Granted we've seen an explosion of independents but isn't that just how the game ultimately flows? Get successful, get bought, INBev or someone else owns your product line. That's really how the distribution ends up such that we're seeing Goose Island here in Manitoba. As a local/micro/independent their products simply can't have that substantial a reach for the most part. Sure, the MLCC brings in some products from independents in various regions but most of the local breweries of smaller scale can't really meet international or even inter-state demands until it gets ramped up well beyond the micro/local status. I'm certain there are many exceptions, Rogue out of Oregon for example, but how long until they get snapped up too?
Surly out of the Twin Cities ramped up and then had to scale back because they couldn't meet the demand initially in Wisconsin, so it went back to Minnesota only for a while. But they recently added North and South Dakota as well as Nebraska so they're getting bigger again. They're a fun, very locally focused group Sadly I fully expect them to get bought out at some point in the not too distant future. But so long as the products taste the same, after that point I'll continue to buy their products because I enjoy them.
I'll support independents where I can, but I'll also support locals, even when I know full well they are owned by the big players now (Fort Garry, Granville Island, etc.).
Goose Island is no longer local of course, but given my choices at Jets games of Bud/Bud Light/Kokanee/Keith's, I'll fire what dollars I spend on beer at the arena into the Goose Island kitty.
