Independent Craft Beer vs Big Beer - Who Owns Who?

I get asked one question more than just about anything else…and I’ll admit the waters have become so muddy, I thought it was a good idea to put it all in one post.

If you play any role in the independent craft beer world from brewer to drinker, you’re already keenly aware that Big Beer (Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors, MolsonCoors, Constellation Brands, Heineken…) have made some pretty big moves to infiltrate the craft beer arena.  Whether it’s a simple distribution agreement or a complete buy out, we’ve spent the last 5-years watching Big Beer swing the monetary hammer.  We’ve also seen some of the larger “small” craft breweries buying other smaller craft breweries, and while this seems to offer some amount of insulation, it’s still a very small percentage of the available craft brewery targets.

The Brewers Association has pushed back by trying to define “craft” beer, by introducing the new Independent Craft Seal and even by launching the movement to Take Craft Back.  And while I don’t necessarily agree with all of these tactics, I DO think it’s important for us to at least know why this is bad for independent craft beer, how to spot true independent craft beer and more importantly to know….Who Owns Who?

So without further adieu, here is my list of Who Owns Who?  I will periodically update this list, and please do contribute any I may have missed or mis-categorized.  For the latest up-to-date news on these buy outs, I also maintain a label called BuyOuts that lets you see every post related to BuyOuts.

Anheuser-Busch (aka The High End):

• Craft Brew Alliance (Kona Brewing, Widmer Brothers, Redhook)
• Goose Island
• Blue Point Brewing
• Shock Top
• 10-Barrel Brewing
• Golden Road Brewing
• Breckenridge Brewery
• Karbach Brewing
• Elysian Brewing
• Northern Brewer Homebrew Supplies
• Four Peaks Brewing
• Devils Backbone Brewing
• Brouwerij Bosteels (Tripel Karmeliet, Deus, Kwak)
• Birra Del Borgo
• Camden Town Brewery
• 4 Pines Brewing
• Wicked Weed Brewing
• Boxing Cat
• RateBeer blog

MillerCoors / SABMiller / Molson Coors (aka Tenth & Blake):

• Leinenkugel’s
• Terrapin Beer
• Blue Moon 
• Saint Archer Brewing
• Revolver Brewing
• Hop Valley Brewing
• Trou Du Diable (Molson Coors)

Heineken:

• Lagunitas Brewing
• Short’s Brewing (Acquired by Lagunitas)

North American Breweries:

• Magic Hat
• Pyramid

Constellation Brands (aka Corona & more):

• Ballast Point
• Funky Buddha 

Duvel:

• Brewery Ommegang
• Boulevard Brewing
• Firestone Walker 

Sapporo:

• Anchor Brewing
• Unibroue

Other:

• Alpine Beer acquired by Green Flash
• Perrin Brewing acquired by Oskar Blues
• Cigar City acquired by Oskar Blues
• Papago Brewing acquired by Huss Brewing
• Prairie Artisan Ales acquired by Krebs Brewing
• Magnolia Brewing acquired by New Belgium / Oud Beersel / Dick Cantwell
• Monkey Paw Brewing acquired by Coronado Brewing
• Brooklyn Brewery sold 24.5% to Kirin
• 21st Amendment sold minority stake to Brooklyn Brewery
• Funkwerks sold minority stake to Brooklyn Brewery
• Clown Shoes acquired by Harpoon Brewery
• Fort Collins Brewing acquired by Red Truck and closed
• Small Town distributed by Pabst owned by Phusion Products
• BrewDog sells 22% stake to TSG Consumer Partners
• Mikkeller & AleSmith team up for Mikkeller San Diego
• Victory & Southern Tier team up for Artisanal Brewing Ventures
• Palmetto Brewing acquired by Catawba Brewing
• Avery Brewing 30% Acquired by Mahou San Miguel

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