7/18 Facebook post from Lures Bar and Grill; Crownsville, MD
A little over a year ago, we announced that we were going to stop carrying domestic bottles, like Budweiser and Miller at Lures. The reason behind it was simple — to live up to the mission we set for ourselves almost nine years ago:
Drink good beer.
This year, we will be taking this a step further, by discontinuing the sale of products that come through companies owned by Anheuser-Busch. This decision was not made lightly, but rather after much discussion and deliberation, with our mission at the forefront of our mind.
In today’s climate, where the predatory business practices of Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) and their subsidiaries have become commonplace, it is no longer enough for us to sit on the sidelines as passive consumers. If we want to continue to share good beer with you, we also need to do our part as a member of the beer community to support it.
We need to stand up against businesses that shut independent craft brewers out of critical hop contracts and erode access to basic materials.
We need to say no to their shameless and blatant hypocrisy, as they insult craft beer drinkers who simply seek a quality, hand-crafted product through their advertising one day, only to buy up another beloved craft brewery the next:
Most of all, while we will never begrudge another small business for being successful enough to be sold (we’re a family-run business ourselves), we can't ignore the fact that AB InBev and its affiliates engage in unfair strategies and tactics to protect their bottom line.
For example, it wasn't long ago that AB InBev was under investigation regarding wholesaler incentives to prioritize their in-house macro labels over smaller craft brands. Often those craft brewers were left with no meaningful recourse available to protect themselves due to laws that favor distributors.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-a-b-i-craftbeers-probe-exclusive-idUSKCN0YG0EG
In all of these cases, it’s the consumers that lose out on choice and the little guys we want to see flourish who end up suffering.
We know this is a big change, but it’s one that we feel is necessary. If we want to continue to drink good beer, we need to be part of the solution, fostering an environment that supports industry fairness and your right to choice.
It is no longer possible to do one without the other.
. Anything else worth checking out in the area?
