Commercial Beer Masquerading as Craft Beer -- Help Keep List Up-to-Date

[Tobor_8thMan]

I acknowledge my list is a bit out-of-date, but I do hope members of HBT can help me keep this list up-to-date for the benefit of all.

** Following owned by ABInBev ** Last updated August 12, 2017
http://drinkamerican.us/anheuser-busch-brands/All of these brands can be verified by visiting Anheuser-Busch.com and clicking on the “beer brands” tab.
http://tapintoyourbeer.com/index.cfm
10 Barrel Brewing Company (Bend, OR)
Ascent 54
Bass Ale (US distributor)
Beck's (US distributor)
Beergraphs (website)
Best Damn (sodas and teas)
Blue Point Brewing Company (Long Island, NY)
Boddingtons (US distributor)
Brahma
Breckenridge Brewery (Denver, CO)
Budvar Czechvar (US distributor)
Camden Town Brewery (London)
Devils Backbone (Roseland, VA)
Dominion Brewing
Elysian Brewing (Seattle, WA)
Faust
Fordham Brewing
Four Peaks Brewing Company (Phoenix, AZ)
Franziskaner
Golden Road Brewing (Los Angeles, CA)
Good Beer Hunting (website)
Goose Island Beer Co. (Chicago, IL)
Harbin Lager (US distributor)
Hoegaarden (US distributor)
Hurricane High Gravity
Karbach Brewing (Houston, TX)
King Cobra
Kirin Ichiban
Kona Brewing Co
Kokanee Glacier Beer
Labatt
Landshark Lager
Leffe (US distributor)
Lowenbrau (US distributor)
Midwest Supplies
Northern Brewer
O'Doul's
October (website)
Oculto
Omission
Owl's Brew
PicoBrew
Presidente
Ratebeer (website)
Ray Hill American Pilsner
Redbridge Lager
Red Hook
Rolling Rock
Shock Top
Skipjack Amber Lager
Spaten
Square Mile Cider
St. Pauli Girl
Star Hill Brewing
Stella Artois (US distributor)
Stone Mill Pale Ale
Tennent's Ale (US distributor)
Tiger Beer (US distributor)
The Beer Necessities blog
Wicked Weed Brewing Company (Asheville, NC)
Widmer
Wild Blue
Wild Hop Lager
ZiegenBock

*** Aldi house beer
Aldi website states "We've tapped beer makers from all over to craft a variety of brews that is[sic] affordable and satisfying." Probably same as Trader Joe's

*** Following owned Constellation Brands (aka Corona) *** Last updated August 12, 2017
http://www.cbrands.com/our-brands/beer
Ballest Point Brewing Co
Funky Buddha (Florida)
Modelo
Pacifico Clara
Tocayo Brewing Company
Victoria

*** Costco Craft Brewed (Kirkland)
Brewed and bottled by Bricks and Barley Brewing Company, Stevens Point, Wisconsin - which is a trade name for Steven's Point Brewery (a contract brewery)

*** Heineken Brands *** Last updated August 12, 2017
(Long list of brands. I've listed those that I recognize)

Amstel
Fosters
Lagunitas Brewing
Murphy's
Tecate

*** Molson Coors Brewing Company *** Last updated August 12, 2017
http://drinkamerican.us/molson-coors-brands/http://www.molsoncoors.com/enhttp://www.molsoncoors.com/en/brands
Apatinsko
Astika
Barmen
Bergenbier
Black Horse
Blue Moon/Belgian Moon
Bohemian
Borsodi
Branik
Burgasko
Caffrey's Irish Ale
Carling
Carling Black Label
Cobra
Colorado Native
Creemore Springs
Crispin
Extra Gold Lager
Franciscan Well
Granville Island Brewing
Henry Weinhard's
India Beer
Jelen
Kamenitza
Keystone
Killian's Irish Red
Lamot
Laurentide
Leinenkugel's
Mad & Noisy
Mad Jack
Magnum
Mickey's
Milwaukee's Best Lager
Niksicko
Noroc
Old Style Pilsner
Old Vienna
Olde English 800
Ostravar
Red Dog
Revolver Brewing
Richard's
St. Archer
Sharps
Smith and Forge
Sparks
Standard Lager
Staropramen
Steel Reserve
Terrapin
Third Shift
Tomislav
Vratislav
Wanderoot
Winterfest
Worthington's
Zima
Sumbida Mango

*** New Belgium Brewing Group (Fat Tire) ***
Magnolia Brewing Company (San Francisco)
2019 New Belgium was sold to a subsidiary of Japan’s Kirin Holdings Company Limited.

