[gregrippin]

Hi everybody,

I was having trouble keeping track of which international brewing behemoth now owns which formerly craft breweries. So I started working on an online list for myself and it turned into this: http://www.craftorcrafty.com/

It's a mobile-friendly searchable index of breweries and their ownership status. Statuses include Craft, Crafty, and Crap. Basically a tool to help beer lovers make informed decisions at the point of sale (i.e. in a bar or bottle shop).

Check it out when you have a moment. Thoughts, suggestions, and complaints are all welcome.

Cheers!
Greg

[Big Monk]

I'm a beer lover and I enjoy some of the breweries listed as "crap" in your index.


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[denny]

To me the issue is not beer quality.  People can drink whatever they like and it's fine with me.  The issue is that the huge corporate beer companies are limiting access to beers that they don't own.  That's not good for beer drinkers.

[Stevie]

I agree. Crap is too subjective. Personally, I'll take a Bass over a Blue Moon.

[Big Monk]

To me the issue is not beer quality.  People can drink whatever they like and it's fine with me.  The issue is that the huge corporate beer companies are limiting access to beers that they don't own.  That's not good for beer drinkers.

I hear this a lot yet I have access to all the beers I love. Maybe it's regional?

[tommymorris]

Hi everybody,

I was having trouble keeping track of which international brewing behemoth now owns which formerly craft breweries. So I started working on an online list for myself and it turned into this: http://www.craftorcrafty.com/

It's a mobile-friendly searchable index of breweries and their ownership status. Statuses include Craft, Crafty, and Crap. Basically a tool to help beer lovers make informed decisions at the point of sale (i.e. in a bar or bottle shop).

Check it out when you have a moment. Thoughts, suggestions, and complaints are all welcome.

Cheers!
Greg

I think you should rename the "crap" category. Your sight loses credibility by labeling many old world highly regarded breweries "crap". If you limit your taxonomy to market size and ownership and leave out your taste or quality opinions, I think the site will be better received.

[denny]

To me the issue is not beer quality.  People can drink whatever they like and it's fine with me.  The issue is that the huge corporate beer companies are limiting access to beers that they don't own.  That's not good for beer drinkers.

I hear this a lot yet I have access to all the beers I love. Maybe it's regional?

It's spreading across the US.  We saw some graphic info about it in the GC meeting at HBC.  The BA is about to start a campaign to publicize the issue.  I know there are bars here in Beer Mecca that you go into and all the taps are beers that are from the same mega company.  They're driving out competition not based on quality or consumer preference but by marketing power.

[Big Monk]

To me the issue is not beer quality.  People can drink whatever they like and it's fine with me.  The issue is that the huge corporate beer companies are limiting access to beers that they don't own.  That's not good for beer drinkers.

I hear this a lot yet I have access to all the beers I love. Maybe it's regional?

It's spreading across the US.  We saw some graphic info about it in the GC meeting at HBC.  The BA is about to start a campaign to publicize the issue.  I know there are bars here in Beer Mecca that you go into and all the taps are beers that are from the same mega company.  They're driving out competition not based on quality or consumer preference but by marketing power.

Isn't that just the nature of the beast? If a company can't compete, marketing wise, on the nationwide market, should a larger macro-conglomerate have to step back to accommodate them? I'm just playing devils advocate here.

Could it be that while craft breweries can have output large enough for nationwide distribution that the other aspects of their business need to play catch up? I mean if you are trying to get that "on the fence" drinker to try your stuff, shouldn't you also have a robust marketing model?

[macbrews]

To me the issue is not beer quality.  People can drink whatever they like and it's fine with me.  The issue is that the huge corporate beer companies are limiting access to beers that they don't own.  That's not good for beer drinkers.

I hear this a lot yet I have access to all the beers I love. Maybe it's regional?

It's spreading across the US.  We saw some graphic info about it in the GC meeting at HBC.  The BA is about to start a campaign to publicize the issue.  I know there are bars here in Beer Mecca that you go into and all the taps are beers that are from the same mega company.  They're driving out competition not based on quality or consumer preference but by marketing power.

I noticed similar marketing in Ireland and the UK about 5 years ago.  In London you could go to 2 different pubs across town and they would have the same beer and food menus.  If you go to Dublin, the 3 beers that you see in essentially all of the pubs are Guinness, Budweisser and Coors light - It is my understanding that Guinness owns the distribution rights to the latter 2.

[HoosierBrew]

It's spreading across the US.  We saw some graphic info about it in the GC meeting at HBC.  The BA is about to start a campaign to publicize the issue.  I know there are bars here in Beer Mecca that you go into and all the taps are beers that are from the same mega company.  They're driving out competition not based on quality or consumer preference but by marketing power.

That's the problem as I see it. Taste is subjective. Driving out competition for tap and shelf space is not. It's overt and getting worse. If Bud and Bud Light really were that stellar as compared to good craft and imports, these tactics (and buyouts) wouldn't be necessary. All IMO.

[Stevie]

To me the issue is not beer quality.  People can drink whatever they like and it's fine with me.  The issue is that the huge corporate beer companies are limiting access to beers that they don't own.  That's not good for beer drinkers.

I hear this a lot yet I have access to all the beers I love. Maybe it's regional?

It's spreading across the US.  We saw some graphic info about it in the GC meeting at HBC.  The BA is about to start a campaign to publicize the issue.  I know there are bars here in Beer Mecca that you go into and all the taps are beers that are from the same mega company.  They're driving out competition not based on quality or consumer preference but by marketing power.

