Rob, I disagree with your analysis here. I don't know of anyone who hates a brewery for being successful. Undoubtedly there are, but I think it's few enough that I'm not aware of it. Most people are happy for the owners/founders who sell and get rewarded for their hard work. I think it boils down to who they sell to, and what the buyer's intentions are. I have a problem with breweries who sell to ABI due to ABI's intent to limit access to beer other than what they own. Heinekin and Sapporo, who have purchased American breweries, are relatively benign in that regard and I really don't have a problem with them. I just think you're painting with too broad a brush.
That is like where I’m getting at. How you gonna call something craft when a big boy is purposely trying to keep something local out of the competition. Prohibition or the end of it rather. Set up three things of I recall. It separates and creates a 3 tier system for selling and making beer. But when ABInbev is the distribution source. The small guy often can gets cut out.
Competition is a beast. But also. Some people don’t need to make good beer, which is sad. Some breweries have better salesmanship. Some bars know people at breweries. There is a craft beet bar where I live. I know the owner and several bartenders. One asked me a while back, “ how’s our tap selection?”
I told him it sucked. I don’t need 9 garbage IPAs to choose from. I want a delicious porter this time of year. I’ve had everything local, thanks for helping them, I’d rather give them my money directly. I’m looking for diverse good beers. Not rated 4 beers on tap hunter by people who don’t know off flavors. YOURE SERVING DIACETYl! And they don’t even know it.