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Most of the home brewers, aficionados, self proclaimed experts, and certified beer judges I've known deserve to be mocked.
Northern Brewer Replacement
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Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
Most of the home brewers, aficionados, self proclaimed experts, and certified beer judges I've known deserve to be mocked.
Are you suggesting that InBev bought up NB to put it out of business? Now that seems far-fetched!
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They're spending $107 Billion to make SABMiller "go away". Albeit, not exactly as they wished.
Do you really think that whatever figure this deal took is anything more than chump change to them?
They don't want them to go away they want their customers.
Le_Ace_Club
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As opposed to the homebrewers who mock Bud/Miller drinkers, and the company that produces said beer, any chance they get?
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Or the office space, or the warehouses, or ...
Oh, it's definitely chump change to InBev. I just can't see an angle where shutting down NB is of any benefit to them. NB/Midwest is apparently the largest homebrew retailer, but it's hard to believe they have anything approaching 50% of the market, and there are several other good size operations that could scale up to replace their mail-order business if they were to go bust. If you're looking for a non-traditional rationale for the deal, some of the others raised in this thread (undercutting other homebrew shops to achieve long-term position in the homebrew market, customer research/data acquisition, etc.) seem much more plausible.
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Oh, I do agree, there are MUCH more plausible motives. But even IF the disruptive motive is to watch homebrewers make it fade away, they've still acquired assets.
I suppose NB's and MWB's warehouses/offices could make some very nice maintenance and positioning servers locations for their new fleet of autonomous trucks.
ericbw
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The idea of putting NB out of business is ridiculous. Home brewing is not a threat to a big beer company. I doubt that they will re-brand anything. They are buying a business with the intention of increasing profits while servicing the market. Yes, like anyone, they want as many customers as possible. If you think your local wouldn't prefer more customers, you're not thinking straight.
And as for disruption causing homebrewers to make it fade away? What?!? The market is saturated (and some same already peaked), but there are still brewers buying new gear and people starting into the hobby. You get pissed off and quit doing business with them, but someone else is looking for a place to buy something.
And as for disruption causing homebrewers to make it fade away? What?!? The market is saturated (and some same already peaked), but there are still brewers buying new gear and people starting into the hobby. You get pissed off and quit doing business with them, but someone else is looking for a place to buy something.
Le_Ace_Club
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Exactly. And Big Beer is not a threat to home brewing. Which makes this whole thread seem really ridiculous.
Yet here we are...
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I disagree. But only on the point that HB is no threat to Big Beer. Not saying that "we" are a substantial threat as compared to craft on the whole. But we are a MUCH larger threat than say Elysian, Ballast Point, or Lagunitas individually.
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Agreed. Nor shall they hesitate to taunt you for a second time.
PlexVector
Mellow Goose Brewing
My decision tree if they have what I want or depending what I'm trying to make or get:
1. LHBS or local anything first, even if it is several bucks more
2. Amazon (The whole family buys off my prime account)
3. Various WHBS (depends on who is having sale and my past experience for certain products)
4. Northern Brewer (I've bought from them in the past, but never my goto, and would probably buy again if the stars align just right)
1. LHBS or local anything first, even if it is several bucks more
2. Amazon (The whole family buys off my prime account)
3. Various WHBS (depends on who is having sale and my past experience for certain products)
4. Northern Brewer (I've bought from them in the past, but never my goto, and would probably buy again if the stars align just right)
Homebrewing is the farm team for craft brewing and craft brewing is a thorn in the side of BMC and the likes. Northern brewer will now probably use their influence to drop prices and undercut competitors with the long term goal of removing them from the game. After that they hold advantage and either dominate the homebrewing market or seek to diminish it. IMHO homebrewers should boycot NB from here forward and give their business to other online suppliers and LHBS in order to keep this hobby grass roots and competitive in the long term. Resist the lower prices if you see this starting to happen or we'll only have ourselves to blame 5 or so years from now.
Pretty sure they just take the lobbying jobs vacated by the new guy's staff.
Bud mocks homebrewers because they think Bud drinkers would mock homebrewers.
