I stopped in a modest liquor store on the way home last night. This is by no means a beer store, but it is in a high end neighborhood and usally has a few nice offerings. To my surprise I found Goose Island IPA on this store’s racks last night.
I am a huge fan of Goose Island but unfortunately is is a difficult brand to find in Boston. I know of a few places that serve Goose Islands Belgian Style Pale Ale – Matilda. The rest of the Goose Island portfolio eludes us in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Last month AB-InBev or “The Evil Empire” purchased Goose Island for 38 million dollars. This move was not welcome in the hardcore beer drinking community. This was seen as a move by Anheuser-Busch InBev to take control of the craft beer movement.
What this actually is, Anheuser-Busch InBev wants to increase their portfolio of brands. In doing so brands like Goose Island will benefit from Anheuser-Busch InBev’s distribution channels. This makes it easier for great beers to find their way to my hand. I don’t see the problem with this.
If Anheuser-Busch InBev starts to change Goose Island recipes or god forbid add adjuncts; I would be the first to take issue with it. Mark my words AB has no plans on turning every beer on the planet into a light American lager.
The bottom-line is AB knows beer. Their brewing technology and commitment to quality is unsurpassed. Goose Island’s raw materials and distribution costs just got slashed. This could bring the prices down on some craft beers.
Cheaper beer, more choices and improved quality …how did AB become the bad guy? For now it looks like this is a huge win for the consumer.
