About a month ago I came across the “Take Craft Back” movement that promotes the growth of craft beer by standing up to corporate breweries, such as Anheuser-Busch InBev, who are buying out smaller craft breweries. The Brewers Association (parent organization of American Homebrewers Association) organized this movement and plans on raising money through crowdfunding to buy out Anheuser-Busch InBev for $213 billion. So far, they’ve reached $3.3 million in “pledges” (no money is collected up front, only if the goal is met). At first I found their campaign video pretty comical.
However, after taking time to think about it, the whole idea behind the movement makes sense. My career in public relations has always been either non-profit or corporate. Although these two business worlds are polar opposites, they all fell under the negative stigmas of Corporate America. So a few years ago, I made the decision to turn my home brewing hobby into a career. I left Manhattan to pursue my passion in the craft beer industry because it was more important to be happy and believe in the freedom of a small operation than to be constantly questioning the work ethics of a major company.
Following my dream working at a small brewery has turned into a second place I call home. There is a sense of family, encouragement, and constructive guidance. I have never seen a business operate quite like this once, and I cannot imagine Big Beer taking all of this away from me and losing everything craft beer stands for. Independent breweries like 1940s Brewing Co. provide more than togetherness within the business. They show dedication to the quality of the products released to the public, open communication with our customers, and so much more. It has not been an easy road for me, and I know it will continue to be a winding road, but I would not change a single thing about my journey.
Are you ready to “Take Craft Back”? Visit them at: https://www.takecraftback.com/#