*** SABMiller *** ** Acquired by Anheuser-Busch InBev October 10, 2016
http://drinkamerican.us/sabmiller-brands/https://www.millercoors.com/beers/great-beers
*** Trader Joe's house beer
Gordon Biersch Brewing Company (rumored)
Steinhaus Brewing Company
Unibroue - annual vintage beer

*** Walmart house beer
Trouble Brewing Company is actually Genessee Brewing, Rochester, NY

 

[passedpawn]

Terrapin? Wicked Weed? Man, I love me some commercial beer.

 

[jschein]

Devils Backbone, love some commercial brew

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

I originally posted this item on November 17, 2020. Any updates to the list?

Sapporo Holdings Limited.
Anchor Steam.

http://www.anchorbrewing.com/connect/news/188

 

[matt_m]

Ballast Point was freed back in March.
https://www.kingsandconvicts.com/news/

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Ballast Point was freed back in March.
https://www.kingsandconvicts.com/news/

OK. Thanks.

Ballast Point - sold from Constellation Brands’ to an investor group fronted by little-known Chicago upstart beer company Kings and Convicts officially closed on March 2, 2020 as per Brewery News | Kings And Convicts Brewing

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Was surprised to see cases of Bell's Two Hearted Ale for sale at a local Costco especially since Bell's was/is having distributor problems in VA.

 

[matt_m]

Or as we here in Michigan call it, "I guess I'll have the best beer in America if you don't have anything else."

 

[theothermillion]

Devil's Backbone is decent but they have been going down hill. I live about 45min from their brewhouse and taproom and used to love going all the time, but now it's less impressive

 

[El Duderino]

AB-InBev sold Northern Brewer

 

[grampamark]

Here’s a website that classifies breweries as “craft” (independently owned), “crafty” (craft breweries which have been bought by Big Beer) or “corporate” (BMC beer masquerading as craft). It’s a very long list.

 

[gunhaus]

I could really care less who owns it as long as it tastes good and it is available. A really great beer does me NO GOOD, if I have to drive 900 miles to buy one. Elitism comes in all sizes it seems -big and small. I don't care much for it in any package.

 

[passedpawn]

Unibroue. Man, that's living. Trois Pistoles woot. This brewery makes some fine beers.

Now, if Leinenkugel is on the naughty list, I'm down with that. I haven't abused my lips with one of their beers in a long time, but I remember their beers were always disappointing, and probably long before they were bought by Miller. So I guess that merger was a match made in heaven.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

AB-InBev sold Northern Brewer

I thought I had fixed that item. If not, my bad.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Here’s a website that classifies breweries as “craft” (independently owned), “crafty” (craft breweries which have been bought by Big Beer) or “corporate” (BMC beer masquerading as craft). It’s a very long list.

This info is helpful, but the site is a real PITA in presentation.

 

[grampamark]

This info is helpful, but the site is a real PITA in presentation.

Yes, it certainly is.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

A call to all lovers of beer, craft brewers and homebrewers. Lets keep this thread up-to-date and active. Thanks!

 

[Knightshade]

Avery Brewing has a complicated story as well...they sold a majority of the company awhile ago to a fairly big company...which although family owned...Mahou San Miguel. Recent stories report a 70% ownership between Mahou and Founders Brewing.

And Founders Brewing..sold off 90% of itself to Mahou last year as well.

By several definitions...they are both no longer craft as they are no longer independent. (Less than 25% ownership by outside influence) and since Mahou produces over 16M barrels of beer across various facilities around the world...they're not craft either...

 

[Bilsch]

Beck's, Boddingtons, Budvar Czechvar, Franziskaner, Hoegaarden, Kirin, Kokanee, Leffe, Lowenbrau, Spaten, St. Pauli Girl, Modelo, Pacifico, Victoria, Fosters, Staropramen, Sapporo, Anchor Steam...

These brands are masquerading as craft? Since when has anyone confused these brands with craft beer? What have you got against technically well made product that tastes good and is affordable? Choosing beer based off any other metric then how it tastes and what the brewer is charging for it is a fools errand.

