Another small brewery dies...

[BikeGeek]

This came through a local list this morning:

...I believe that it is no secret that the company [Old Dominion Brewing] is being sold to Coastal
Beverage, a joint venture between Anheuser-Busch and Fordham Brewing (49/51).
The deal is expected to close at the end of February.
The Dominion staff was introduced to the VP of Brewing Ops and VP of Sales for
the first time this afternoon. Within moments of their arrival, I was informed that I
would not be retained after the changeover and, for that matter, I may as well pack
up immediately. Shortly afterward, our head brewer Dave Hennessey was fired, along
with brewer Greg Spradlin. Between the three of us, we had 42 years of service with Old
Dominion and a collective record of loyalty, sacrifice, and hard work...

Typical in the business world, but this after assuring everyone that they were interested in OD because OD was a successful brand not because they wanted to clean house and start over. :disgust1:

[LordOpie]

If they fire the brewers, the product is dead, yeah?

fvcking retarded.

[BikeGeek]

If they fire the brewers, the product is dead, yeah?

fvcking retarded.
It will probably be another case like Rolling Rock. AB bought them and promptly closed the brewery...they were only interested in the brand name.

[dan-o]

The 'fault', if there is any, lies with the owners who sold the brand. Firing the brewers won't have any effect on the product either, it isnt rocket science. There are scores of beers which have maintained their quality throughout time at the hands of different brewers. Sucks for the people involved though.

[I Are Baboon]

You mean there was a time when Rolling Rock didn't suck?

[BikeGeek]

The 'fault', if there is any, lies with the owners who sold the brand.
I don't think anyone's at fault, it's just $hitty. I've been following this for a while in the industry publications. Through all the negotiations the employees were assured that there would be very little if any changes made...that they simply wanted to add another successful line of beers to their portfolio.

Firing the brewers won't have any effect on the product either, it isnt rocket science.
It's not exactly instant cocoa either. A skilled brewer will be able to do it, but there's always an acclimation period as he gets used to the new house and recipes. A majority of drinkers won't notice a thing.

[BikeGeek]

You mean there was a time when Rolling Rock didn't suck?
Well, no. This just happened in the past year or so.

In all honesty, I'd take a Rock over a Millercoorsweiser any day. It's actually a decent light lager.

[GumbaFish]

Yeah but this is AB, they dont have skilled brewers to make the transition smooth...

[MudGrrl]

.... they aren't going to eff up the Root Beer, are they?

[SkaredShtles]

You mean there was a time when Rolling Rock didn't suck?
I am NOT buying it. Not for a minute.... :twitch:

[SkaredShtles]

<snip>
In all honesty, I'd take a glass of horse piss over a pint of donkey piss any day.
I can't believe that there's *that* much difference... :p

[Silver]

Yeah but this is AB, they dont have skilled brewers to make the transition smooth...

AB actually has great brewers. They just make a crappy product...but they make tons of it consistently, which is not easy to do.

[DRB]

You mean there was a time when Rolling Rock didn't suck?

When it didn't come in green bottles? Oh wait....

[BikeGeek]

AB actually has great brewers. They just make a crappy product...but they make tons of it consistently, which is not easy to do.
Word. Anyone can brew, but brewing a consistent product batch after batch is tough. Especially at the scale they're doing it.

[GumbaFish]

Thats a good point silver, I never thought of that. In anycase thier products all taste foul to me, but they are very consistent in their repulsiveness.

[SkaredShtles]

Thats a good point silver, I never thought of that. In anycase thier products all taste foul to me, but they are very consistent in their repulsiveness.
I don't know. They're so tasteless would anyone really notice a change in the tastelessness? :confused:

[GumbaFish]

Beats me, thats why I drink stuff like this instead of bud light
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/gumbafish/rogue.jpg

[SkaredShtles]

Beats me, thats why I drink stuff like this instead of bud light
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/gumbafish/rogue.jpg
Here's to good beer! :cheers:

[4xBoy]

Good beer is easy to find, women who also drink good beer are not.

I'll link the pic of Beer so not to disrupt with crazy oversize.

http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/3701/hobgoblinll3.jpg

[SkaredShtles]

Good beer is easy to find, women who also drink good beer are not.[/url]
I married the first one I found. :D

Now she's gone and drunk nearly all my Titan. :mad:

[llkoolkeg]

Well this news really sucks. I always enjoyed the festival they put on every year out in Sterling. Music...suds...wide open spaces...liquored-up ladies...*sigh*

[GumbaFish]

When I find a girl that likes oatmeal stout or porters and listens to Stevie Ray Vaughan I'll propose on the spot...

[BikeGeek]

Well this news really sucks. I always enjoyed the festival they put on every year out in Sterling. Music...suds...wide open spaces...liquored-up ladies...*sigh*
It draws a lot of people. I bet they keep it going.

[Dartman]

To Anheiser Busch..."An ihm ist Hopfen und Malz verloren"

..."At it hops and malt are lost"

[dogwonder]

The AB brewers are actually really good brewers. I believe Stone recently hired an AB brewer to be one of their brewmasters.

[narlus]

The AB brewers are actually really good brewers. I believe Stone recently hired an AB brewer to be one of their brewmasters.

to draw a musical analogy, i don't doubt that they are excellent studio musicians.

but i don't want to listen to Toto.

[dogwonder]

to draw a musical analogy, i don't doubt that they are excellent studio musicians.

but i don't want to listen to Toto.

They actually are doing some seasonal craft releases which I hear aren't half bad.

[SkaredShtles]

They actually are doing some seasonal craft releases which I hear aren't half bad.
Toto? :confused: :confused: