These are just three of more than a dozen of the country's most popular and beloved craft breweries that have been purchased by global beverage companies in the past seven years. Indeed, beer brands recently purchased by larger companies now almost dominate many supermarket or liquor store shelves.
It isn't clear how many consumers know this is happening or whether they would care if they did. It also remains to be seen how these transactions will affect how the newly acquired brands taste.
But one thing is clear to craft beer brewers, lovers and lobbyists: They feel they're under attack by what they bitterly call "Big Beer" or "Big Alcohol."
You'd have to be paying zero fucking attention if so. Anheuser fucking Busch bought a big stake in Red Hook in 1994.
Off by a mere 17 years.
You know why I don't give NPR any money? Because by and large, they suck at what they do.