You may or may not know that every year on black friday Goose Island brewing releases a beer called Bourbon County. A big decadent barrel aged stout. I remember the first time I had it about a decade ago, it blew my mind. I loved it. I would always track it down each year. And people still do. Lots of people. The only problem is that a few years ago Goose Island completely sold their company to AB Inbev/ Anhueser Busch.

When I first opened the bottle shop I made a decision to never carry Goose Island or any other brand owned by ABI. Why is this exactly? It’s not because I’m better than anyone, hate money, hate big business ect. I don’t. I try and support local small businesses but there isn’t anything inherently bad about a company getting big.

The problem with AB Inbev is that they are trying to strategically dismantle everything craft brewers have been building and working on. They have questionable practices at best. Whether it is going after tap handles or shelf space by offering illegal incentives to shops and bars. They spend a fortune on lobbying to keep laws in their favor. Or by going after supply chains like grain and hop farms to choke off supplies for small brewers. They are even buying homebrew shops now and things are just getting plain weird.

This isn’t a swipe at anyone who buys or sells bourbon county this year. I just can’t in good conscience carry it at my shop no matter how tasty it is. So instead we will have some fun bottles from our local friends on the shelf. I encourage you to support them by picking up their bottles or patronizing their taprooms. I appreciate their support of my shop, their friendship and their independent spirit!

Thanks to Beachwood Brewing, Bottle Logic, Green Cheek, Monkish, Good Beer Co, Brouwerij West, Hangar 24 and all our other friends in the local scene!