Back in 2011, beer geeks were abuzz when Anheuser-Busch announced they were purchasing Chicago’s Goose Island. A whole host of emotions - outrage, disappointment, and fear that the news was the beginning of the end for craft beer - spread throughout the beer industry and craft beer community. Three years later, when news of A-B’s purchase of Blue Point spread, it appears that beer geeks sighed and bellowed a collective “meh.”
“I give Zero Fucks that this particular brewery has been taken out of the craft beer category,” The Full Pint proclaimed, saying that Blue Point was irrelevant because their beer ratings on Rate Beer were low. “Nail in the coffin,” a reader exclaimed on Twitter, “but not like I am reaching for Blue Point beers these days anyways.” On Beer Advocate’s forums, an echo chamber for beer snobs, one member called it a “non-factor for me. Blue Point bottles collect dust in my area, I’ve had maybe 2 of their beers and was left unimpressed.”
It seems that among a subset of the craft beer community, a beer conglomerate buying out a brewery doesn’t matter to them, because that brewery didn’t brew beers that appealed to their own tastes. Blue Point didn’t get by for 15 years brewing bad beer. Here’s why, regardless of what you think of Blue Point’s beer, you should care about the deal:
1. It’s part of a trend that’s likely to continue with other craft brewers.
The brewery founders of the 1980s and 1990s aren’t exactly spring chickens anymore. As we saw with John McDonald at Boulevard, there comes a time when, with no clear successor, the owner of a brewery may see fit to sell to a new owner. Running a growing craft brewery can be grueling work. We’re going to see more large, successful breweries change hands in the coming years as guys like Blue Point founders Mark Burford and Pete Cotter come to the ends of their careers.
2. An A-B owned Blue Point could grow the craft beer universe.
Blue Point’s flagship Toasted Lager, which represents 50% of their current volume, is an approachable, easy drinking craft lager. A-B knows that and sees an opportunity in it. Toasted Lager will likely go the way of Goose Island’s 312, IPA, and Honker’s Ale, becoming another option for entry-level craft beer drinkers and budget-conscious macro drinkers who sometimes dabble in craft. Bringing more craft beer drinkers into the fold is inherently good - a rising tide raises all boats. Even if their fallback beer is from A-B, they’ll probably try beers from other independently-owned craft breweries, too… if the below point doesn’t make that an impossibility.
3. A-B’s ownership of more craft labels will be problematic for craft breweries and beer drinkers.
We hinted at this yesterday. The more beers that A-B has to offer and leverage, the more they can strong-arm retailers into pushing other brands off their shelves. That’s an obvious concern - one that we’ve already seen with A-B gunning for placement for Goose Island, especially in major retailers and venues that do a high volume of business. It’ll make it even more difficult for New York’s brewers, who will compete with A-B for shelf space and tap lines in a market where Blue Point is perceived as a local product. That means less room for the little guys, and less choice for you.
4. The deal will prove once and for all that A-B can produce a craft beer.
It’s amusing that one Facebook commenter went right to a tired old argument: “AB will screw up some good brews. Just add rice.” That’s simply not true. This company is not stupid. They didn’t change Goose Island’s recipes to cut corners, because they know they appeal to craft beer drinkers. Say what you will about Budweiser - to craft beer drinkers, it doesn’t taste very good, but it tastes consistently not very good. A-B is known for quality control and skilled craftsmanship. A second craft brewery under A-B’s belt will finally stop this silly argument, provided that they choose the same path for Blue Point that they took with Goose Island.
Ultimately, we’ll have to wait and see how - and if - Blue Point’s offerings and image change. But pretending that this deal doesn’t matter just because you don’t like Blue Point’s beers is ignorant of how the beer industry works. This deal matters to anyone who buys a craft beer, whether at a bar or store, and whether they like Blue Point or have decided to never drink it again.