Like it or not, Big Beer—namely, Anheuser Busch InBev, the oft-scapegoated brewing company best known for its ownership of Budweiser and its recent acquisition of 10 formerly independent craft breweries—owns and operates a majority of the beer business. This is true by volume, by sales, by distribution, and by pretty much any measure, save for actual number of breweries in the U.S. Among the rising concerns of craft brewers and their promotional trade group, the Brewers Association, are that these buyouts—such as AB InBev’s purchase of Goose Island, Elysian or Wicked Weed—take formerly independent beer brands and boost their production, distribution and sales without consumers knowing the difference, or if they do, limiting their choice due to marketing and distribution power.
MORE: AB InBev Responds to the Introduction of the ‘Independent Craft Brewe…
Read article
To raise awareness for this alleged injustice, the BA launched a campaign to flip the industry on its head: Take Craft Back by raising $213 billion and buying Anheuser Busch InBev. Yes, the campaign—which has raised close to $150,000 in pledges so far—is a hoax. The BA doesn’t actually expect, or even intend, to collect upwards of two billion dollars from craft beer enthusiasts around the country to buy the world’s biggest brewery. There is no money actually being exchanged here.
ALSO: The 101 Best Beers in America
Read article
But it does have real implications. The campaign seeks to alert the public to “the real dangers of beer consolidation, including narrowing access to raw ingredients and a heavy influence on distribution, which squeeze beer from your small, local brewers off store shelves and off draft lines,” said the announcement to consumers on CraftBeer.com.
And the campaign comes as a follow up attempt to fight back: in June, the BA launched the Independent Craft Brewer Seal as a way for independent brands to differentiate themselves from those owned by global conglomerates.
“It’s a tongue-in-cheek campaign to raise beer drinker awareness of the difference between Big Beer’s ‘crafty’ brands and your truly small and independent beers—to know the difference, and to actively ‘seek the seal’ [the Independent Brewer Seal] and prefer true craft brands,” said Matt Sutton, a spokesperson for the BA.
He continued, “Take Craft Back is a humorous rallying cry to bring attention to a serious issue: how ABI is seeking to permanently alter the craft landscape by presenting acquired brands as if they were truly, authentically independent, and ultimately narrowing real choice in the marketplace for the beer lover.”
While the campaign has a humorous tilt and good intentions—the video is pretty funny, and surely, we all want to see independent craft brewers succeed—some may critique the BA’s decision to create a campaign of this nature (trolling AB InBev) rather than devote its resources to other initiatives. After all, Take Craft Back, although admittedly entertaining, included production costs of its video, along with resources (monetary or otherwise) spent on its website, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages.
It also gives AB InBev and its portfolio of “High End” brewers the opportunity, again, to call out the divisive nature of these campaigns.
Here’s how Beer Twitter reacted on Monday morning. (Note: these tweets are sourced from both the official #takecraftback hashtag, as well as the improperly used #takebackcraft).
Matthew Osgood
I like craft beer, but I’m kind of embarrassed by this #takebackcraft. Good news is that literally none of my family or friends will care. — Matthew Osgood (@MatthewMOsgood) October 16, 2017 Hipster Brewfus
This #takebackcraft thing is the stupidest goddamn thing I have ever seen, and just pushes me further and further away — Hipster Brewfus (@HipsterBrewfus) October 16, 2017 Ben Keene
Yes, the #TakeCraftBack campaign is going to cause a social media stir, but what does it accomplish? How is it better than craft vs. crafty? — Ben Keene (@WhereandBack) October 16, 2017 MikeLovesBeer Even with #TakeCraftBack being a joke the BA no doubt spent money on site design, hosting and marketing that could be better spent elsewhere— MikeLovesBeer (@MikeLovesBeer) October 16, 2017
Steve Wood
Call me crazy but #TakeCraftBack was never serious about raising a quarter of a TRILLION dollars. They just wanted schmoes to talk about it. — Steve Wood (@CTMQ) October 16, 2017 Well, call us schmoes, then. Watch the video here for a laugh, and stay woke by following our updated list of craft brewery buyouts here.
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
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Like it or not, Big Beer—namely, Anheuser Busch InBev, the oft-scapegoated brewing company best known for its ownership of Budweiser and its recent acquisition of 10 formerly independent craft breweries—owns and operates a majority of the beer business. This is true by volume, by sales, by distribution, and by pretty much any measure, save for actual number of breweries in the U.S.
