How to REALLY control the craft beer market

[dallasdb]

I'm not one of the tinfoil hat wearing anti AB/Inbev people but I recently saw this short video and had an epiphany.

If AB/Inbev really wanted to control the craft beer market, they'd start buying up all of the hop farms.

When that starts happening... then I might join the tinfoil hat anti AB/Inbev club!

 

[jcav]

Interesting, that would be a great way of controlling it. What's your hat size? It's only a matter of time till they figure this out! Just kidding, brew on!

John

 

[bobeer]

Good thing we can grow our own and put them in our small batch beer. Sure we might not know what the aa%'s are but brewing a couple batches with your hops should give you an idea if hop shortages become a thing again.
I thought this has been an issue for a couple years now? At least I've heard folks talking about this for a while.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

If AB/Inbev really wanted to control the craft beer market, they'd start buying up all of the hop farms.

Nah. They'll leave the farming to the farmers and just buy up all the distribution channels.

 

[broadbill]

Nah. They'll leave the farming to the farmers and just buy up all the distribution channels.

Or they would buy the licencing rights to the proprietary strains that everyone uses.

They aren't going to buy farms...anyone can buy land and plant hops on it. The

 

[bucketnative]

Or they would buy the licencing rights to the proprietary strains that everyone uses.

Now you're thinking like Monsanto...

 

[mredge73]

AB has had a hold of the distribution channels around here for a while now.
I drive by Silver Eagle Distributors brand new warehouse twice a day with the giant Budweiser logo on the side.
It is the nation’s largest distributor of Anheuser-Busch products, and the second largest beer distributor in the country.
They have a stranglehold on the area, no one can compete with them.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

AB has had a hold of the distribution channels around here for a while now.
I drive by Silver Eagle Distributors brand new warehouse twice a day with the giant Budweiser logo on the side.
It is the nation’s largest distributor of Anheuser-Busch products, and the second largest beer distributor in the country.
They have a stranglehold on the area, no one can compete with them.

Agricultural distribution channels. Hops, Malt, NB/MWB, etc...

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

... The

Yes?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Now you're thinking like Monsanto...

AbInbev could never be THAT evil. Oh, you meant ...

 

[Atlmustang]

Good thing I started growing my own hops I guess. Didn't get any cones in the first year, but hopefully next year!

 

[dallasdb]

Good thing I started growing my own hops I guess. Didn't get any cones in the first year, but hopefully next year!

You'll be shocked at how much stronger they'll grow in the next few years.

Year one didn't yield anything for me. Year two and three they ran out of room to grow and reached the top of my roof (where I had the twine tied to) in a month after sprouting if I remember correctly.

Growing hops was fun... but I'd recommend an automated watering system. I used to go out every night and water. If I traveled for work and was gone a few days I'd come back and see them withered. It was fun growing them.