The problem isn't retail space (my local has three half aisles and a cooler devoted to beer and 16 devoted to wine) but tap space at the local.

Ah, the wonders of a free market. Driving out competition because it makes a better product.

MaudlinMutantMollusk: I liked the part about their being unable to consolidate further without possible anti-trust repercussions

Yeah, like they are actually going to get attacked for violating anti-trust laws.

The ironic thing is that the people who are claiming that the big brewers don't make a quality product are wrong.

American light lager is difficult to make, and the consistency and freshness is amazing.

That being said, I believe that A-B is evil.

Dave and his national accounts team walked me through a deck showing that chains that over-SKU with crafts end up selling less beer and making less profit than chains that protect their domestic premium space.

I think their research is SKU'ed

St_Francis_P: GAT_00: Ah, the wonders of a free market. Driving out competition because it makes a better product.

Since most people are satisfied with crappy beer, the meaning of "better" is debatable in the large picture. As far as the market goes, better means reasonably cheap, or at least affordable, with lots of effective advertising, product placement, and demographic identification.

Buying a bad product doesn't make it good. I have Comcast because I don't have a decent second option.

St_Francis_P: GAT_00: St_Francis_P: GAT_00: Ah, the wonders of a free market. Driving out competition because it makes a better product.

Since most people are satisfied with crappy beer, the meaning of "better" is debatable in the large picture. As far as the market goes, better means reasonably cheap, or at least affordable, with lots of effective advertising, product placement, and demographic identification.

Buying a bad product doesn't make it good. I have Comcast because I don't have a decent second option.

Except I've talked to people who like Bud and Miller. They think it's perfectly good. I won't drink it either, but that's the reality of the market.

And people think McDonalds and Sonic are good too. Americans have a long history of aspiring to reach the worst.

If my only choices are Bud, Miller, or Coors, I'll have a water, which tastes the same as those three.

Tangent...anyone here tried Innis & Gunn's Rum Cask beer?

Buddy just turned me on to it...it's like drinking electric velvet.

/better be, at ten bucks a four pack
//worth it

Considering that in many states there are two beer distributors, and it is illegal for craft beer makers to pool their resources to do the same, many of the six packs you will see on shelves are made by bud or miller with a pretty label.

/You can argue about the quality of that pretty label beer.
//The joke is the big beer makers get to decide what beer is available and where it is put.

MaudlinMutantMollusk: YOU FOOL! YOU'VE SUMMONED THE APOSTROPHE POLICE!

IT'S AN APOCALYPSTROPHE!

Yep, not worried. We have plenty of bars in Orlando that only sell craft beers. It is awesome. Redlight Redlight FTW!

I brew my own...

fark them

Meh.

Anheuser-Busch InBev owns a sizable minority stake of Widmer, and quality hasn't suffered because of that, IMHO.

/ haters gonna hate...

GAT_00: Ah, the wonders of a free market. Driving out competition because it makes a better product.

Actually it's government regulation that is allowing this to happen. The three tier system created at the end of prohibition is what is allowin this abuse. Check out Beer Wars where they go pretty at length on the subject.

Lucky enough to live close to
Lewis and Clark Brewery
Blackfoot River Brewery
Big Sky Brewery

Just noticed one shelf in our fridge is nothing but growlers from the locals. An awful problem to have.

FTA What the beer exec is saying is that supermarkets and corner stores might think they make more money by finding space on the shelves for independent craft beers, but they actually sell more beer and book more profits by dropping craft beers and sticking with the giants.

Not really true.

also

And the giants are now peddling faux craft beers like InBev's Shock Top or SABMiller's Pale Moon. So if you're running the beer cooler of the retail outlet, you'd do better to offer a couple of corporate-made craft knockoffs than a dozen genuine craft brews.
Aye. Shock top and blue moon are quite popular, but then again, so is NBB- I cant keep Ranger ipa in stock.

And
Dave showed research that indicated that retailers that have too many SKUs actually end up selling less overall beer. Thats a flat out lie, except for where the big boys are concerned. I have 6 pk can, 6 pk btl 12 can/bottle 18 pk can 20 pk btl 30 pk can 16oz can 6pk, 24 oz can and 3pk 24 oz can, and that just for bud light. Sales of most units except for 18 pk can and 24oz 3 pks is way down from last year and the last couple of years before that.

Its good that I have 4 independents in addtion to the 2 big boys- I bring in Icelandic plae ale and toasted porter and they just fly off the shelves.

Bob_Laublaw: If I think I'm comfortable, then I'm likely comfortable.

So do people lying in a snowbank moments before they freeze to death. Same with someone who has a concussion. Or the frog in the slow simmering pot. Sometimes it does take another person to tell you you aren't comfortable but in deep shiat.

F the Big Two. The old school craft brewers that were there before the craze will survive when all the hobbyists and ingenue rookies bite the dust.