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DRAFT magazine does craft beer huge disservice with "Does 'craft' really matter"

DRAFT magazine does craft beer a huge disservice with their “Does 'craft' really matter” article.

C’mon, really? First of all, I get it. It's DRAFT magazine. Most of the draft beer poured in the world is Bud Light. I get it. So DRAFT can't be biased. Draft beer is draft beer. Some, of course, is better than others. But the title? Does 'craft' really matter? If you impose yourself into a craft beer discussion, especially as the editor of DRAFT magazine, your position should still be unbiased with accurate reporting. This is really just ANOTHER attempt, by DRAFT, to defend Widmer Brothers, again.
Second, he disparages the Brewers Association, somehow suggesting that the removal of Widmer from the group was a political decision. Hey, Chris, industry groups ARE POLITICAL. That is the entire reason for their existence. They are the primary lobbying arm of that particular industry segment. Also, this particular industry group has specific qualification guidelines. If someone that did qualify, takes on a new partner contrary to those guidelines, they are no longer qualifying members. Those crybabies can whine all they want, but they no longer qualify. Period.
Then he tries to lump Boston Beer into the mix because they are publicly traded? That is blatantly and maliciously misleading. CBA IS “crafty,” because they deliberately mislead consumers. 36% ownership by ABInbev? Two seats on the Board by Bud? That makes it Bud. Same as Goose Island, which got thrown into the rant, as a defense I presume, most of which is now made in New York, including the 312 brand, which is named for the area code of Chicago.
Granted, Bourbon County Stout, as mentioned, is a great beer, made my bud/goose. And the guy that is mentioned that told the snob to “f*&% off” is just a d---, a-----e, loser, take your pick. Where does he get off being the judge? My guess is he lives in Chicago and has an inferiority complex because he hyped that brewery for so long. Then they sold out. Yeah, yeah, they still make some nice beer, but, overall, not really. In my opinion. Frankly, I don't care what people drink. If they like 312, or Widmer, or whatever, fine. Please enjoy. But if it is bud, sold as craft, that's CRAFTY. (He doesn't like the word “crafty”).
I also don't care if a brewery makes a business decision to sell all or a portion of the company to whomever. More power to them. That means they are successful. Congratulations! The new product, however, is a product of the new ownership group.
Craft beer accounts for only about 8% of the total beer sales, and there are, granted, a small percentage of that 8% that are total, disgusting beer snobs. A very small percentage, I might add. There are also bud snobs, miller snobs, and even widmer snobs, like Mr. Staten, apparently. And there are FAR more of those. Ever been to a NASCAR event?
And to hell with his “they predate most craft beer drinkers.” I drank Goose Island, at Goose Island, when they still had only one location. Quite frankly, the beer wasn’t that good. In subsequent trips I chose to try the lame Rock Bottom rather than go back to goose. Fortunately, there are now many options for TRUE craft beer in the area.
Widmer, Kona, Goose, Third Shift, Batch 19, Blue Moon, Shock Top, etc., occasionally make a good if not great beer. Unfortunately, most of their stuff is production crap. And all of them sell their beers as craft, without saying that they are really either AB, MC, or CBA. CRAFTY. MISLEADING. Does NOT qualify for membership in BA. Rules. Guidelines. Fixed. Known. Not in the least misleading, in fact, quite specifically clear.
This guy is the “editor?” I don’t even get a sense of what the article is trying to say, other than he keeps trying to defend Widmer for some reason. Who cares? People will drink what they drink. I don’t give a damn. But he keeps trying to defend them? Why? Who cares? Oh yeah, I already said that!
DRAFT magazine. Again, most draft beer poured is MC, AB, etc. I can see why they SHOULD be unbiased about what is getting poured. Hell, I can see why they would be biased on the side of macro production fizz water, for that matter. But don’t pull this “craft” beer crap, because that is crafty, and, again, blatantly misleading.
Time for a pint. Cheers!