Anyway, I'm going to remain a NB customer for the foreseeable future because they *are* my LHBS
I think it's giving Ab Inbev too much credit to buy NB only with the desire that their influence would make the company fold. And If so, people would just get their supplies form a different retailer. It's not like we're going to go buy Bud because NB went out of business.
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A very similar statement was made when they bought the first craft brewery, then the second, third, ....
Could this be a springboard for a new trend? Dunno. I'm sure it's cheaper than buying breweries.
No idea what their end motives are. But I expect it'll be a while before they need antitrust approval of the next acquisition.
dallasdb
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MidAtlanticBrew
Well-Known Member
I think this is going to be good for home brewing!
While I love the conspiracy theories, it's really just another way to make a buck, with In/Bev recognizing that beer and home brewing is an example of the "Long Tail". Google it if haven't heard of the concept.
Basically, it's recognition that tastes in beer are infinitely different and that brew on demand, at home is the way to satisfy a piece of the market that they can not capture any other way. Low capital and inventory costs with online channel to market is the only way to make the long tail viable.
A close analogy is Amazon, ebook and print on demand. Book stores, remember those?, had expensive and finite shelf space, enabling them to stock only the most popular titles. Amazon moved inventory to a warehouse, much lower in cost, where they could afford to stock more titles, titles previously unavailable to consumers that could be shipped directly
Substitue In BEV for Amazon, liquor store for book store and beer for book in the above paragraph to get a sense for what they are doing with the NB purchase.
With the NB purchase, IN BEV is still selling malt, yeast and hops, which is their core business. What is different is that they sell it in a form that enables customers who thrive on the "tail" to assemble the beers of their choosing.
And as the theory goes, once the tail is established, it only grows as technology makes it increasingly easier and lower cost for more to partipate. When I think about the zymatics and picobrew systems, they seem to me to be a step in that direction. They will only get simpler and lower cost in time, drawing more people in, enabling the sale of more kits. I could imagine a point in time, where it's much like inkjet printing, take a lost on the hardware, and make money on the consumables.
In BEV buying NB will increase the number of homebrewers, More people homebrewing is good for homebrewing. That said, it may not going be pretty for LHBS, other online retailers, nor the hardware manufacturers if they excercise their clout like other giants do.
While I love the conspiracy theories, it's really just another way to make a buck, with In/Bev recognizing that beer and home brewing is an example of the "Long Tail". Google it if haven't heard of the concept.
Basically, it's recognition that tastes in beer are infinitely different and that brew on demand, at home is the way to satisfy a piece of the market that they can not capture any other way. Low capital and inventory costs with online channel to market is the only way to make the long tail viable.
A close analogy is Amazon, ebook and print on demand. Book stores, remember those?, had expensive and finite shelf space, enabling them to stock only the most popular titles. Amazon moved inventory to a warehouse, much lower in cost, where they could afford to stock more titles, titles previously unavailable to consumers that could be shipped directly
Substitue In BEV for Amazon, liquor store for book store and beer for book in the above paragraph to get a sense for what they are doing with the NB purchase.
With the NB purchase, IN BEV is still selling malt, yeast and hops, which is their core business. What is different is that they sell it in a form that enables customers who thrive on the "tail" to assemble the beers of their choosing.
And as the theory goes, once the tail is established, it only grows as technology makes it increasingly easier and lower cost for more to partipate. When I think about the zymatics and picobrew systems, they seem to me to be a step in that direction. They will only get simpler and lower cost in time, drawing more people in, enabling the sale of more kits. I could imagine a point in time, where it's much like inkjet printing, take a lost on the hardware, and make money on the consumables.
In BEV buying NB will increase the number of homebrewers, More people homebrewing is good for homebrewing. That said, it may not going be pretty for LHBS, other online retailers, nor the hardware manufacturers if they excercise their clout like other giants do.
Murphys_Law
Well-Known Member
Stop that crazy business mumbo jumbo talk. InBev hates us and wants to use this as a means to an end And that end that results in every local closed and us drinking nothing but Bud Light.
Once they complete the grand plan you won't find a bearded, plaid shirt wearing, glasses on, pumpkin latte Porter drinking man anywhere!
