BeerBorg

http://allaboutbeer.com/founders-brewin ... an-miguel/

Not at all happy about this....

At least they only sold it as a 30% ownership, so technically, Founders still retains full control of the company!!

Part of me likes what's happening and part of me doesn't. First, this proves that craft beer has made serious headway and that the yellow fizzy beer continues its decline. Then it shows that it doesn't appear to be slowing down. I see more and more companies with cider now and other semi-alcoholic beverages. It really can't be all bad unless these new owners stifle these breweries which I doubt since it's those breweries that have increasing sales.

It appears to me that Founders is intending to expand their foreign market footprint here more than anything. Personally, I can see why they would go this route and leverage an established distribution like this.

As long as they let the guys at Founders keep doing what they are doing it's fine. When you start messing with the product to reduce the cost you end up with poor sales like with ABInBev and Becks. I don't drink much Goose Island but nobody seems to complain that they are different after the ABInBev buyout so there should be hope.

Well, the everyday base GI beers (pale, 312, etc.) are now brewed by InBev at different breweries around the country, and they are not as well thought of these days. GI in Chicago still controls the specialty beers (the ladies, BCBS, etc.) and they are still wonderful.

In that case I retract my statement and change it to I'm scared for Founders. They have a lot of special stuff which is really good but their core beers are really well done.

I am more worried about them going more mass market. Stopped by a couple of times the other week while at GLEXPO - the Great Lakes Agricultural Exposition - while learning about hops (beer), grapes (wine), and apples (cider). I really like their limited releases but also how their core beers can change ever so slightly just like a wine does with its different vintages. There is not a huge change, but it is there. By churning up volume for more of a world/mass market that would most likely end. Plus, being the selfish person I am, prices for things like KBS would go through the roof since they are physically limited as to what they can produce.

But, one thing my wife and I both came away with is that my Black F-Rye Day IPA blows theirs away hands down. Made me feel a tad bit good. Now I must get my hands on a bourbon barrel and try to make a betterer KBS....

In my "dream world" all the BMC breweries are gone and breweries, wineries and distilleries are all cottage industries. (Highly regulated of course.) Moves like this run counter to my dream.