Emersons sold

[Colin Slater]

Interesting news.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/small-business/7911796/Lion-buys-Em...

[mattd2]

 

But it is only a potential loss at the moment, nothing real, nothing to get all worked up about yet and drop Emersons for (unless you really really hate the big 2 - and only one of them has given us a reason to hate them right?).

There is also potential for amazing growth and opportunities, and everything in between these 2 extremes.

Why don’t we all sit back, relax and see what plays out. We can commiserate or rejoice when the time comes but for now at least we can find solace in the fact that the bottles in the liquor stores over the next few days/weeks we will not have to question!

[Grant R Baker]

Can't say I hate the big 2... but name a Lion or DB beer worth paying for...?

[mattd2]

Mac's Sassy Red is alright, for the price I would pay for a 6 pack if it was on a good special! I think the hardest thing for me with Lion/DB brand beers is I stand in the supermarket saying to myself "I could brew 15 litres of really good beer for the price of that dozen," and then I leave empty handed.

I have a hard time also with the Boundry Road singles that cost the same or more than something like an Epic Pale Ale. I feel that they are using the price point as a differentiator to indicate what is "good", I don't know how they can justify charging the same price as Emersons/Harringtons when they have lower overheads from their parent company's equipment at Independent liquor.

Just thought of another good Lion beer - any of the Emersons beers.... or do I have to wait a few more weeks to say that!

[Greig McGill]

I spent a token! Sadly it was Shady Pale, which was disgusting. ;) Anyway, I'm split. I think Mac's Gold is an example of a beer which became a lot more boring, but Black Mac improved no end. If nothing else, it became reasonably consistent.

[Grant R Baker]

he he had to look it up on RateBeer... damn funny

2nd comment "Very similar to Tui" har har

RB

[Dai]

Any change to Little Creatures beer after Lion took over?

[Phil Murray]

I sometimes think so, but I think it's more my palate changing. The first time I had Little Creatures and thought it was awesome was before I really drunk much craft beer, let alone knew what a 'hop' was.

I'd like to try it fresh in Aussie again soon, most of the time I get it here it's oxidised and skunked

[Greig McGill]

Yeah, but poor bottle quality started happening long before the buy-out.

[666 Brewing]

I can confirm in Melbourne at the LC bar, only one hour from the brewery, that it is not as good as it used to be.  Its like they cant afford the hops for it anymore... 

[Stu McKinlay]

No, not at all. As Emerson beer become more available or "more mainstream" (in quotes because they already are pretty mainstream, like Tuatara, but with deeper craftier offerings on the side) it just opens up more space "below" for little players to come up. Some will prosper. Some will not. We all win because we get the opportunity to try more. It won't mean they're all good but some of those beers will open the minds of people who didn't know great beer existed before then.  There is a long long way to go in our war. This is just but one battle (and a battle that I consider "we" have won!!!).

[Simon Smith]

"it just opens up more space "below" for little players to come up."

 

I'm all for more space for little players... and this is how I see the sale as a positive thing.

 

I don't really care if Emerson's has been sold, all power too them. My meager beer budget will continue to be spent where it always has... almost exclusively on small independent breweries. I'm not boycotting Emerson's, it's just not likely I'll choose to buy their products when there are independent options available - as opposed to how I've been actively avoiding Moa products for a fair while thanks to some sexist, homophobic and just generally idiotic marketing gimmicks... that's me boycotting things ;) Hopefully continuing to make the choice to support independent breweries doesn't mean I've become childish or snobbish or any other things people around the interwebs are saying about the idea that this might affect people's purchasing habits.

[Kelly Ryan]

Agree wholeheartedly Stu, my thoughts entirely.