Friday, August 13, 2010

MillerCoors May Be A Craft Brewer Depending on You

So this week MillerCoors announced the name and plans of a new business unit "Tenth and Blake Beer Company."  The goal of this new unit is to make craft brews and import similar quality beers from around the world.  Some blogs and twitter feeds have been scolding, some have rejoiced.  Personally, I will wait and see.

Many of the new comers to craft beer come by way of Blue Moon a not always acknowledged unit of Coors, and similarly Leinenkugel has been a unit of Miller for years.  Whether you should rejoice, be upset or indifferent depends on the reason YOU drink craft beer.  Yes I said you and your reason.

Most people fail to understand that people come to craft beer for a variety of reasons. Here is a short list in no real order:

  • Taste
  • Environmental
  • Support Local Business
  • Support Small Business
This is a short list, and in reality there are likely others and many subcategories with a massive influence on the market.  Interestingly enough, I know more than one person who jumped on the bandwagon condemning this.  However, this month Pyramid/Magic Hat is now owned by the people who sell Labatt and Kona joined a national conglomerate.  Were these mergers good bad or indifferent?

Over the next several weeks come back and see how I explore each of these issues, and their implications in Craft Beer.  Look for the "Why Craft?" label.

Also if someone has a reason they are drinking craft beer let me know in the comments.  

2 comments:

  1. The reason I drink craft beer is I like that they think out of the box. Craft brewers are not afraid to try different flavors. They make beer with great amounts of flavor whether it is sweet, sour, spicy, bitter, or just weird. Beers like Kona's Pipeline Porter made with Kona coffee or Fatheads Bumbleberry Ale made with honey and blueberries or Rogue's Chipotle Ale that has smoked jalapeno peppers. The beers have flavor and they stand out, it is an adventure to see what you can find.

    I enjoy the opportunity to seek out and taste, that is why I am a craft brew drinker.

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  2. Drink local and be sustainable.

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