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The High End, AB InBev’s (craft division?) released a video going into the long holiday weekend that was a response to the new “Independent Craft” seal that the Brewers Association had come out with earlier in the week.
Six Viewpoints From The High End features various takes from David Buhler of Elysian, Walt Dickinson of Wicked Weed, Garrett Wales of 10 Barrel, Andy Ingram of Four Peaks, and Steve Crandall of Devils Backbone – and it makes for interesting viewing no matter where you come down on the issue.
Clearly these guys want to explain that nothing has changed even though they are now all subsidiaries of the world’s biggest brewing conglomerate.
And here are some quotes from their video responses that we found particularly interesting for different reasons.
Garrett Wales – 10 Barrel
“The problem is that the BA continues to refuse to let the consumer make up their own mind and try to make it up for them.”
David Buhler – Elysian
“Well to be independent would mean you don’t put the logo on because you’re indie. So to be truly punk you don’t use the logo, you do your own thing and you follow your own rules.”
Garrett Wales – 10 Barrel
“They have a little bottle that someone told me “that’s what I have to buy” because there is a bottle on the six packs – but that doesn’t mean shit to me.”
Walt Dickinson – Wicked Weed
“You know, I was just hoping we could get back to just talking about beer, but I guess we’re not there yet — but hopefully soon.”
Felipe Szpigel – The High End
“Think about our partners, the amount of support we give locally, the amount of jobs that we provide locally by keeping on investing on our own partners.”
The video itself was beautifully produced and edited (hey money talks) and understandably defensive at the same time – especially Dave Buhler’s and Garrett Wales’ comments.
We also wondered why Golden Road’s co-founder Meg Gill was absent from the video. She’s been very visible proponent of the LA-based brewery’s decision to align themselves with AB InBev and we find the fact that she was not part of this clearly orchestrated corporate effort interesting.