I noticed similar marketing in Ireland and the UK about 5 years ago.  In London you could go to 2 different pubs across town and they would have the same beer and food menus.  If you go to Dublin, the 3 beers that you see in essentially all of the pubs are Guinness, Budweisser and Coors light - It is my understanding that Guinness owns the distribution rights to the latter 2.

Many of the pubs are owned by a handful of companies. They were often bought from the original publican who was then hired on to run it.

[gregrippin]

It's spreading across the US.  We saw some graphic info about it in the GC meeting at HBC.  The BA is about to start a campaign to publicize the issue.  I know there are bars here in Beer Mecca that you go into and all the taps are beers that are from the same mega company.  They're driving out competition not based on quality or consumer preference but by marketing power.

That's the problem as I see it. Taste is subjective. Driving out competition for tap and shelf space is not. It's overt and getting worse. If Bud and Bud Light really were that stellar as compared to good craft and imports, these tactics (and buyouts) wouldn't be necessary. All IMO.

Thanks for the comments, everyone.  The “Crap” category is proving to be far too cumbersome.  I’m thinking something like “Macro” or “Big Beer” would be more useful, since it doesn’t imply quality or lack thereof.  There are plenty of sites that do that sort of thing just fine.

It’s about more than just marketing.  Big Beer pours money into elections and lobbying for law changes that will in many case be bad for small brewers (and into keeping harmful legacy laws in place).  They own large percentages of the distribution chain in many markets, and can effectively shut out all competition.  And they’re increasingly cornering the supply chain as well.  It’s not a question who makes the better beer or even the better advertising, and of letting consumers vote with their wallets.  It’s a question of a small number of companies doing everything they can to prevent other brands of beer from even being made available. 

[HoosierBrew]

It's spreading across the US.  We saw some graphic info about it in the GC meeting at HBC.  The BA is about to start a campaign to publicize the issue.  I know there are bars here in Beer Mecca that you go into and all the taps are beers that are from the same mega company.  They're driving out competition not based on quality or consumer preference but by marketing power.

That's the problem as I see it. Taste is subjective. Driving out competition for tap and shelf space is not. It's overt and getting worse. If Bud and Bud Light really were that stellar as compared to good craft and imports, these tactics (and buyouts) wouldn't be necessary. All IMO.

Thanks for the comments, everyone.  The “Crap” category is proving to be far too cumbersome.  I’m thinking something like “Macro” or “Big Beer” would be more useful, since it doesn’t imply quality or lack thereof.  There are plenty of sites that do that sort of thing just fine.

It’s about more than just marketing.  Big Beer pours money into elections and lobbying for law changes that will in many case be bad for small brewers (and into keeping harmful legacy laws in place).  They own large percentages of the distribution chain in many markets, and can effectively shut out all competition.  And they’re increasingly cornering the supply chain as well.  It’s not a question who makes the better beer or even the better advertising, and of letting consumers vote with their wallets.  It’s a question of a small number of companies doing everything they can to prevent other brands of beer from even being made available. 

Yup.

[Big Monk]

It's spreading across the US.  We saw some graphic info about it in the GC meeting at HBC.  The BA is about to start a campaign to publicize the issue.  I know there are bars here in Beer Mecca that you go into and all the taps are beers that are from the same mega company.  They're driving out competition not based on quality or consumer preference but by marketing power.

That's the problem as I see it. Taste is subjective. Driving out competition for tap and shelf space is not. It's overt and getting worse. If Bud and Bud Light really were that stellar as compared to good craft and imports, these tactics (and buyouts) wouldn't be necessary. All IMO.

Thanks for the comments, everyone.  The “Crap” category is proving to be far too cumbersome.  I’m thinking something like “Macro” or “Big Beer” would be more useful, since it doesn’t imply quality or lack thereof.  There are plenty of sites that do that sort of thing just fine.

It’s about more than just marketing.  Big Beer pours money into elections and lobbying for law changes that will in many case be bad for small brewers (and into keeping harmful legacy laws in place).  They own large percentages of the distribution chain in many markets, and can effectively shut out all competition.  And they’re increasingly cornering the supply chain as well.  It’s not a question who makes the better beer or even the better advertising, and of letting consumers vote with their wallets.  It’s a question of a small number of companies doing everything they can to prevent other brands of beer from even being made available.

You don't think this is a bit of paranoia? Craft beer will NEVER be a majority in the market. I can see the larger companies buying out contenders that pose a threat, but let's face it, breweries who could pose a threat to the macros are so big that brand identity and marketing were in their repertoire from the beginning. The old, "made and groomed to be sold" adage.

I guess until the beers I enjoy are removed from my local supply chain I won't understand why this is a big deal for me. If that happens I'll just have to take a road trip to the 4.6 million local breweries around me, or god forbid, travel to Maine to Allagash (insert any other northeast state and brewery here)....what a pity!

[denny]

You don't think this is a bit of paranoia? Craft beer will NEVER be a majority in the market. I can see the larger companies buying out contenders that pose a threat, but let's face it, breweries who could pose a threat to the macros are so big that brand identity and marketing were in their repertoire from the beginning. The old, "made and groomed to be sold" adage.

I guess until the beers I enjoy are removed from my local supply chain I won't understand why this is a big deal for me. If that happens I'll just have to take a road trip to the 4.6 million local breweries around me, or god forbid, travel to Maine to Allagash (insert any other northeast state and brewery here)....what a pity!

I realize you were exaggerating, but there are 5300 breweries in the US.  The problem with your theory is that there will be far fewer when they can't find tap or shelf space to sell their beer becasue it's been taken over by the macros.