Thoughts on craft beer

I know, I know, this is supposed to a pipe blog that nobody reads. Well, now I've decided that things related to pipes can be discussed and what is more related than the various types of accompanying alcohol? I also know that I'm not helping with the stereotype that pipes are more pretentious hipsterism at its finest by talking about craft beer. But, you know what.. who cares, this is my blog.

Really, this is about what's happening to the craft beer industry. Many of our favorite craft breweries are being bought up by the large beer conglomerates such as InBev, Heineken, and MillerCoors. This has created a divide in the craft beer world between those that just love a tasty beverage and those who think that those breweries are selling out.

I'm here to say that I'm actually between those two camps. See, I totally understand that a brewer might sell for a number of reasons; better distribution, wanting to start a new project, lots of money, to name but a few. There are benefits to having the support of the big boys, consistency usually being the biggest benefit, and who doesn't love a beer that tastes the same every single time, without variation. But, here's where I have to say no to the conglomerates.

There are two things that I think make craft beer what it is. The first is the craft aspect itself. There is as much art as there is science to brewing a great beer. Corporations stifle creativity in favor of greater profits. When I pay $20 for a bomber, I want to know that I'm paying for a piece of art and that I'm supporting the continuous improvement and development of that art, as well as the independent business and their employees. Sure, the conglomerates usually keep the original brewery running and generally keep the employees, but with a conglomerate we know that the creation of the beer is to line pockets and no longer about the craft.

The second thing that I think makes craft beer what it is, is distribution. Craft beer has value because it only exists in certain places. Again, I'll pay $20 or more for a rare or hard to get beer, but if I can go anywhere in the country to get it, that rarity is gone. It doesn't mean I'll stop drinking craft beer, even if it came from InBev, it just means I'll stop paying the premium for it if it is produced by a conglomerate. I'll focus my highfalutin spending on the true independent craft breweries, on that beer that is produced for only one run, and in only distributed to one small corner of the world - that's the business I want to support.

This is my way of maintaining personal integrity about what businesses I support. I'm not going to hate on those craft breweries that sold for any number or reasons that any sane and reasonable person might sell their business for. I'm not going to completely avoid those beers. No, I will simply have a limit to how much I'm willing to support the conglomerate versus the independents. I'm setting a dollar amount, or maybe a sliding scale (I haven't decided yet), that will be based on rarity (a function of number of runs, total volume, and distribution) and size of business (a function of ownership [conglomerate vs indepenent] and number of employees). Now, will I actually build a calculator or chart for this? Probably not, but I'll have something in my head that says 'Yay' or 'Nay' to any beer I look at on the shelf with consideration given mostly to the question: "How much of my money do I want to give to this business?"

One final note. I'm not going to judge anyone out there for choosing to boycott the conglomerates or for shrugging their shoulders and drinking great beer, no matter where it came from. If there is one thing more important than maintaining your own personal integrity about who produces your craft beer, it should be that we hold both big and small, conglomerate and independent, to a high standard to continue to create great tasting beer and to never settle for a common American Adjunct Lager as the standard ever again.

Long live craft beer!