Rumors-did AB/InBev buy Northern Brewer and Midwest?

[Beer-lord]

It's been about 2 weeks since I've first started reading about whether it's true or a hoax if AB's big group has purchased NB and Midwest. I wanted to post this when I first read it and waited and waited and I've heard nothing new on this lately so I'm thinking it's a hoax.
Why would they want to buy these companies other than the obvious fact that homebrewing is alive and well? Certainly buying small craft breweries is enough, right?

[Dawg LB Steve]

OR IS IT? BWAHAHAHA!
Have not heard any of this but I have been somewhat out of commission for the last week and a half though.

[Whamolagan]

It is not just breweries they are buying, they are trying to buy Coca Cola

[TonyKZ1]

I read the same thing over on the homebrewtalk forum, basically asking the same thing, is it real or a hoax?

Speaking of Northern Brewer, has anyone noticed their Columbus Day sale? I just got a reminder from them about it, thought I might go ahead and get three of them.

[RickBeer]

Northern owns Midwest, and Northern is owned by Entrepreneur Partners, a private equity firm out of Philadelphia. One of the partners of Entrepreneur Partners had a big hand in the demise of the Franklin Mint. Their focus is clearly on flipping the company or going public once they can make it look appetizing, that's how they get their money out. When you lose the heart of a small company and put in people to run it that have no experience in the industry and no "heart" for it, it's usually not good.

I can't imagine that AB/InBev would be interested in them given the relatively small size though, but you never know.

[Dawg LB Steve]

WOW, minutes after reading this thread, I go onto facebook and voila, many posts about this subject and whether it is real or not. All opinions at this point.

[Inkleg]

If they did buy them out, they could shut them down. If they bought all the places we get our supplies from and shut them down too, we'd be forced to buy their beer.

Genius plan, evil, but genius.

[Beer-lord]

Sounds like politics to me! Smells like shyte too!


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[Whamolagan]

What are they gonna do, buy out all the LBHS out there?

[evily]

So, this is kinda-sorta but not really true. The news in my Inbox this morning is that AB In Bev has "partnered" with Northern Brewer, though they are not releasing any details of the terms of the partnership. Northern is maintaining that they are "still a family-owned local business". As for WHY ABI would do this, well, the speculation is simply to have easy access to information about the homebrewer demographic: what homebrewers are buying and making and drinking.

Interesting...

[Beer-lord]

Interesting indeed. Like Apple and Microsoft, they want as much of the info pie as possible and are doing everything they can to achieve it.
Can't say I blame them.

[BlackDuck]

Northern is maintaining that they are "still a family-owned local business".

Interesting for sure, thanks for the info Evily. As for the line I quoted, this seems to be the standard line when when of the big guys buys out a smaller craft brewery, but doesn't necessarily hold true when it comes down to brass tacks. At least not for the ones they buy, it might be different in this case if they truly are "partnering" with them.

Here's an interesting article that was on BrewDog's blog last December. It includes this quote from the owner of a brewery that was bought out. From the Blog:

Nøgne Ø

Within months of selling to a mega beer corporation, Nøgne Ø founder and former CEO Kjetil Jikiun posted this message on Facebook. He said the new buyers had ensured "Nøgne Ø The Uncompromising Brewery was changing into Grey Ø The Average Brewery" and the new values introduced were "Good Enough. Mediocre. Average." Kjetil left, obviously distressed as to what became of the brewery he loved. At the time of the acquisition both Kjetil and Hansa (the buyer) insisted nothing would change. It obviously did, and quickly.

There are also other interesting tidbits from the Elysian, Lagunitas, and Goose Island purchases.

[RickBeer]

As I noted, Northern hasn't been a "family-owned local business" since it was bought out by a private equity firm in Philadelphia a number of years ago. Hogwash.

[FrozenInTime]

I have used both those suppliers for many years. I will no longer buy from them. There are still a few onlines that has not sold out yet, good-by Northern and Midwest. Not to sound political, but I HATE the way America is being bought out by foreigners!!

[BlackDuck]

Not to sound political, but I HATE the way America is being bought out by foreigners!!

I think I would like to buy you a beer!!!