Schlafly brewmaster calls for end to “craft beer” distinction
“The sooner the division between beer and craft beer ends, the better,” Hale said. “Our newly formed St. Louis Brewers Guild includes Anheuser-Busch. It’s not the St. Louis Craft Brewers Guild. It’s important to be inclusive and play nice in the sandbox. I’m not saying that they did or that they always do, but emphasizing a division doesn’t do anybody any long-term good.”
via Whosisbrew.
Breweries: Schlafly Beer (Saint Louis Brewery)
When you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.
Wow. That is different. I never saw anyone that made good beer want to be associated with someone who makes beer that pleases everyone on the planet. And I guess I still haven’t.
I’m astounded. What BS.
And the division continues, for some anyway. Nowhere in this interview did I suggest that craft beer lose the distinction of being craft beer. Division, not distinction, and if my emphasis was lost, my apologies. Real people brew “macro-beer”, many of them we count as friends. For all matters concerning beer, brewers stand together; just ask all those, craft and large-brewer alike who have lobbied together on a variety of issues that affect breweries of all sizes. Enmity tears down; cooperation builds up.
Beer is good. I think I’ll go have one now.
Stephen
p.s. I didn’t realize everyone on the planet liked Shock Top…that style is one of my favorites, can’t wait to brew our Witbier this summer.
Distinction definition via Google:
A difference or contrast between similar things or people: “there is a sharp distinction between domestic and international politics”.
The separation of things or people into different groups according to attributes or characteristics.
Distinction or division…fits either way. You’re saying, from my interpretation, that real people work for Budweiser. You are friends with them. When people are anti-macro, those sentiments hurt these people, your friends. I think everyone gets it. Having interned for a Bud distributor in the past, I certainly get it.
I don’t think your comments (or my headline) portray you as anti-craft at all. Just that the brewer working for Bud is just as much of a human being as the brewer working for Schlafly. And the truck driver. And the accountant. And so on…
Cheers!
Adam
I, for one, think this is an interesting concept. I have to give Schlafly some props for being inclusive and ‘playing nice in the sandbox.’ I mean, all these guys are in the beer business and have information and tools to share with one another. If the big guys in St. Louis want to be collaborative and sharing with the little guys, the good-natured craft beer part of me wants to believe that there are good intentions behind the junction and hopefully great collaborative shared resources for all brewers involved!
Katie
[email protected]
AB is not in this for the beer – they are a marketing company doing whatever it takes to make a $. Period.
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