And now....Ballast Point

[Kealia]

Bought by a conglomerate for $1 Billion dollars. Yes $1 Billion. We've pontificated a lot recently about the little guys being bought out so I'm just sharing this for those who haven't seen the news.

"Constellation said it would allow San Diego’s biggest brewery and its 500 employees to operate autonomously. That’s important for acquired craft brands, which have had to combat the perception they were “selling out” to giant corporations."

[Beer-lord]

I'm kind of getting tired of reading this stuff. I'm still not sure if this is really awful but my business senses tell me if could be a slow death spiral for many new and struggling craft breweries when the spiral stops.

[BigPapaG]

Bought by a conglomerate for $1 Billion dollars. Yes $1 Billion....
"Constellation said it would allow San Diego’s biggest brewery and its 500 employees to operate autonomously. That’s important for acquired craft brands, which have had to combat the perception they were “selling out” to giant corporations."

Wow... Hard to see through the smoke and mirrors of that statement...

[Beer-lord]

I just realized I might like this deal if, and only if, it means it BP will be sold in my town.

[mashani]

[Foothiller]

Who can argue with $1 billion, especially if BP can continue to operate autonomously?

[Pudge]

Everything has a price tag. You'd be amazed what I'd do for that kind of cash... LOL.

[John Sand]

Yeah, for a lot less I'd pour my beer on the ground.
Oh wait, I do that for free. (Sometimes)
I suspect that some of these purchases are inflated, based on an assumption of continuous growth. There will be a time when the market levels off or falls. I don't believe that we will ever go back to just a few craft beer options, but fast expansion and hundreds of new breweries cannot last forever.
Yes, sooner or later the beer bubble will burst.

[Kealia]

Agreed. All on points. And yeah, for $1B I'd push my mother-in-law down the stairs. And yours, too.

[Beer-lord]

Agreed. All on points. And yeah, for $1B I'd push my mother-in-law down the stairs. And yours, too.

I'm crazy about my MIL but I'd push her down the stairs and give her half the money.

[RickBeer]

Agreed. All on points. And yeah, for $1B I'd push my mother-in-law down the stairs. And yours, too.

That is sick. Sick, sick, sick. You'd push your MIL down stairs for $1B? Are you freakin' kidding me? That' disgusting.

Why would it take that much? I'd do it for much, much less...

[Foothiller]

Sorry to change back away from that ... but I'm not sure the craft beer industry is running out of steam. I live in a semi-rural county and can quickly count 7 craft breweries and brewpubs -- the latest opening a bit over a month ago.

[Pudge]

Agreed. That's why I feel craft beer is going local. National and regional brands might very well fade into the past. It could also backfire and begin to give craft beer a bad name. Not all small breweries are making good beer.

[John Sand]

I don't think it's even leveling off, yet.

[Kealia]

I dunno, maybe this is a positive. If, and I say *IF*, these bigger companies/investors/conglomerates do actually let the breweries they buy continue to run independently and just infuse them with cash and distribution (while taking advantage of buying power), then maybe we'll see more regional brands like Ballast Point, Lagunitas, Firestone, etc. start to become more widely accessible.

If that happens, more people will be exposed to them and have them available and maybe more and more people will start drinking them instead of BMC. That could only bode well for the craft beer industry overall.

Maybe.