I had a nice little opinion piece set for March. I was going to talk about constructive criticism. Then Goose Island happened.
First, all beer bloggers and beer pundits need to take a deep breath. (Except for Andy Crouch and the New School who have written well thought out pieces)
Because what happened is not the end of the world. The worst case scenario of ABInBev owning Goose Island is that their beers will become worse over time and a landmark Illinois brewery will fade away. Certainly sad and worth lamenting over. But is it going to derail the craft beer train? I don’t think so.
But why is that the first thing that people think about? From what I have read, you would think this is the beginning of the end. And anyone not willing to boycott Goose Island beers is glossing over the mercenary tactics of the Busch clan and does not understand the severity of the situation.
But I return to my initial question, Why is disgust and horror the first thing that people think about? And why isn’t it opportunity?
Yes, opportunity. Is it so in the realm of science fiction that the beers might be just fine? God forbid, maybe even improve! Yes, ABInBev has proven time and time again that they can’t make a decent beer. And even more damning it seems they don’t want to. I fully understand their money grubbing part in this equation.
But maybe this will get Bud to stop their horrible half-efforts at craft beer. Maybe Goose Island can get more and newer equipment and the ability to grow. Maybe together they can distribute more good beer to a wider audience.
All I am saying is that with each change comes BOTH positive and negative possibilities and we should take both into account before frothing at the mouth instead of the pint glass.
One last thought to take with you, my dad was fond of the corny, hillbilly sayings. Usually involving animals for some unknown reason. He said, on many occasions, “Even a blind squirrel can find a nut once in awhile”. Maybe Budweiser is that squirrel.