastic. We want Beer Run to give the craft beer drinker an experience that will enhance beer drinking and hopefully inspire him/her to explore breweries in other towns. With little tidbits of beer knowledge and some humor thrown in, we believe Beer Run will be an entertaining trip through the hoppy, barley-filled landscape of craft beer.
Without the pretension. Mega-breweries love to characterize craft drinkers as beer snobs who treat the beer-drinking experience like aristocratic nobs at a French wine tasting. And while we know some beer snobs, we don't think enjoying the finer aspects of craft brews should involve exclusion, attitude, or expertise. After all, who wants to drink that someone who acts like that? Let's hunker down with a flight and find something that tastes great!
What you won't see on Beer Run:
1. Negativity
2. Reviews of breweries. They all have reasons to stick and stay, so why make this American Beer Idol?
3. Bashing of the Megas. America is full of people (including good friends of ours) who prefer the taste and refreshment of a cold Bud/Miller/Coors/Pabst, so we think taking a swipe at the big guys is also punching a good buddy. And we don't do that.
Stay tuned for more info about the launch of our show, as well as insight here on our blog. And go follow us on Twitter, because that's what people do. Apparently.
Cheers! See you soon,
DS and MS
A little about us:
Two brothers who live in a state that arrived to the craft beer party a little later than most, but who live in a city that boasts several wonderful breweries with more on the horizon. One brother is an award-winning journalist, the other an educator and part-time filmmaker, both beer enthusiasts. But neither are experts, which we view as a positive.
Why do a web series?
First, a web series is certainly more accessible to the masses, and it allows us to create a show where we decide all of the parameters (translation: control issues). More importantly, we believe there is a place for a show about beer that is fun, educational, interesting, and enthusiastic. We want Beer Run to give the craft beer drinker an experience that will enhance beer drinking and hopefully inspire him/her to explore breweries in other towns. With little tidbits of beer knowledge and some humor thrown in, we believe Beer Run will be an entertaining trip through the hoppy, barley-filled landscape of craft beer.
Without the pretension. Mega-breweries love to characterize craft drinkers as beer snobs who treat the beer-drinking experience like aristocratic nobs at a French wine tasting. And while we know some beer snobs, we don't think enjoying the finer aspects of craft brews should involve exclusion, attitude, or expertise. After all, who wants to drink that someone who acts like that? Let's hunker down with a flight and find something that tastes great!
What you won't see on Beer Run:
1. Negativity
2. Reviews of breweries. They all have reasons to stick and stay, so why make this American Beer Idol?
3. Bashing of the Megas. America is full of people (including good friends of ours) who prefer the taste and refreshment of a cold Bud/Miller/Coors/Pabst, so we think taking a swipe at the big guys is also punching a good buddy. And we don't do that.
Stay tuned for more info about the launch of our show, as well as insight here on our blog. And go follow us on Twitter, because that's what people do. Apparently.
Cheers! See you soon,
DS and MS
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