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Two major craft breweries are merging. But is it still "craft"?
Boston Beer Company, which makes Sam Adams beer, is acquiring Dogfish Head, a Delaware craft brewery. "Not only are Dogfish Head and Boston Beer two original American breweries, but Jim Koch and I worked hard with other leading craft brewery founders and the Brewers Association to develop and champion what defines independent American brewers," the Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione said in a statement on Thursday, referring to the Boston Beer founder and chairman. "This merger better positions Dogfish Head and our coworkers to continue growing within this definition for many years to come." [...] The merger of the publicly traded Boston Beer Company, which also produces Angry Orchard cider, with Dogfish Head, the well-known craft brewery prominently featured in the 2009 documentary "Beer Wars," is sure to shake up the brewing industry.
[...] Dogfish Head posted a photo on Facebook and Twitter of Calagione sharing a drink with Koch. Though one Facebook user tagged the pair as "shill" and "sellout," not everyone who commented on the post had such a negative reaction. "To the haters: Samuel Adams / Boston Beer may not be perfect, but few people have been as vocal a proponent of craft beer for as long as Jim Koch," one Facebook user said. "I'd much rather DFH merge with them than get bought by Constellation or (gasp!) ABInbev-SabMillerCoors. We know that BBC won't force through drastic changes and expansion into other markets that the brand can't or won't handle."
[...] Not everyone was convinced, however. "Sam Adams has been completely out of touch with actual craft beer for a decade at least," one person wrote. "I don't see how this is good." Another added that Dogfish Head was the "last brewery on earth that I thought would sell out." "Not a fan," another Facebook poster wrote. "Dogfish Head has always been fiercely independent with a focus on unique and sometimes challenging beers. I've been to the brewery 6 times, to the brewpub many times. I spent my 31st birthday there and made some incredible memories. This is the last thing that I expected from DFH. What a shame."
Related: Playing Small is Okay, Says Judge in "Craft Beer" Case
Congress May Lower Beer Taxes, Sam Adams Could Cease to be "Craft Beer"
Craft Brewing Industry Saved Small Hop Growers
Craft Hard Cider Booming in the U.S.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Sunday May 12 2019, @11:06AM
Not sure that's fair. Breweries are cool, after all. I've been in several, the most memorable being Frankenmuth. http://frankenmuthbrewery.com/ [frankenmuthbrewery.com]
I had already picked up loads of beer in the huge corporate breweries, and those were relatively uninteresting. At Frankenmuth, the plant people were very friendly to truck drivers, and offered free tours to us. They kept a cooler stocked in the driver's room, free of charge to the drivers. We were expected to limit our consumption, of course, but, free beer! I got to see everything I wanted to see in the brewery, and it really is interesting.
In addition to the official tour inside the plant, the plant and the grounds were maintained in immaculate condition, I recall a playground for the kids outside, and attractions close to the plant. In fact, the entire town was touristy-pretty.
I haven't been back to Frankenmuth since Carling-Black Label bought them out. But, I can say that in the early 80's, a day at that brewery might have made for "incredible memories". It may or may not have been every honey-mooner's dream destination, but it could work. Bunch of college kids just getting away, or whatever.
Frankenmuth was also the first American brewery that I became aware of that made things besides pilseners. My favorite was Red White and Blue ale. Maybe not the best ale in the world, but damned good, all the same.
It appears they don't make that ale, anymore, but they do have an interesting variety available - http://frankenmuthbrewery.com/our-beer/?mode=viewall [frankenmuthbrewery.com]