.JPG)
What matters to you when you buy beer?
Participate in this beer survey.
Discussion continues about whether beer drinkers really care about where their beer comes from.
- Does it really matter that Blue Moon is made by MillerCoors?
- Does it matter that Pilsner Urquell is made by SABMiller?
- Does it matter the beers like the following are owned by the Belgian/Brazilian global brewing corporation called Inbev:
- German brewed Becks and Diebels Altbier,
- Belgian brewed Hoegarden and Leffe,
- English brewed Bass and Boddington,
- Australian brewed Castlemaine XXXX,
- Irish brewed Murphy's Stout
- Canadian brewed Labatt,
- and likely soon Budweiser?
As beer drinkers we all have our reasons for choosing the beer we love to enjoy. Whether we realize it or not, we all think about it in one way or another. At the very least we owe it to ourselves to be knowledgeable about the beer we spend good money to buy.
Participate in this poll: Does it Matter?
It’s assumed with all answers that you like the taste of any beer that you choose to buy.
Comments
Aside from the fact that those beers aren't as flavorful or enjoyable as many others, no, it doesn't matter. Like with chain restaurants, you sacrifice something for the sake of consistency.
Drink Dale's Pale Ale. Read FilthyRichmond.com
While I initially wanted to answer that I obtain only locally made beers, this is simply not true. From outstanding beers from micros around the country to the sublime Belgians (made both here in the US and of course belgium), to the unusual,this is clearly one of the benefits of global trade.
I drink my fair share of local (well, MI beers) but I am also a fan of many imports. Really the only beer that I tend to stay away from are Bud, Miller, Coors, and the like simply because I don't like the flavor of them. I know that they are trying to appeal to the craft beer drinkers now but I have mixed feelings about giving them my money when i know there are smaller struggling breweries that could really use my buck.
What if you only buy expensive Imported german beer that is same as it was long ago.
The whole reason there has been a craft/micro/home brew revolution(rebellion?) is *because* of AB/MillCoors and the like.
So I don't want to spend my money with them in general.
They're only getting into making more/different kinds of beer because of their eroding market share due to smaller brewers making more interesting stuff, and *BIG SURPRISE* people actually liking it.
They're johnny-come-lateleys and if they had their way we'd be back in the 70s as far as beer choices. They had plenty of opportunity after Prohibition to make great/interesting beer, but chose not to. Why bother - they didn't have to worry too much about it.
So that makes not want to buy their stuff - they only recently even started giving a crap.
Another thing I take issue with is the big brewers often try to hide their "craft brew" lines. Why? Because they know that they can sell more of it if people don't realize they're buying from one of the conglommos.
So that makes me not want to buy their product.
Just as bank consolidation is ultimately painful for consumers, Wal-Mart moves in to town with low prices, drives off the smaller competition, then gee strange how the prices went up, now we have brewery consolidation...
So...no. I try not to spend my money with the big kids.
Sorry for the ramble!
I very much prefer to support the smaller brewery. But, on rare occasions I will buy mega brewery beer. Not the 'Premium American Lager' but the more craft or artisan brews. In fact I judged beer at a festival a year or two ago where Miller's Sunshine Wheat was served. That could be worth paying money for. I enjoyed the judging sample. Unfortunately when I went to get another taste it was all gone.
I use my dollar like a vote, and so I never buy Coors beer. The Coors family right now is backing a Colorado constitutional amendment to kill the unions in the state. Their politics leave as bad a taste n my mouth as their watery beer.
I've been boycotting Coors for more than 40 years. I joined the boycott back when Coors was making ceramic bomb casings for the nearby Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant, and even then they were trying to break the unions. I do not drink Coors beer because of what the Coors family does with their profits.
So, yes, it does matter who owns the brand of the beer I buy.
This could be a loaded question to many beer affectionado's.
The beer snobs have their opinion. But folks who just like beer are caught up here. At least I am.
I buy local when I can. But where I live thats not to broad a market.
So I buy a litle bigger market. But fact is I buy products made by big giant brewers if I think they are good.
So how do I really fit here. ( I am sure someone will push me into a peghole!)
BTW, I brew a large part of whats swilled around here, and have as long as some brewin gurus I've heard of!
Stop by and I'll prove it.:-)
RI
"does it matter" is a very unspecific question. Of course it doesn't (directly) affect the flavor. For some it may affect their enjoyment. Everyone seems to be focusing on whether it means buy or boycott.
But in my opinion who makes the beer (and who pays them) is important in many other ways. It affects how the beer is distributed, where you can buy it, and how long it is likely to be around. It may give you clues about the particular ingredients in the beer, and their qualities. It is a vital part of the beer's identification. It helps put the beer into historical, political and economic perspective. It may tell you if the formula is likely to be volatile.
Large corporations of the world have been showing us for years what their main priorities are. Greed. They cast out workers while padding their bonuses and stock options. I will support small companies with more social awarness any time. Quality is of course important but quality abounds in the American craft beer segment of the market. Cheers.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!