Comments on: Now What Do I Do? Greg Says “Hop Yard Rocks”

by: Brenda Pederson

Thu, 31 Aug 2006 14:15:17 +0000

I still think that this may be a blessing in disguise. As Brian points out this is another way to educate and bring awareness to the different options beer drinkers have.

And, I know this might sound like a stuck record, but this is very similar to what goes on in the wine industry. Yes there is always some fallout of the small wine producers but that might be related to poor business practices as opposed to being forced out, as plenty of small producers continue to exist. In fact that area of the market is growing in leaps and bounds.

Here in Washington we now have over 400 wine producers. In Oregon there are another 300+ wineries. And it seems to me that jug wines are getting less and less shelf space as time goes on.

In the US, micros are still in their infancy or maybe early teens. The fact that AB is taking notice would seem to be good news. The consumers have shown an interest and shown a demand.

by: brian w

Wed, 30 Aug 2006 11:19:49 +0000

Maybe what’s actually happening with A-B (and if it works, the other macros will follow) is a division of macrobrewing into two groups…value and quality. Most micro drinkers will agree that the A-B attempts are weak, but an intro to the style none the less. Is it possible that they’re not doing this to sway drinkers away from microbrews? Maybe they’re doing it because people are moving away from the american lager in a can, so A-B is trying to maintain their customer base. This is a good thing. If tastes are coming around to full-flavor and different styles, that will help beer, as a whole, become a drink to be seriously enjoyed…not just to be chugged.
Macro will never have the same quality of micro, some people will seek out micros for that reason…and some will go for the lower price of the A-B craft brew.
Much like wal-mart selling organic foods, it might bastardize a part of the industry…but it educates and brings awareness too. It sets the stage for the brewers who are the real deal to take that consumer awareness a step further and show why small production is better.

On another note, selling food and drink is a very different thing from selling socks. I hope the effect of wal-mart crushing the mom-n-pop business wouldn’t apply to breweries.

by: Donavan Hall

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 11:35:47 +0000

Hey TheName- I’m just glad A-B didn’t ask me to go. The moral high ground has some treacherous slopes.

by: TheName

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 11:01:19 +0000

Hey Donavan; I’m glad I wasn’t the only one slightly disturbed by A-B’s version of a K Street Scotland golf trip.

These A-Bers are insidious. I couldn’t help draw the analogy of Wal-Mart inviting local shopkeepers to their monstrous distribution centers and treating them to international produce and feedlot meats (a whole world on every plate!) while they watched a mountain of cotton socks be sorted and bagged. Then the shopkeepers walk away saying “well, we can learn a lot from each other” a month before they close for lack of business.

I think it’s hard not to be pessimistic about their dive into the market and their exorbitant bribery of some of the craft beer elite. Clearly trying to cushion the blow by constructing a focus group of previous craft beer diehards they were able to pick their brains for new marketing ideas for the price of a few plane tickets and dinner plates.

It all left a bad taste in my mouth. The A-B boys proudly pushed the very macro nature of their macro brewery into the faces of the craft beer literati and watched them walk away with smiles on their faces and songs in their hearts.