[tschmidlin]

It's not cynical at all to worry about beer quality when a change like this happens.  For me it's not about whether they can brew a beer that tastes the same in both places, it's about whether the quality will remain the same over the long term, or will the pressures of this expansion cause some penny pinching measures that will affect the beer.  And I'm not talking about the beer in the new place, I'm talking about the beer company wide.  It happened with a certain local brewery who expanded to an east coast location about 15 years ago.

[majorvices]

IF they stay focused on the beer for the long term I'm sure it will be ok.

and that's a big if.

[bo]

I foresee a reduction in quality, if this happens.

[jeffy]

And I'm not talking about the beer in the new place, I'm talking about the beer company wide.  It happened with a certain local brewery who expanded to an east coast location about 15 years ago.

I visited that brewery in N.H. a year or so ago.  I can attest that they lost their small business "charm".  I remember the slogan "ya sure ya betcha" from the early nineties on a bottle of Ballard Bitter.  Bigger is not always better, but if any company can keep its focus during growth, I'd bet on Sierra Nevada.

[majorvices]

I thought that sierra nevada was building a plant outside of Nashville? That sucks if they changed their mind and decided to plant it in the carolinas. Nothing out there but huckleberry and hillbillies. 

[eltharyon]

I have no idea where you get that from.

I would much rather see one or more smaller east coast breweries grow to fill the need than to have a larger company come in from anywhere and do so.

But Tom, if the need is for Sierra Nevada...I mean we do have a lot of great breweries over here, But SN is my go to beer, its just about everywhere I go, so I can trust to find at least a good craft beer even if I am at a nonbeer bar.  Should the "local" beers step up and take the place of that over here, sure, but they aren't or the buyers aren't buying them over SN.  

[tomsawyer]

I don't know if the quality suffers but I think Schlafly went to some contract brewing as they got big.  I'd agree that if it means we can now have better access to craft beer, its good.  But I don't drink as much Schlaflys now.

Then again, I try not to spend much on craft beer since I have so much of my own on hand.  But I'll seek out a restaurant just for the beer selection.

[Hokerer]

I thought that sierra nevada was building a plant outside of Nashville? That sucks if they changed their mind and decided to plant it in the carolinas. Nothing out there but huckleberry and hillbillies. 

I've been hearing Asheville for quite a while now.

Big question is, though, are they gonna change their name?  Different mountain range in NC

[fightdman]

That sucks if they changed their mind and decided to plant it in the carolinas. Nothing out there but huckleberry and hillbillies. 

I take exception to that comment, good sir.

[morticaixavier]

That sucks if they changed their mind and decided to plant it in the carolinas. Nothing out there but huckleberry and hillbillies. 

I take exception to that comment, good sir.

why are you a huckleberry?

[tschmidlin]

and that's a big if.

Thank you

But Tom, if the need is for Sierra Nevada...I mean we do have a lot of great breweries over here, But SN is my go to beer, its just about everywhere I go, so I can trust to find at least a good craft beer even if I am at a nonbeer bar.  Should the "local" beers step up and take the place of that over here, sure, but they aren't or the buyers aren't buying them over SN.  

Your argument could be applied to BMC beers too.  That doesn't mean we have to like it.

It could be that the other breweries beer isn't good enough, or it could be marketing, or it could be that they just can't brew enough to fill the need.  They may be growing as fast as they can, but that might not be fast enough for the demand.

Let me put it this way - I'm a fan of Dogfish Head beers and sometimes it's sad that we can't get more of them out here.  But I don't want them opening another brewery here.

[morticaixavier]

[Let me put it this way - I'm a fan of Dogfish Head beers and sometimes it's sad that we can't get more of them out here.  But I don't want them opening another brewery here.

just wait! I read sam's book and one of the things he mentions towards the end is that they are (were?) working on a franchise scheme with another company to open BJ's style brew pubs in the DC area with an eye to expand furthur at some point.

[tschmidlin]

[Let me put it this way - I'm a fan of Dogfish Head beers and sometimes it's sad that we can't get more of them out here.  But I don't want them opening another brewery here.

just wait! I read sam's book and one of the things he mentions towards the end is that they are (were?) working on a franchise scheme with another company to open BJ's style brew pubs in the DC area with an eye to expand furthur at some point.

Don't they have a pub in DC?  To me there is a big difference between a pub and a production brewery.  I don't really want a DFH pub here either though.

[denny]

I guess it depends on how far it goes.  I just worry when breweries become macro in size that their products will be macro in quality.  It signifies a shift in how the business is operated, and it might not be for the better.  It might be awesome, but it already IS awesome, so in this case I fear change.

They talked quite a bit about this when I was at Beer Camp a month back.  There's no way they aren't going to grow, so you might as well get over that fear, Tom!  Thia is the most logical way for them to accomplish that.  It's lees expensive and more eco-friendly (in keeping with their philosophy) than shipping beer across the country.  Let's face it, SN is a business and as such wants/needs to keep growing.  Based on what I've learned about the company and their mindset, I'm much less worried about expansion from them than a company like, say, Ninkasi.

[denny]

The big boys consistently brew the same lackluster beer all over the country. Which is quite the challenge as I'm led to understand. I'm sure SN can do better. But wondering as to the how. Grain source. Hops brought in. Water challenges.

Demand all taken care of.

One of the things they stressed to us was that the places they were looking at had similar water chemistry.