Last week I was granted the opportunity by my boss to watch the documentary
Beer Wars while at work (one of the perks of having a beer client). The craft beer revolution in America is a wonderful thing, and, in my opinion, a reflection of a much larger cultural movement (perhaps a backlash even) in response to globalization. Not that globalization is necessarily a bad thing, but more and more, as we are all becoming more connected digitally and in-person contact is becoming unnecessary, people seem to be reaching out locally in other areas to find not just quality, responsible and sustainable products, but a human connection we are lacking in other aspects of our lives.
I would much rather sit down in a less-crowded bar with a knowledgeable and friendly bartender who can tell me about all of the beers on tap than have my ear drums blasted by mega speakers in a crowded bar where the bartender is completely clueless about the products he or she is dispensing. I would much rather purchase food products from a local farmer or producer whose ingredients are natural, or even organic, and whose environmental impact is negligible, or at least reasonable, especially if that person is in some way reachable. (One of the most amazing moments in Beer Wars is when the creator and owner of Dogfishhead answers the phone in his office and speaks with a random person who enjoys their beer and is calling to tell them so. Dogfishhead puts an 800 number on all of their products so customers can call them. Even if the major players did something like that, do you think the president of the company would be the one picking up the phone?) This trend is evident in music as well. The same big-name players still dominate the market, but in a diminished capacity, especially as local and online retailers have sprung up selling quality music on a smaller scale. (I just bought a friend of mine's album off Insound.com. Apparently the band is selling through their stock fairly quickly and the album doesn't come out until May). This, to me, is a trend. And it is not one that will go away. And as much as some of the larger companies want to downplay it as a fad, I know they are scared. And there is evidence of this in Beer Wars.
Anheuser-Busch-InBev (AB), is paranoid. Extremely paranoid. In the world of brewing, they are the stereotypical, evil, faceless corporation doing whatever it can to maximize profits at the expense of everyone else. Even as the craft beer movement in America has gathered steam and really exploded, it still only accounts for around 5% of sales in America.** AB nabs 49%, which means that 1 out of every 2 beers in America is brewed or distributed by AB. Still, they are exploiting every opportunity to stab the craft brewers in the eye to steal their lunch money. And it is shameful.
In my brief history on this planet, it has always seemed that the giant corporations do this because they got caught with their pants down by innovation. Be it technology, ingenuity, or just an unseen, untapped market. It happened to the music industry with Napster. It is happening the beer giants with craft brewing. Complacency set in for AB and MillerCoors in that people in America just drank whatever they were told to drink for 50 years. No one really questioned whether beer could taste any different. Then, some people did. And they started home-brewing. They shared the fruits of their labor, and almost 30 years later, you have a craft beer market that eats up 5% of beer sales in America. But no one individual brewer has more than a 1% share of the beer market. And this is where AB's paranoia seems a bit ridiculous.
Toward the end of Beer Wars, the owner and creator of Dogfishhead shows the narrator and camera crew legal documents. He is being sued by AB, who claim that "Chicory" (Chicory Stout) and "Punk'n" (fall seasonal) are too generic to be used as names for the beer. (The owner then quips that it makes you wonder how "Natural Light," an AB brand, is not too generic). It is a blatantly frivolous lawsuit that AB knows it can't win. But, because of the overwhelming number of civil lawsuits in this country and a justice system not large enough to handle all of them in a timely manner, the AB lawsuit will be tied up in courts for years. Over that time period, Dogfishhead will have to shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees. AB will have to as well, but AB's cash reserves are much greater than Dogfishhead's. Thus, Dogfishhead will either run out of cash and file for bankruptcy fighting the case, or settle with AB, pay them and change the name of their beers.
This is a tactic often used by major corporations when, rather than taking a look in the mirror and figuring out how to innovate and change, they attack any threat they can to circle the wagons and protect their revenues. Except that Dogfishhead isn't really a threat. They account for 0.0002% of beer sales in America. It is a dirty legal tactic that exploits a legitimate law. And, unfortunately, there is no easy solution. The law has legal merit, but it is being used in a way that has no merit with the full knowledge of AB that by the time a judge determines it has no merit, Dogfishhead will be wiped out.
Having now learned of the "dirty tricks," corporate malfeasance and immoral behavior of AB, I have decided to not only boycott any AB-InBev brands, but also any brands that AB-InBev has license to brew or distribute in America. In a subsequent post, I will put up a list of all of their brands. It will not be easy. They hold the licenses for some great beers.
I may only be one man, but if this catches on even minimally, things might change and AB might rethink their strategy. We, as consumers, hold the power because we are the ones with the money. Ultimately, it is up to us to decide what brewers to reward with our hard-earned dollars. I am asking you as a responsible citizen to not reward AB-InBev for their malicious tactics. And their shoddy products.
*I worked on a project for Bud Light in 2009.
**I am citing the film Beer Wars for all statistical information in this post