Among the rising concerns of craft brewers and their promotional trade group, the Brewers Association, are that these buyouts—such as AB InBev’s purchase of Goose Island, Elysian or Wicked Weed—take formerly independent beer brands and boost their production, distribution and sales without consumers knowing the difference, or if they do, limiting their choice due to marketing and distribution power.
MORE: AB InBev Responds to the Introduction of the ‘Independent Craft Brewe…
Read article
To raise awareness for this alleged injustice, the BA launched a campaign to flip the industry on its head: Take Craft Back by raising $213 billion and buying Anheuser Busch InBev.
MORE: AB InBev Responds to the Introduction of the ‘Independent Craft Brewe…
Read article
MORE: AB InBev Responds to the Introduction of the ‘Independent Craft Brewe…
Yes, the campaign—which has raised close to $150,000 in pledges so far—is a hoax. The BA doesn’t actually expect, or even intend, to collect upwards of two billion dollars from craft beer enthusiasts around the country to buy the world’s biggest brewery. There is no money actually being exchanged here.
ALSO: The 101 Best Beers in America
Read article
But it does have real implications. The campaign seeks to alert the public to “the real dangers of beer consolidation, including narrowing access to raw ingredients and a heavy influence on distribution, which squeeze beer from your small, local brewers off store shelves and off draft lines,” said the announcement to consumers on CraftBeer.com.
ALSO: The 101 Best Beers in America
Read article
ALSO: The 101 Best Beers in America
And the campaign comes as a follow up attempt to fight back: in June, the BA launched the Independent Craft Brewer Seal as a way for independent brands to differentiate themselves from those owned by global conglomerates.
“It’s a tongue-in-cheek campaign to raise beer drinker awareness of the difference between Big Beer’s ‘crafty’ brands and your truly small and independent beers—to know the difference, and to actively ‘seek the seal’ [the Independent Brewer Seal] and prefer true craft brands,” said Matt Sutton, a spokesperson for the BA.
He continued, “Take Craft Back is a humorous rallying cry to bring attention to a serious issue: how ABI is seeking to permanently alter the craft landscape by presenting acquired brands as if they were truly, authentically independent, and ultimately narrowing real choice in the marketplace for the beer lover.”
While the campaign has a humorous tilt and good intentions—the video is pretty funny, and surely, we all want to see independent craft brewers succeed—some may critique the BA’s decision to create a campaign of this nature (trolling AB InBev) rather than devote its resources to other initiatives. After all, Take Craft Back, although admittedly entertaining, included production costs of its video, along with resources (monetary or otherwise) spent on its website, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages.
It also gives AB InBev and its portfolio of “High End” brewers the opportunity, again, to call out the divisive nature of these campaigns.
Here’s how Beer Twitter reacted on Monday morning. (Note: these tweets are sourced from both the official #takecraftback hashtag, as well as the improperly used #takebackcraft).
Matthew Osgood
Hipster Brewfus
I like craft beer, but I’m kind of embarrassed by this #takebackcraft. Good news is that literally none of my family or friends will care.
— Matthew Osgood (@MatthewMOsgood) October 16, 2017
Ben Keene
This #takebackcraft thing is the stupidest goddamn thing I have ever seen, and just pushes me further and further away
— Hipster Brewfus (@HipsterBrewfus) October 16, 2017
MikeLovesBeer
Yes, the #TakeCraftBack campaign is going to cause a social media stir, but what does it accomplish? How is it better than craft vs. crafty?
— Ben Keene (@WhereandBack) October 16, 2017
Steve Wood
Well, call us schmoes, then. Watch the video here for a laugh, and stay woke by following our updated list of craft brewery buyouts here.
Call me crazy but #TakeCraftBack was never serious about raising a quarter of a TRILLION dollars. They just wanted schmoes to talk about it.
— Steve Wood (@CTMQ) October 16, 2017
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
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Class It Up With The International Mountains Whiskey Glasses
Best Beers You Should Be Drinking Now
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The Rambler 10 Oz Lowball From YETI is a Must Own
Best Bars in Mexico City for Low-key Cocktail Lounges and Mezcal Shrines
Class It Up With The International Mountains Whiskey Glasses
Best Beers You Should Be Drinking Now
Uncle Nearest Whiskey Lineup Is Rapidly Expanding
All Stories
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Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
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