Widmer-Redhook Merger comments keep coming

Subject: before the big boys come in and buy everyone out

mksgrist writes:

"I think we need to hold on to what we have, brewery wise, before the
big boys come in and buy everyone out. The ruin of the American Beer
revolution may be paved by over sizing, takeovers and greed."

Vasilios Gletsos, Head Brewer-BJ's Brewery, Portland, OR writes:

" Maybe it's just me and my position in the brewing industry, but I feel
this is a short cut to thinking, and promotes a mythical narrative to
the history and growth of the beer industry that's more detrimental than anything else.
I don't believe it can possibly be as black and white as he suggests.
I'm not ignorant of the effects of big money on beer, but one of those
effects is investment in brewers and science and equipment. There are
examples of beers that were 'once upon a time' great breweries, but
dumbed down there beers. You hear this all the time in our small
community (relative to the total beer market,Portland, Oregon). Part of it, I believe
is nostalgia, part changing tastes and part a change in the beer. But
why sit shiva over your can of Balantine or whatever? Craft breweries
exist because there is a market for them. They get bigger because of the nature of the market.
Believe me, I respect and admire those breweries who resist expansion,
perhaps to their own financial detriment if not ruin, because of any reason:
they are satisfied with their size, even if they can't meet demands,
they make a unique product that can't be made on a large scale or
whatever, god bless them, and, hopefully they can keep going, but
there are many shades of amber between light lager and imperial stout.
When I think of how much traffic and adoration we give, rightfully so,
to the support several of the bigger breweries around town give our
club(The Oregon Brew Crew) or home brewer's at large, not to mention continuing to come out with distinctive and challenging beers, I feel we are dumbing down our
opinions faster than they are their beer (if they are?). Buy the beer
you like or brew the beer you like. no corporate captain is forcing
you to, and Rob and Kurt(Widmer), I am sure, look the same last week as they
do this week, and will continue to make decisions that serve their best interest.
There is also this sense of the rock star brewer, individualistic and
mountain tops and machismo. This is an image, just like all the other
images in our personal pantheons of consumer preferences. and it masks
the reality of the beer in front of you. If that's your thing, and you
need the fetish to enjoy beer, fine, but it's fabrication. I've heard
many times people tell me their favorite brewery is some hyped up,
super extreme brewery that isn't even available in Oregon (or perhaps
only their most mainstream product) and they have tried only a couple
times. This illusion may be more harmful to local beer and craft brew than good.
Alright, I going to stop now and make some mediocre corporate brew,
woe is me."

Vasilios Gletsos
Head Brewer
BJ's Brewery
Portland, OR