The big boys move into the craft ale market

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MyQul

MyQul

Chairman of the Bored
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http://www.theguardian.com/business...r-buys-meantime-to-enter-uk-craft-beer-market

SABmiller who own beers like fosters, grolsch and miller have bought the meantime brewer in my neck of the woods, SE London (Greenwich to be precise). Fairly obviously after a chunk of the craft artisan bespoke hipster ale market.

I read the same story in the times earlier this eve in the pub (had a loveley pint of seafarers ale. It wasn't a full pint as the barrel came to an end and had about 1 1/2 inches of head so 'suggested' to the barmaid she sell it to me for the price of a half, to which she agreed - Get in!). The piccy accompanying the peice was hilarious you couldn't find a more stereotypical couple of metropolitan hipsters if you tried - complete with beards and ironic flat caps :lol:
 
That sounds like that bud advert which was released recently

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siHU_9ec94c[/ame]

Mocking the craft beer ale drinker
 
Wow, if craft beer has got Anheuser-Busch worried enough to have a pop at it, think I might open a microbrewery after all - they obviously see it as a viable threat. That to me says viable business opportunity. Mind you, their research can't be all that. Surely they must realise that proper beer and the swill they produce cater for two entirely separate markets?
 
The article I read stated some of the reasons that SABmiller found it viable to have a go at moving into the craft ale market such a access the female beer drinking market.

The telling one for me was that craft ale can be sold at a premium. I' m sure your all aware that you can easily pay £5 for a pint here in London and craft ales are not far behind £3-£5. In a way I agree with the Bud ad. Beer is just that, Beer. Why does is cost so much for a pint made down the road in a micro brewery and then sold to me in a ''real/craft ale pub' when I can make a similar thing (often nicer) for pennies. Surely it can't be all overheads and tax? The answer I think is fashion - Beer that is percieved to be hand made by some bearded bloke is fashionable at the moment.
 
MyQul said:
The article I read stated some of the reasons that SABmiller found it viable to have a go at moving into the craft ale market such a access the female beer drinking market.

The telling one for me was that craft ale can be sold at a premium. I' m sure your all aware that you can easily pay £5 for a pint here in London and craft ales are not far behind £3-£5. In a way I agree with the Bud ad. Beer is just that, Beer. Why does is cost so much for a pint made down the road in a micro brewery and then sold to me in a ''real/craft ale pub' when I can make a similar thing (often nicer) for pennies. Surely it can't be all overheads and tax? The answer I think is fashion - Beer that is percieved to be hand made by some bearded bloke is fashionable at the moment.
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It's not all overheads and tax - the rest is profit. It might have a bit to do with fashion, but a lot more to do with taste and personal preference, but whoever runs the brewery will be a business person (in the main) who won't be just producing ale because they like doing it.
 
ManseMasher said:
It's not all overheads and tax - the rest is profit. It might have a bit to do with fashion, but a lot more to do with taste and personal preference, but whoever runs the brewery will be a business person (in the main) who won't be just producing ale because they like doing it.
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Profit...and this is why the big boys are moving in.

I think the renaissance of ale is due to a number of things. People are sick of the tastless **** water lagers that are made by the global breweries so are turning to ale. Secondly, there's been a subtle rebranding of ale. It used to be called 'real' ale percieved as drunk by old geezers in your yokel local or by students. Now its called 'craft' ale.
The word craft is loaded with perceptions such as hand made, lovingly and given time, using a little machinery/industrial processes as possible. I think some people are tired of globalisation, mega corporations and industry and want to return to localisation. This perception of/wanting to return to localistion can be then be packaged and sold at a premium. Which is why I think the big boys are moving in.
 
Yep as nicer as the beer is as we all know there is an element of "craft" being the trendy in word.. Loaded with preconceptions that it is almost artistic in its production .. now there may be an element of truth to it depending on your point of view but I think in general it is just better ingredients and better beer.