Hail Bud Light!
fighterf15
Member
I always use http://www.homebrewing.org/
Great service and shipping is fast to the east coast.
Great service and shipping is fast to the east coast.
I don't think they're doing this to make a quick buck in the same way that we're trying to save a buck. Homebrewers budget one month at a time whereas large corporations develop business plans to unfold over many years. The long term implication for InBev with the status quo is a steady stream of craft beer loving home enthusiasts turned brewers chipping away at their profits and turning a nose up at BMC products. The longer this insolence continues, the worse its gonna get!
I think there's a very good chance their long term goal here is to curb or at least control interest in home brewing and nudge the sheeple back towards crappy yellow corn beer.
I have a decent LHBS just a few miles away, but NB/MW are about a 30 minute drive away, and I go there from time to time. Online, I also like William's, Morebeer, and Austin.
Will I boycott NB/MW, simply because they were acquired by a big conglomerate? Nope. The stores are still staffed with friendly, helpful people who have a passion for brewing...and families to support.
While they may tweak some things, ABInBev isn't going to monkey with a successful business.
Will I boycott NB/MW, simply because they were acquired by a big conglomerate? Nope. The stores are still staffed with friendly, helpful people who have a passion for brewing...and families to support.
While they may tweak some things, ABInBev isn't going to monkey with a successful business.
xandersaml
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I support my LHBS, the awesome: www.brockshomebrew.com
hunter_le five
Sheriff Underscore
So you're incapable of laughing at yourself. Got it.
I bet you got real upset over those Buffalo Wild Wings ads, too.
I still find this thread hilarious.
I get plenty of LOL`s at people like you.
Don't watch TV so never seen any BW3 ads that bothered me.
Some of their sauses bother me if that counts.
stillshinen
Well-Known Member
Who ships to Military oversea's address? They are commonly referred to as FPO or APO PO Box.
hunter_le five
Sheriff Underscore
fighterf15
Member
I didn't usually buy from NB but I would think since the new owner has deep pockets and huge buying power that prices will go down and force other suppliers both local and online to fold up shop.
filthyastronaut
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Besides special offers that come up elsewhere, I typically use Yakima Valley for high quality and fresh hops and Morebeer for almost anything else, you can't beat the free shipping on order over 59 dollars. But that's when I'm not going to my LHBS which is considerably well-stocked.
Thank you for all of the suggestions. I am getting back into the hobby after having all all of my equipment stored away for the last 8 or 9 years so this has been a good resource to find the new sources. I remembered More Beer and Adventures in Home Brewing but now I have a few more to check out.
By luck I happened to come across Midwest Supplies last week before this thread was posted and their prices looks good and they were running a 20% coupon so I placed an order with them. They didn't get around to shipping my order until yesterday. I am not sure how I feel about them being bought out but having to wait a week for them to ship will definitely get me to look elsewhere when I am ready to make another order.
By luck I happened to come across Midwest Supplies last week before this thread was posted and their prices looks good and they were running a 20% coupon so I placed an order with them. They didn't get around to shipping my order until yesterday. I am not sure how I feel about them being bought out but having to wait a week for them to ship will definitely get me to look elsewhere when I am ready to make another order.
stylus1274
Well-Known Member
Ah ha ha, you are comparing a multi billion dollar conglomerate in Wal Mart/Sams Club to Northern Brewer. Wal Mart has tons of stores around the world. They can handle boycotts. While a significant boycott of any means to Northern Brewer for sure will cost jobs.
applescrap
Be the ball!
Wish I lived a couple blocks from a nb brick and mortar store. Curious to see what the buyouts due to the store. Anyone ever been in one? With some big money back I could see it being an upgrade locally. Anyways, I'm sure that store is nicer than where I go. Online suggestion whatever is cheapest.
Le_Ace_Club
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Before the buyouts it was full of bearded, plaid wearing homebrewers buying locally sourced grain and hops and only making the finest of ales.
Now it's staffed by clean-shaven, suit-wearing bean counters, and the only things on the shelves are bottles of Miller Lite.
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