November 6th, 2014
Much like it did in 2011 with the goliath, craft-beer-world-shaking, 38 million dollar absorption of Goose Island, Anheuser-Busch (AB) has consumed another small-time craft brewery.
10 Barrel Brewing Company, out of Oregon, is the latest craft-brewery addition to AB’s portfolio and will include 10 Barrel’s brewpubs in Bend and Boise, Idaho, as well as a location in Portland’s Pearl District that is slated to open sometime in 2015.
Not new to scooping up budding and emerging craft breweries, AB acquired In February Blue Point Brewing in Patchogue, N.Y., which made 60,000 barrels last year, including its flagship brand Toasted Lager.
As was said about Goose Island, Jeremy Cox, one of the leading partners at 10 Barrel promises that operations will continue as normal, stating ““We are excited to stay focused on brewing cool beers, get our beers in more hands, and make the most of the operational and distribution expertise of Anheuser-Busch,” .
http://vimeo.com/111005605
While many may be unfamiliar with the 8-year old brewery, they are quite successful in that they were one of only four breweries to win 3 medals at this year’s Great American Beer Festival (GABF) You can see a list of winners HERE. Slated to produce around 40,000 Barrels in 2014, this acquisition is truly a big deal for AB.
Many fans of the craft brewery immediately responded with criticism and skepticism. For many, mergers such as these are akin to your favorite underground band selling out to a larger corporation, changing their musical styles in order to appeal to the masses. The guys at 10 Barrel assured fans this was not the case. “”The brewers who are brewing Apocalypse [10 Barrel’s Most Popular Beer, accounting for over half of their production] are still brewing it tomorrow,” Jeremy Cox said, continuing, “The most we can ask is for folks to give us a chance and let the beer do the talking.”
The merger will certainly aid the logistical sales end of 10 Barrel’s operation, and should get their beer in more craft beer fans’ mouths, which is the goal of almost all breweries. Time will tell if the quality of the product is changed by the merger, but judging the quality of Goose Island brew, it is unlikely to change in any negative way.
What do you think of AB purchasing another craft brewery? Is it a win and a success for 10 Barrel? Is it another example of AB stealing the thunder of a craft brewery? Let us know in the comments below!
We will update you on any new happenings with this acquisition as news continues to emerge.
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