While the marketing arm of Anheuser-Busch was busy emptying one of the company’s Scrooge McDuck-style coin swimming pool vaults to pay for Budweiser’s now-infamous anti-craft beer Super Bowl ad, the company’s acquisitions arm is busy trying to grab every craft brewer it can. Do as I advertise, not as I buy!
Anyway, there was 10 Barrel Brewing in November, and then there was the acqusition of Elysian Brewing late last month, and now the Tampa Tribune is reporting that A-B is leaving the Northwest and targeting at least one craft brewer in the Sunshine State.
From the Tribune:
Could Tampa’s own Cigar City Brewing be next?
Founder and owner Joey Redner on Friday confirmed that the beer company’s representatives have reached out to him about buying his Tampa-based business.
“We have been approached about having a more in-depth meeting,” Redner said in an email, without getting into detail. “There hasn’t been a second meeting.”
The article goes on to say that other potential florida craft beer aquisition targets include Florida Beer Co., Due South Brewing and Intuition Ale Works in Jacksonville.
If Anheuser-Busch does come calling, “I’d be very flattered, but I have no interest in selling,” Intuition founder and owner Ben Davis told the Tribune.
“We’ve worked hard to make Intuition a great brand that I am proud of,” Davis said. “I don’t believe Anheuser-Busch would be able to continue that.”
Florida already has enough craft beer drama , what with distributors and some state lawmakers trying to curb the state’s tasting rooms. And just to bring this all full circle, like a horrible mash-up of Seinfeld and Cheers, the “tourism exception” that craft brewers have been using to open up tasting rooms in the state — the loophole that is now under fire from wholesalers and distributors — originated from Anheuser-Busch when it was trying make Busch Gardens be a thing.
