PLEASE let the Northern Brewer buy-out be a hoax!

[jensek]

I'm sorry but I've owned a business before and I'm sure a vast majority of people, given the opportunity, would have taken this partnership. The chance for your years working your ass off to really pay you back, increase buying power, increase market share. It's a no-brainer... it's capitalism... it's 'Murica.

:

Exactly. This just gave a whole bunch of homebrew stores an incentive to up their game so that they can get a payout. Which is a good thing.

 

[JonM]

But CORPORATIONS!!!!

 

[dallasdb]

Who wants to work forever?

Hopefully the founders of the company are able to walk away and live comfortably the rest of their lives.

 

[dallasdb]

But CORPORATIONS!!!!

HAHAHA seriously

 

[popsicleian]

I'd rather support a family-owned place, and I'll probably lean towards looking elsewhere for my equipment, but it still doesn't make sense for me to buy my ingredients anywhere else. I do smaller batches, and I don't have my own mill so I can't buy in bulk. It would be silly of me to pay shipping when I can drive 4 miles and pick up a huge variety of hops & yeast, plus grain in whatever increments I want. Plus, the people there have always been very nice, helpful, and quick to rectify any issues with things I've purchased.

 

[JonM]

At NB I can walk in and walk out with exactly what I need. Golden Naked Oats? Right there. Fawcett Optic? Carafa III? Midnight wheat? pH buffers? Lactic acid? CO2 tank exchange? A single keg O-ring? Orange blossom honey? Some obscure yeast? All there.

 

[elimn8u]

At NB I can walk in and walk out with exactly what I need. Golden Naked Oats? Right there. Fawcett Optic? Carafa III? Midnight wheat? pH buffers? Lactic acid? CO2 tank exchange? A single keg O-ring? Orange blossom honey? Some obscure yeast? All there.

I have to agree, I love the Milwaukee location. The staff there are top-notch as well. Prices and quality can't be beat. My only (small) complaint is I've noticed some inventory out of stock lately when I need it, i.e. yeast and Belgian candy sugar. However, if that means they're having some small problems keeping up with demand, I'm glad for the sake of the hobby.

 

[murphyslaw]

Happy Homebrew Independence Day!


Like most others have said, these sites will be a last resort for me now. That's not to blame the owners for taking the cash--good for them--I just prefer not to support InBev. Midwest was my goto supplier for a while.

Who would have thought InBev would move on homebrewers?

Then again.....do you think they'd be interested in my homebrewery?

 

[gordon.e.maness]

Not a hoax, there is an article today from
http://mnbeeractivists.com/newsfeed/northern-brewer-midwest-supplies-acquired-ab-inbev

This kinda sucks, and will affect where my supplies come from.

 

[vanadaar]

InBev wants to own everything from grain to mouth for commercial and home. I don't trust them, and quite frankly I don't consider it good competition. So will be shopping elsewhere. Morebeer free shipping ships one day here.

I don't blame the owners, everyone has some greed in varying levels.

 

[bruteforce]

So, how do we feel about breweries using cargill malt? Is that bad too?

 

[JonM]

I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that.

 

[dallasdb]

I don't blame the owners, everyone has some greed in varying levels.

So anyone that sells or partners their business is greedy?

This is a ridiculous statement.

 

[singybrue]

But CORPORATIONS!!!!

Hey, corporations are people too!

 

[TooDogly]

It seems like the people who started the company exited some awhile ago and a private equity like firm owns or owned them. So it seems more like a cash out from a buy out firm.

http://www.entrepreneurpartners.com/our_portfolio/companies.html

This is a good point.

Private equity firms do not run the business or work to make it better, they simply buy low and sell high. The workers and managers in the store are the ones who make the business better through their efforts but are not the ones to benefit when the company sells.

In employee-owned cooperatives the employees share in the profits when the company is sold. However, private equity firms get to siphon off the "equity" that the workers create.

 

[singybrue]

So, how do we feel about breweries using cargill malt? Is that bad too?

But Cargill is privately owned, so that's good, right?

 

[UndeadFred]

a handful of extract kits w/ grains for only $14.92 for Columbus day when most of them cost around $30 year round, and the IPA day sale where there were a handful of IPA kits for only $20 a piece.

I surely wouldn't say their normal pricing is the best, but they definitely have sales that are really hard to pass up.

Yeah, I bite on the $14.92 kits every year too, but the bigger issue here is that a 5 gallon 1.044 OG kit is $30 + shipping normally from them...

The expensive grocery store that carries everything model is good, but our expensive store here in Iowa (HyVee, sorry loyal locals but they are worse than the expensive stores were in Chicago when I was growing up there, actually) has fantastic markdowns often and great sales a little less often.. so the analogy stands...

What doesn't is that there service was slipping.. ALTHOUGH, I did get my "I can wait!" extract kits very quickly THIS time. I got them just before the rumor was confirmed and that actually is what confirmed it for me...

 

[UndeadFred]

So, how do we feel about breweries using cargill malt? Is that bad too?

I've heard that Cargill malt is very high quality, actually.

The business of the USA is business. The business of business is business.

Only when there is cronyism (i.e. PC term for Fascism) does that become a problem.