 

[Ogilthorpe2]

Beck's, Boddingtons, Budvar Czechvar, Franziskaner, Hoegaarden, Kirin, Kokanee, Leffe, Lowenbrau, Spaten, St. Pauli Girl, Modelo, Pacifico, Victoria, Fosters, Staropramen, Sapporo, Anchor Steam...

These brands are masquerading as craft? Since when has anyone confused these brands with craft beer? What have you got against technically well made product that tastes good and is affordable? Choosing beer based off any other metric then how it tastes and what the brewer is charging for it is a fools errand.

Agreed. Who cares who makes it/owns it? What’s in the bottle/can is what counts. Good is good, doesn’t matter who made it.

 

[dmtaylor]

Beck's, Boddingtons, Budvar Czechvar, Franziskaner, Hoegaarden, Kirin, Kokanee, Leffe, Lowenbrau, Spaten, St. Pauli Girl, Modelo, Pacifico, Victoria, Fosters, Staropramen, Sapporo, Anchor Steam...

These brands are masquerading as craft? Since when has anyone confused these brands with craft beer? What have you got against technically well made product that tastes good and is affordable? Choosing beer based off any other metric then how it tastes and what the brewer is charging for it is a fools errand.

I'll take a bottle of just about any of these over most any U.S. craft beer any day. Okay well maybe not Modelo. Leave that for Willy. Anything else.

 

[Bilsch]

I mean yea, if these beers contained cruelly obtained unicorn horn or ground up puppies then sure put them on the avoid list.
Except Budvar and Staropramen, I'd still drink them even if they were made from baby seals mashed in Chernobyl water.

 

[DarrellQ]

Devil's Backbone is decent but they have been going down hill. I live about 45min from their brewhouse and taproom and used to love going all the time, but now it's less impressive

Agree! And, WTH did they do to the Vienna lager?

 

[theothermillion]

Agree! And, WTH did they do to the Vienna lager?

No idea... First time having it was last year but it's undrinkable for me. They do have a new juicy IPA that's decent

 

[DarrellQ]

No idea... First time having it was last year but it's undrinkable for me. They do have a new juicy IPA that's decent

Me too, I bought a case of it at Costco and my 24 y/o son won't even drink it!

 

[jbschuyler]

I do find this list interesting and informative, however just because one makes their first batch of beer
> then another and another which more and more people start to like
> spends hundreds of hours more brewing and planning
>goes pro
> spends thousands of hours more brewing and building a business
> then sells the brewery to some bigger company and makes millions

Doesn't mean they belong on a "list of shame".

I have a 10 Barrel in my town, which is a fun spot hang out and they still make great beer, due to the fact that they still have some autonomy as I understand.

Now if at some point the 1000 lb. gorilla (AB-InBev in this case) ever makes a change to save a few nickels per pint which affects the reason people loved the beer in the first place, that is shame on the gorilla.

If so, I'm out too!

 

[Darwin18]

Wicked Weed still hurts even a few years later. That said, there are better breweries in Asheville. If you haven't been to Burial, I highly recommend it!

 

[Tacohockey50]

THE LIFE CYCLE OF CRAFT BEERS:
A few friends decide to brew their own beer.
Soon, the beer is so good friends are requesting some.
The requests increase until they decide to start a brewery.
The beer is a success and grows.
After the brand grows large, big breweries offer to buy it.
The micro-brew owners (who 15 years prior were unemployed ski bums) sell for millions of dollars.
The new corporation maximizes profits by skimping on quality.
Sales decline.
The corporation sells the brand to a consortium of investors - dentists, doctors, etc who don't know anything about brewing beer.
The brand dies.
The next generation of ski bums buy a Home Brew starter kit.

 

[martin0718]

I originally posted this item on November 17, 2020. Any updates to the list?

Sapporo Holdings Limited.
Anchor Steam.

http://www.anchorbrewing.com/connect/news/188

Northernbrewer is no longer under ab/inbev

 

[dmtaylor]

Northernbrewer is no longer under ab/inbev

That was already mentioned in #10 above.

Much more importantly... as soon as their beer runs out in a few weeks, Anchor no longer exists.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/anchor-closing.727887/

 

[m303wb]

I could really care less who owns it as long as it tastes good and it is available. A really great beer does me NO GOOD, if I have to drive 900 miles to buy one. Elitism comes in all sizes it seems -big and small. I don't care much for it in any package.

Hip, hip hooray!