Wicked Weed sells out.

[Matt F]

http://www.anheuser-busch.com/newsroom/ ... -weed.html

[Josh_Jensen]

Damn it NO!!


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[tony b]

Mr Bill - Oh No.jpg

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[jjpeanasky]

I don't know much about Wicked Weed, and have never had the pleasure of tasting their beer. However, after reading how fast they grew (4 locations, including a "headquarters" in less than 5 years?!) we all should have seen this coming. That kind of growth screams heavy investment capital to build a brand and then sell it off. Looking back, I don't think Wicked Weed was going to ever be anything but a behemoth.

Again, this is coming from a complete outsider. It's a shame that it goes this way. When it eventually finds its way into our market I'll probably try it once or twice, and then never again.

- Josh Peanasky

[tony b]

I first visited there about 4 years ago, when they only had the original spot. You could tell then, that they were going to be a hit. They were doing stuff that was cutting edge and already doing collaborations with other big name brewers. A couple of pics from my trip.

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[andrewmaixner]

"I didn't sell out son, I bought in."

[Eric B]

This saddens me. Went out there last year and loved Wicked Weed.

[agray]

That sucks. We were down in North Carolina last year and I had some of their beers. They were really good.

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[karl]

It remains to be seen how autonomous and free to create the members of the AB-Inbev 'High End' business unit are allowed to be. For now, Goose Island and other craft partners still do some nice brewing. I think that AB leadership recognizes that real craft beer (and not fake craft like Shocktop) is a small but important part of the market. And, it gives them insight into the cutting-edge trends. I'm guardedly hopeful that quality will be maintained. But, I will not be surprised if there's some denominator management at some point.

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[Matt F]

Corporate America will rear its ugly head at some point. The more craft market share they capture and the more natural resources they control, the harder it is for the little guy to do business. Wait until times are tough and all the High-End brands have to hit cost cutting targets to achieve performance goals. That is not what craft beer is about but it will be pushed by the new ownership at sometime in the not too distant future. They understand they have to leave the little guys they buy alone for now to continue to gain credibility to help them acquire more little guys. They look way further forward into the future than most of the folks they are acquiring. Most craft breweries started today have no exit strategy. Some day they will want to retire and they really don't have a plan in place. If no one they trust wants to continue with the business entity, you attempt to sell what you have. The highest and often only bidder will be the big guys. This trend is going to continue as the industry matures.

Small craft can continue to thrive just at a premium price. The US wine industry is a fine example. It comes down to consumers making a choice of who they wish to support with their money. Keep buying real craft beer my friends.

[fargo41]

It is interesting the backlash to this. Wicked Weed lost two collaborations since this was announced. Black Project took Wicked weed's name off the collab beer they had aging and are going to blend it with something else and Jester King cancelled their collab as well.

[carrisr]

My opposition to these buyouts has less to do with how the beers might change and more to do with how these effect the industry. Especially distribution. AB has a history of bullying already. The Craft brewery scene exists in part as a rebellion against this. I'm worried about the future of craft as this aquisition trend continues.

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[andrewmaixner]

Some of yall are about to really get pissed, Lagunitas just sold its remaining stake to Heineken

[TappedOut]

There's plenty of good beer out there, without giving my business to MegaBrew, Inc.

[bf514921]

Why is everyone one so ticked that someone made bank selling a brewery, if it's that important go start a great craft brewery and don't sell it or vote with you own dough and don't buy the beer, can't craft be big? IF the beer is till good?

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