You have plenty of other options. There are TOO many homebrew suppliers now, and the bubble is starting to burst. There are signs that my local shop is in trouble and I'll miss the family if it happens, but there is little any of us can do about it, really. The macro economy is so hosed up now and yet people want more of it...

 

[ericbw]

What is the issue with Cargill malts??

 

[JonM]

They're an evil corporation bent on getting profits rather than making malted grain simply for the love of the craft.

 

[nDub]

They're an evil corporation bent on getting profits rather than making malted grain simply for the love of the craft.

Ha. My buddy started a business and incorporated for tax and liability reasons.

I guess he's greedy because he's trying to make money?

 

[Tribe Fan]

This is a good point.

Private equity firms do not run the business or work to make it better, they simply buy low and sell high. The workers and managers in the store are the ones who make the business better through their efforts but are not the ones to benefit when the company sells.

In employee-owned cooperatives the employees share in the profits when the company is sold. However, private equity firms get to siphon off the "equity" that the workers create.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The PE Firm is the BOD and the CEO reports to him. He does what they tell him to do, and he is most often from the PE firm. They are the General Partner and sell interests to Limited Partners, ie Pension Funds, who have little to no control over the direction of the portfolio companies. The LP's receive profitability payouts over a period of time, usually up to 10 years.

PE's are notorious for hiring slews of consultants to boost profitability, increase operating efficiencies and charge that all back to the operating companies, thus diluting the LP's profits.

LP's take on all the risk of the buyout costs. The GP is guaranteed 2% a year management fees from the LP's.

 

[JonM]

Ha. My buddy started a business and incorporated for tax and liability reasons.

I guess he's greedy because he's trying to make money?

 

[nDub]

Me too! I was agreeing with your sarcasm.

 

[KevinP]

Maybe Inbev wants all their kegs back from homebrewers? Probably too late to start deleting your pictures now. lmao

 

[ericbw]

They're an evil corporation bent on getting profits rather than making malted grain simply for the love of the craft.

Same as the rest of the evil maltsters?

 

[ericbw]

Maybe Inbev wants all their kegs back from homebrewers? Probably too late to start deleting your pictures now. lmao

Ha.

 

[suprchunk]

This rumor does appear to be true. From NikoBrew's Facebook page:
...

First, why would he even want to comment on another business? Very unprofessional. Second, this is one of the myriad reasons I don't buy from him.

 

[ImperialStout]

InBev bought NB so they could learn to brew beer.

 

[xandersaml]

I don't think this reflects well on NB, as AB/InBev is seen by many as the enemy. Further, if Mr. Farley were truly proud of this venture (as claimed in the article), he would have bragged about it, rather than nearly hiding it.
I don't know care one way or the other, as I may buy elsewhere if I choose. c'est la vie

 

[logdrum]

Wow! We've always joked here at Farmhouse that NB was the "Evil Empire" but would have never fathomed this ever happening.

Let it be know, Farmhouse Brewing Supply was literally started on this site in the Home Brew Market section almost 6 years ago and this community has helped us become the shop we are today. Thank you all.

We are home brewers and we love home brewing and are really kinda sad to hear this news.

Farmhouse has been my go to since then! Great products, great service & reasonable shipping, plus John is a stand up guy!

 

[dallasdb]

InBev bought NB so they could learn to brew beer.

Now that's funny.

 

[pshankstar]

Farmhouse has been my go to since then! Great products, great service & reasonable shipping, plus John is a stand up guy!

I just made my first purchase from them on Tuesday at 5:40pm for 32lbs of Red X Malt & some yeast. It arrived Friday afternoon !! Very impressed with their turnaround on an order!! Thanks Farmhouse!!!

 

[jammin]

Farmhouse has been my go to since then! Great products, great service & reasonable shipping, plus John is a stand up guy!

x2 for Farmhouse. Another great vendor

 

[Johow]

Watch out, they’ll be coming after “Home Brew Talk” next….

 

[jammin]

Watch out, they’ll be coming after “Home Brew Talk” next….

This in an interesting subtopic.

Recently gun control has become a politicaly incorrect topic to support & due to this Apple removed their gun emoji & replaced it with a squirt gun. This can be construed as culturally manipulating the view on gun laws. Obviously homebrewers catch on quick so no need to explain the rest.

 

[beernutz]

Meh, I'll still occasionally shop at NB but will mostly buy from my LHBS or Morebeer. I will admit to not turning down a free Inbev product or two. You have to go pretty far off the grid to completely isolate yourself from corporations.

 

[Saboral]

NB is dead to me. I'll use my LHBS, Adventure in Homebrewing, and Morebeer

 

[ericbw]

First, why would he even want to comment on another business? Very unprofessional. Second, this is one of the myriad reasons I don't buy from him.

Because everyone is posting the same poorly written press release about it. No new info or details, just the same thing about partnering.

I like NikoBrew

 

[Jwin]

First, why would he even want to comment on another business? Very unprofessional. Second, this is one of the myriad reasons I don't buy from him.

Because this is 'Merica and he can post whatever he wants on his blog...

More cheap black Friday hops for me!