American Craft Beer The Best Craft Beer, Breweries, Bars, Brewpubs, Beer Stores, And Restaurants Serving Serious Beer.
We blame the industry for this… It used to be that when we wrapped up our Weekend Picks on Friday, we could coast through the weekend. There was little need to check in for updates – things were pretty much done. But clearly all that’s changed.
So here’s some of what’s happened in the world of craft beer while you were off enjoying yourselves.
The Empire Strikes Back (Tempe, AZ) – “If You Can’t Beat Them, Buy Them.” That’s clearly Anheuser-Busch InBev’s ongoing strategy to help shore up the declining market shore that they’ve been losing to craft beer for years. And on Friday while everyone was off getting festive, they announced yet another acquisition, Four Peaks Brewing. Word on the street is that AB InBev is out there offering up “crazy money,” so look for more craft breweries to become part of the Anheuser-Busch’s budding craft beer empire. And now that Constellation Brands has laid down a mind-blowing $1 billion dollars to acquire Ballast Point – all bets are off!
Where There’s Smoke, Is There Fire? (Ft Collins, CO) – And in the shadows of the big AB InBev-Four Peaks announcement at the end of last week, was the ominous (and so far unsubstantiated) rumors that New Belgium Brewing was actively shopping itself around. Hmmm….
Words To Drink By (Los Angeles, CA) – “Boring is an attitude, not the truth….Possibility is where you decide it is.”
Seth Godin – Author & Marketing Analyst
Beavertown Brewery “Takes Brewer of the Year” (London, UK) – Congrats to Beavertown’s Head Brewer (and US “homegirl”) Jenn Merrick, for having been awarded the British Guild of Beer Writer’s “Brewer of the Year” award for 2015.
Drink Exceptional Beer And Win A Ski Trip (Boulder. CO) – Upslope Brewing and Exum Mountain Guides are teaming up to celebrate winter adventures with their #ApresByUpslope Social Media Photo Contest. Skiers, outdoor recreationalists and binge drinkers are encouraged to snap and post a picture of themselves enjoying an Upslope (or two) after a winter activity – and to post it via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #ApresByUpslope. The participant with the best picture will win a two-person, two-day guided backcountry ski trip in the Tetons with Exum Mountain Guides – travel expenses and accommodations included! The Contest is on now and runs through Feb 15th – so jump in and try not to kill yourself.