Its the same in the culinary world.. small example steaky bacon was technically a worser and cheaper cut until the chefs started using it on the tv now its more trendy and you pay a lot more for that.
 
erm. like growing a beard.you think it,s better than the other beard you've just walked past and that they would pay a premium to have your beard.in the end you can't move for beards.a lot of brewers are now putting the word craft in front of their previously ye old real labels , or touting a hop blasting blonde. in our world it,s all good.cos i'm quite enjoying some of these a.p.a.'s. but is it a new labour fad. at 2quid for a 3rd of a pint , i can see why the big boys want a sniff. better start stock pileing the amarillo.fosters cittra blonde anyone?maybe after the revolution, we'll all be clean shaven and drinking naughty porters.:whistle:
 
Covrich said:
but I think in general it is just better ingredients and better beer.
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I think you've hit the nail on the head there. It's just beer but with better ingredients producing a better beer.

You mention bacon. I see this, 'being sold a lifestyle at a premium' all over the place especially in London.

My other hobby is riding my bike. There's a cyling clothing maufacturer called Rapha. The clother are function and do a good job but are hideosly expensive. If you look at the website the photo's on it rival the most glossy of magazines. Your definetley being sold a lifestyle rather than just cycling clobber
 
sorry. i'm not downing the craft scene. i think it's good all round. brewery's having to up their game . and boozers.only been to a few craft pubs and found the vibe sound and an array of beers. well compared to big screen carling jobs.
 
davereal said:
sorry. i'm not downing the craft scene. i think it's good all round. brewery's having to up their game . and boozers.only been to a few craft pubs and found the vibe sound and an array of beers. well compared to big screen carling jobs.
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I'm not really downing the craft scene. All the craft pubs I've been in have been great. I agree brewers need to up their game but also not be so greedy. £4 for a pint is taking the ****.
 
Glad you've decided to concentrate on the pricing - I'm sat here with my beard and flat cap feeling definitely put upon.:lol:
 
MyQul said:
I think ultimately this whole thread is me whinging about the price of beer in pubs.

It's the whole reason I started homebrewing.
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I had a pint of mean time pale at Liverpool St. A few weeks back - it now holds my record for most expensive pint I've bought, £5.50! It was quite funny as he mumbled the price, so I actually replied with 'how much?'.
 
When I was out in America the last two time socal, Chicago and mitchagen, they all had craft breweris opening up all over the place. They seemed to love the citrusy hoppy pale ale style, not very malty and quite light, but way better than bud style or bud list (which literally tastes like watered down lager).

They didn't seem to have any bitter style ales tho, perhaps too much for their pallet.
 
Chippy_Tea said:
So that isn't you in your avatar. :lol:
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Actually it's the Mrs. Funnily enough she had a catalogue come through the post a while back and when we looked inside it was full of dudes who looked just like me and dressed like me too. I've had to wait 60 years, but at last I'm the height of fashion. Trouble is, next year when all the hipster have disappeared, I'll still be left looking like this...
 
Hops_and_Dreams said:
I had a pint of mean time pale at Liverpool St. A few weeks back - it now holds my record for most expensive pint I've bought, £5.50! It was quite funny as he mumbled the price, so I actually replied with 'how much?'.
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I've always found meantimes prices a **** take. They charge the same as a 500ml bottle for a 330ml bottle in pubs .

Bottle shape is nice though. Got a couple when I relpaced all my plastic for glass.

Meantime_Brewery


220px-Meantime_004.JPG
 
MyQul said:
I've always found meantimes prices a **** take. They charge the same as a 500ml bottle for a 330ml bottle in pubs .

Bottle shape is nice though. Got a couple when I relpaced all my plastic for glass.

Meantime_Brewery
Click to expand...

Yeah, I guess it was partly at a premium being a station too.

I tend to avoid bottles full stop in pubs as i'm tight and begrudge paying 50p less than a pint for half as much beer.
 

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