Red Mosquito

tragabigzanda wrote:

Electromatic wrote:Wicked Weed finalized a sale to INBEV

WHAT?! I will never understand the Wicked Weed phenomenon. Have been to their brewery twice now, tasted many different draughts. It was like 80% super-hopped IPA stuff, and 20% terrible combinations like "an ale brewed with cloves then aged in wine casks." Have probably tasted close to 20 of their beers and never found one that I really enjoyed.

Yeah, I'm not sure all the details yet but they made a deal announced today to be part of "The High End" owned by AB Inbev.

"The High End includes brands such as Stella Artois and Shock Top, along with craft partners Goose Island, Blue Point, 10 Barrel, Elysian, Golden Road, Virtue Cider, Four Peaks, Breckenridge Brewery, Devils Backbone, SpikedSeltzer and Karbach Brewing Co."

I liked Pernicious and a few others.

tragabigzanda wrote:

Electromatic wrote:Wicked Weed finalized a sale to INBEV

WHAT?! I will never understand the Wicked Weed phenomenon. Have been to their brewery twice now, tasted many different draughts. It was like 80% super-hopped IPA stuff, and 20% terrible combinations like "an ale brewed with cloves then aged in wine casks." Have probably tasted close to 20 of their beers and never found one that I really enjoyed.

they brew some really good sours

tragabigzanda wrote:

Electromatic wrote:Wicked Weed finalized a sale to INBEV

WHAT?! I will never understand the Wicked Weed phenomenon. Have been to their brewery twice now, tasted many different draughts. It was like 80% super-hopped IPA stuff, and 20% terrible combinations like "an ale brewed with cloves then aged in wine casks." Have probably tasted close to 20 of their beers and never found one that I really enjoyed.

They thank you for your continued support. And, they look forward to your next visit.

Today has been... trying. The minute I get out of work today I'm running to my local and I'm having at least 3 Bell's Two Hearted Ales.

Just work stuff. Nothing too serious. Just one of those days.

Heineken just bought the rest of Lagunitas yesterday.

I don't know what to say about it except that every business I've ever worked for that was family owned was a hell of a lot more fun to work for than the big corporate giants.

Ken Grossman and Sam Koch, Sam Calagione etc found ways to make themselves billionaires so it's not like it's unprecedented.

I guess there's an argument to be made that Boston Beer company and Sierra Nevada are now huge corporate giants in their own right but, I'm just not sure how things have ever been improved (other than profit margins) by adding accountants and lawyers.

tragabigzanda wrote:

Electromatic wrote:I don't know what to say about it except that every business I've ever worked for that was family owned was a hell of a lot more fun to work for than the big corporate giants.

Ken Grossman and Sam Koch, Sam Calagione etc found ways to make themselves billionaires so it's not like it's unprecedented.

I guess there's an argument to be made that Boston Beer company and Sierra Nevada are now huge corporate giants in their own right but, I'm just not sure how things have ever been improved (other than profit margins) by adding accountants and lawyers.

I read Jim Koch's book several months back. It sounds like they've done a great job of maintaining a fun corporate culture as they've grown. He talks about how he never hired to just fill a position, but rather to elevate the company.

he's also the equivalent of InBev relative to craft beer or "micro breweries," and doesn't appreciate being marginalized by growth and advancements of other breweries. i suggest reading this article:

http://www.bostonmagazine.com/restauran ... dams-beer/

Sorry, I should have said, Jim and or Greg? (stone) Koch.

I got my Koch's mixed up.

Chris_H_2 wrote:

tragabigzanda wrote:

Electromatic wrote:I don't know what to say about it except that every business I've ever worked for that was family owned was a hell of a lot more fun to work for than the big corporate giants.

Ken Grossman and Sam Koch, Sam Calagione etc found ways to make themselves billionaires so it's not like it's unprecedented.

I guess there's an argument to be made that Boston Beer company and Sierra Nevada are now huge corporate giants in their own right but, I'm just not sure how things have ever been improved (other than profit margins) by adding accountants and lawyers.

I read Jim Koch's book several months back. It sounds like they've done a great job of maintaining a fun corporate culture as they've grown. He talks about how he never hired to just fill a position, but rather to elevate the company.

he's also the equivalent of InBev relative to craft beer or "micro breweries," and doesn't appreciate being marginalized by growth and advancements of other breweries. i suggest reading this article:

http://www.bostonmagazine.com/restauran ... dams-beer/

Interesting article. Tastes are always going to change (well, if they are allowed to I guess), He's always been a bit prickly like that about the flagship product but he of all people should know the various why's of why Sam Adams is not sold at a trendy beer bar. I guess i understand as that is a bit more his private opinion rather than the public face of the company that is pretty well diversified at this point. It's Americanized. (Anything worth doing is worth overdoing) We're basically there with IPA's too, some of the old favorites aren't even as good as they used to be.

I've said it before in that I tend to hate using the word "craft" to segment beer, but there is a huge difference between truely macro and micro brewers, If you have bicoastal breweries you're probably not "Craft" anymore not that that's a horrible thing. It's nice to have variety, not all of it is going to be fantastic, but it's nice to believe that there are still some "craftspeople" that care in control of product and packaging and marketing and it's not just about building another house near Malibu.

I had a few local beers while in Vegas, but I don't remember the names so carry on.