Craft or Cash?

As the craft beer revolution matures, brewing companies are turning more of their attention to business matters. Whether it be big beer companies scooping up young, vibrant breweries, or small operations boldly claiming their niche, the warm spirit of collaboration seems to be fizzling out. Granted, you may see more "collabs" between breweries than you did a few years ago, but the heart of the matter is the almighty dollar is dictating decisions. This inherent truth is both a motivator and a distractor. At what point does your brand become a "sell-out"? For those just starting up, the noose of investors probably tightens with each passing month of lower-than-predicted sales. Yet, part of the allure of the craft beer revolution was the idea shirking mediocre beer with great profits for a great beer with mediocre profits. Myself and others shelled out extra cash for those unknown or local brews at the bar—voting with our money. We wanted to be associated with the little guy, the micro-operation out in the middle of nowhere with a seven-barrel system and a dream. Now, who knows if that dude is actually dreaming of more beer or more cash.

This isn't to say that the two are somehow mutually exclusive; rather, I am beginning to see a more prominent shift from pure beer love to shark-tank business. Some of this may be due to the inhibitions of local laws, i.e., the unfriendly Texas beer laws, and some of it is surely the maturation of the craft beer market. I recall back in 2006 when craft brewers owned around 3% of the American beer market — today it is over 12%. Whatever the reason, I lament the subtle psychological schism that is growing;  I fear the days of "beer for beer's sake" are coming to an end.