Dogfish Head Brewery and The Boston Beer Company Announce a Merge Valued at $300 Million

[curiouskitkatt]

Dynamic Partnership between Samuel Adams & Dogfish Head valued at $300 million 

[Rovers2000]

Good for them.  While folks can twist themselves in knots arguing that Sam “isn’t Craft” without them craft brewing wouldn’t be what it is today.  I think this preserves both entities spirit which in my mind is a positive. 

[DonRocks]

On 5/9/2019 at 7:03 PM, Rovers2000 said:

Good for them.  While folks can twist themselves in knots arguing that Sam “isn’t Craft” without them craft brewing wouldn’t be what it is today.  I think this preserves both entities spirit which in my mind is a positive. 

-2 + -2 = -4

[genericeric]

On 5/9/2019 at 7:03 PM, Rovers2000 said:

Good for them.  While folks can twist themselves in knots arguing that Sam “isn’t Craft” without them craft brewing wouldn’t be what it is today.  I think this preserves both entities spirit which in my mind is a positive. 

I realize that I'm in the minority in thinking that these moves can improve the beer landscape.  I was at Devil's Backbone Outpost in Lexington recently and had a very nice cocoa beer and barley wine.  Revolutionary?  No.  Innovative?  Maybe.  But I had a nice meal and a few good beers in a facility that was providing jobs and rewarding brewing quality.  

It was owned by Budweiser.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Dogfish long ago passed the threshold of being a small brewer, with 175,000 keg production.  Sam Adams is also a behemoth.  Both make some good beers, though I personally find both flagship brews to be middling.  But its hard to argue that neither has earned their place in craft brewing for advancing the industry.

So we can celebrate an industry to martyr brewers (an admittedly desirable land for martyrdom) who produce a quality product but realize low financial gains.  Or we can celebrate an industry that rewards innovation and success in niche categories, mixed with financially successful, mass-market product lines, to raise all ships.

(this post written while drinking a Dogfish Dragons and YumYums in Collaboration with Flaming Lips - a "Pale Ale  brewed with dragonfruit and yumberry, passion fruit, pear and black carrot juices" - Bud Light it is not)

[DonRocks]

2 hours ago, genericeric said:

I realize that I'm in the minority in thinking that these moves can improve the beer landscape.

I think it's wrong to assume that, just because you don't agree with me, you're in the minority.

[Rovers2000]

Sam Adams was my gateway into "craft" beer in college (specifically Sam Summer Ale, which I saved up enough at the beginning each summer to afford a single case of and hoarded from my roommates) so they will always have a soft spot in my heart.  Though they're testing that by tweaking the recipe this year.

From a pure business perspective - with the incredible industry consolidation, this was a pure survival play.  It insulates both brands from a larger acquisition.  

I've been to both breweries numerous times and while I tend to spend my money in different places - brews from each will always have a place in my rotation if for nothing other than nostalgia purposes.

[TedE]

On 5/22/2019 at 10:09 PM, genericeric said:

I realize that I'm in the minority in thinking that these moves can improve the beer landscape.  I was at Devil's Backbone Outpost in Lexington recently and had a very nice cocoa beer and barley wine.  Revolutionary?  No.  Innovative?  Maybe.  But I had a nice meal and a few good beers in a facility that was providing jobs and rewarding brewing quality.  

It was owned by Budweiser.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Dogfish long ago passed the threshold of being a small brewer, with 175,000 keg production.  Sam Adams is also a behemoth.  Both make some good beers, though I personally find both flagship brews to be middling.  But its hard to argue that neither has earned their place in craft brewing for advancing the industry.

So we can celebrate an industry to martyr brewers (an admittedly desirable land for martyrdom) who produce a quality product but realize low financial gains.  Or we can celebrate an industry that rewards innovation and success in niche categories, mixed with financially successful, mass-market product lines, to raise all ships.

(this post written while drinking a Dogfish Dragons and YumYums in Collaboration with Flaming Lips - a "Pale Ale  brewed with dragonfruit and yumberry, passion fruit, pear and black carrot juices" - Bud Light it is not)

I initially had a viscerally negative reaction to this news, mostly because I've known and loved Dogfish since they were a little brewpub on the Delaware shore, and I don't have a rosy view of Sam Adams (I've never thought any of their flagship beers were anything special, even when the world of craft brewers was small, and frankly stopped caring about them sometime in the previous century).  But after reading the details I agree with the above; it's a partnership that will hopefully allow each brand to continue to do what they do best on the operational side while mitigating whatever financial pressures they face in the market.