Uh-O, is it beginning?

[Beer-lord]

Craft beer layoffs may be starting or is it the expansion to other states and countries?
Stone is in the news!
http://thefullpint.com/beer-news/stone- ... t-layoffs/

[BlackDuck]

WOW....and as quoted: "the further proliferation of small, hyper-local breweries" will be very happy to hire those that Stone just let go. So some of the people that they are letting go, may in fact, help perpetuate the very reason that they were let go.

EDIT....and I wonder if their decision to expand to Berlin and Richmond, VA may also be part of the cause. With such large expansions, comes some very large bills to pay. And when the collection man comes knockin, you better have the money to pay. And if you don't, then you need to restructure and cut costs so you can pay the bills.

[RickBeer]

Translation - we grew too fast without looking at the numbers. So our CEO stepped down, and we replaced him with an executive from POM Wonderful, part of Roll Corporation, that has a history of doing this to their companies so he learned from the best.

[Dawg LB Steve]

Happens more often than not when companies try to outgrow the market too fast. Probably would have been ok if they expanded into Europe OR Richmond. That is a ton of cash and/or credit laid out for both ventures. Can't read the article, are the 75 company wide or one location????

[Beer-lord]

[LouieMacGoo]

So..... I had an interesting conversation with a local brewery owner the other day who has "loose" ties with Stone. He believes that Stone is trying to show fiscal responsibility to make themselves attractive to being purchased. This is in part the reason that Mitch Steele left Stone earlier this year. If this is true they could be opening the door for AB/Inbev to buy them. This would be a huge shift in the industry.

I don't know if this is true or not but it does seem very plausible.

[BlackDuck]

Wow...that would really shake up the craft world a bit.

EDIT: I just had another thought, maybe that's why they created Arrogant Brewing. So they could sell off the Stone side of it, but stay in the biz with the Arrogant side of it. Just some random thoughts.

[Beer-lord]

Greg Koch would look like a politician since he's been adamant he'd never sell. Everyone has a price'

[Yankeedag]

I wonder if we'll go the way of Germany, in as much, having local pub breweries in neighborhoods. The places I lived in Germany whilst stationed over there, seemed every town had it's own little brewery to support the pubs, while still selling the Big Brewery's stuff as well. it was nice to be able to just walk to the place, have a few brews, and then toddle back on home.

[mashani]

I wonder if we'll go the way of Germany, in as much, having local pub breweries in neighborhoods. The places I lived in Germany whilst stationed over there, seemed every town had it's own little brewery to support the pubs, while still selling the Big Brewery's stuff as well. it was nice to be able to just walk to the place, have a few brews, and then toddle back on home.

There were places like that last time I was in Seattle. I met some dudes who brew traditional English beers out of their garage and their beer gets served in a handful of local establishments. And out of their garage if you want to go visit them.

[BlackDuck]

Dag...I think you're thought may already be happening. I live in a small suburb of Columbus, OH. For example, there is a small bistro/cafe in town that has a very good menu, but also has a very good tap line. The owners recently decided to buy a building a block from the cafe and open up their own brewery. I think they are running off a 7 barrel brewhouse. Not only will they have a taproom at the brewery, but they will also supply the cafe with their beer. So if you want just a beer, you can go to the taproom, but if you want dinner with that beer, you'll have to go down the block to the cafe. And in Ohio, depending on the license, they can self-distribute to other local establishments or retail locations. I'm not sure if they will do that or not.