Dave was made a moderator at almost the same time he decided to leave the forum due to the format change. I assume the management removed his moderator status. I’m happy to see he does still stop by now. He added lots of knowledge and conversation.
I agree with the David and Goliath thing. Bigger is not always better.
Here is something to consider. I work for a company that has been taken over by larger companies. When a smaller company is taken over, sometimes the larger company evaluates that company and decides that it is working well. They sometimes leave it alone to run as it was and just take advantage of the income stream. Often that large company does not step in to make changes because they understand that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
If however the customer base of that smaller company becomes aggressive and abandons the smaller company out of protest, then the smaller company will begin to fail. At that point, the larger company will step in and begin to make changes. My point is, the consumer can cause the self fulfilling prophecy.
We know that we, the consumer has no say in whether or not In Bev takes over NB. WE cannot control that. We can control our own behavior. If we just carry on and do as we are doing today, perhaps In Bev will look at this organization and just say “Hey, it’s working well, leave it alone”. In such case there is nothing to be concerned about. If on the other hand we protest and fight, then we are basically inviting the mother ship to come in and start making changes. The big picture statement is, don’t react unless there is something about which a reaction is required. This is not a hostile takeover by In Bev. In Bev simply made an offer to NB and they accepted.
Thanks Dad
Very nice. Hey, just pointing out that a rebellious response to a situation is not necessarily the best, or even good, response.
AB-InBev certainly buys lots of malt. Maybe we can get a good deal. Or maybe they can low ball the price and kill other small home brew shops. Online or not.
We won’t know how it will unfold until some time passes so there is no sense in driving ourselves nuts worrying about it.
I’m just teasing you. But how about this scenario. Your company was bought by another company that did or sold things you found morally offensive. Would you stay for the money and hope they changed their ways?
By the way I loved my Dad
That’s a question I cannot answer, because I guess it is very dependent upon the situation. I would like to say that if a company that did things I find to be morally offensive bough my company and pushed those practices down upon me, I would not stay unless I thought that I could be part of the solution to changing their ways. But in this case there will be disagreement as to whether or not their practices are morally offensive, since morals correctness is always a matter of perspective. The fact that the company is as big and as successful as it is means that they are making decisions that satisfy the management, the stakeholders, and the majority of consumers. Are their decisions negatively impacting some people? I am sure they are, and that’s part of nature. The lion kills and eats the gazelle. Does that make the lion immoral? When the lions kill and eat a bunch of gazelles, there is more food for the zebra to eat. It’s just nature. There are winners and losers. You cannot have a system with all winners.
C’mon Brew Cat, what did you post and with draw? Or was it evil AB-IB ? I like the paradigm of David and Goliath, then, you come to find out the book of David, in the good book, was a very bloody chapter! Sneezles61
To me, it’s not about whether AB InBev will step in and change things or not. To me it’s about selling out to the almighty dollar. Point blank. NB made their money on the premise of Community. Hell, that’s why they have this forum. But they sold that “community” out to the conglomerate, who has no business being in HomeBrew. They are only in it due to their loss of market share.
If you were a small business and didn’t adapt to the demand you would go out of business. Unfortunately AB InBev can just buy their business.
I hope RBC would chime in. My nephew thinks the word about being comfortable and content, not greedy is"lagom". I’m with you Loopie. Sneezles61 PS, any takers from NB even care to explain?
Dont leave got lots of info from you over the last year. And dont give in to the mighty corporations. They all do suck. For example me a padi dive instructor. The orginal founders. Died so there fam did sell it to a major corporation. Me dont suport them so much. But because it easy. I buy their products
Well it just sucks, not even one last kiss…. Pocket full of loot and he bailed out, not a notice, a call, even a dear empty beer bottle letter…
I hope to not see him in public… I might have to splash some beer,AB/IB, in his face… Sneezles61 PS, I trust you git my sarcasm?
I had another off color reply but this one I cancelled before I posted it.
I can just imagine!!
Sneezles61
Thanks!
I’m going to ride out the storm and see what happens.
I wonder if at the close of the negotiations and the deal was done, both parties cheered to tall cold glass of Peach of Resistance Ale?
For those of you who don’t remember, Northern Brewer responded to Budweiser’s diss on craft beer drinkers (with their “Brewed the Hard way” TV commercial), by creating a kit of the very beer that Budweiser made fun of. It was big FU to Bud and I had so much respect for NB when they did that. My how quickly things change! Oh, the irony!
First, understand that ZX Ventures IS AB-InBev. AB-InBev is so desperate to make up losses they’ve endured from the rapid growth and expansion of the craft beer market, that they are looking to infiltrate any crack in any business with an influence in or can give them insight or upper hand into the craft beer world. All of us know that craft brewers/breweries are largely inspired by homebrewers and trends in homebrewing. Us homebrewers are the true innovators with regard to whats going on in the craft beer world. How many of us over the years have come up with an idea or recipe for a unique beer, only to find months later that a brewery somewhere is now doing the same thing? And how many homebrewers are now working for breweries? Make no mistake folks, AB-InBev knows this. Part of me wants to be flattered. I give it to them, they’re smart. I’m not quite sure what their ultimate MO is in this deal and there is more than meets the eye. But what I am sure of is that it’s not going to result in lower prices/savings or better access to goods/materials for us. There may be savings, but it will be them and not us that will benefit from them. And the exact opposite may happen with prices actually going up rather than down for us the consumers. Don’t be naive, ZX Ventures aka AB-InBev is a for profit business and expects a return on their investment. They intend to get it in more ways than one.
AB-InBev is an evil company. It’s a company that uses it’s money and power to influence lawmakers & politicians, control distribution chains, retail space, shelf space, and ultimately oppress smaller breweries including your local brewery down the street from you. Do the research. All this information is out there and you can easily find many of these facts on your own.
Its quite funny to see Northern Brewer give a press release with almost the exact same spill as a brewery that’s been bought out by AB-InBev. “Nothing will change” and “the same people will continue to work here”. But if you look deeper into those deals a year or two after, things do in fact change and the same people are no longer working there. That language is just a song and dance to make current customers feel ok about the acquisition.
I’ve lost respect for Northern Brewer. I will no longer be making purchases from Northern Brewer. I can not and will not support any company that is affiliated with or owned by AB-InBev as my beliefs, philosophies, and values simply do not align with those companies. It’s a personal decision and it’s my decision.
Please, whenever possible, support your LHBS. Support your local Brewery.
Nice said. The reality most the time. Big companys buy and take over. Other small stores or companys they are in for the money. They do say nothing will change. But once the machine moves. Directors managers. Older workers. Will need to leave. They are like locust once drained. Nothing to gain. They move on. Did went to the inbev website. To take a look. Damm they are everywhere. In the beer brands. Around the world
I see that brulosophy has an article released a few days ago. Not from Chris Fartly, but another home brew supply guy. May be an interesting read on scenarios… I call the new rhetoric from the new owner… lip service… I suspect with all this bashing it will piss them off and pull the plug… Sneezles61
