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Lagunitas Brewing to lay off 12 percent of its workforce

sfgate.com

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Re: Lagunitas Brewing to lay off 12 percent of its workforce

#11

Post by [deleted] »

wskinner wrote: post #7
Rapzid wrote: post #2

It broke my heart when Lagunitas sold to Heineken. Since then any purchase that would have been Lagunitas has gone to more Stone or Alpine. The choice out there is amazing; easy to say goodbye to breweries like Lagunitas and Anchor for selling out to overseas companies.

Can you elaborate on why the sale broke your heart? Was it because the beer itself changed? Or you were concerned that future development of new, different, beer would cease or move in a direction you didn't like? Or was it a political/philosophical issue of not wanting to support foreign corporations?

[deleted]

Re: Lagunitas Brewing to lay off 12 percent of its workforce

#12

Post by sosense »

I love Lagunitas. I just don't buy it anymore. There are breweries very local to me that produce a product--never bottled, never stored for very long, never shipped--that is so much better than anything I can buy in a store, I spend 100% of my beer money on those local breweries.

This is the way things should be, and the way things used to be. It's about time we return to sanity. I hope more and more things head toward the care of the past.

Re: Lagunitas Brewing to lay off 12 percent of its workforce

#13

Post by everdev »

S_A_P wrote: post #8

I’ve been thinking we were getting close to peak craft beer for a while now. I’m thinking that a lot of independent craft brewers agree as there has been a lot of these breweries selling to the super majors in the past few years. As others have mentioned there is simply too much to choose from that really isn’t all that different. This is my own opinion, but the recent trend of sour beers hasn’t helped matters either…

Apparently microbrews are out of fashion now and "nanobrews" are the new thing where only a couple cases or kegs are made in any one batch. I also know a lot more people being their own beer.

I knew Lagunitas got too big though when I saw them in supermarkets in Boston and Europe. At that point you're just a brewery.

Re: Lagunitas Brewing to lay off 12 percent of its workforce

#15

Post by S_A_P »

lovich wrote: post #10
S_A_P wrote: post #8

I’ve been thinking we were getting close to peak craft beer for a while now. I’m thinking that a lot of independent craft brewers agree as there has been a lot of these breweries selling to the super majors in the past few years. As others have mentioned there is simply too much to choose from that really isn’t all that different. This is my own opinion, but the recent trend of sour beers hasn’t helped matters either…

A bit of an opinion there. I find IPA's completely unpalatable but could probably drink a sour beer every day

As I prefaced, it was my opinion. I’m not a huge IPA fan either.

Re: Lagunitas Brewing to lay off 12 percent of its workforce

#16

Post by liveoneggs »

baus wrote: post #14

I enjoy beer, but have to admit I’m burning out on the hopped up IPAs. Lagunitas produces a bunch of different beers, but they are all just variations of the same theme (ok I like their Pils)

agreed that the Pils is very drinkable; a higher gravity version would be killer

Re: Lagunitas Brewing to lay off 12 percent of its workforce

#17

Post by Rapzid »

wskinner wrote: post #7
Rapzid wrote: post #2

It broke my heart when Lagunitas sold to Heineken. Since then any purchase that would have been Lagunitas has gone to more Stone or Alpine. The choice out there is amazing; easy to say goodbye to breweries like Lagunitas and Anchor for selling out to overseas companies.

Can you elaborate on why the sale broke your heart? Was it because the beer itself changed? Or you were concerned that future development of new, different, beer would cease or move in a direction you didn't like? Or was it a political/philosophical issue of not wanting to support foreign corporations?

Lagunitas has some historical significance in the American craft brewing scene. Particularly with the launch and rise of "IPA" to national significance. It might not be a stretch to attribute "IPA" with significantly impacting the tide that lifted all craft beers. So yes, seeing them sell to a huge overseas beverage company felt a bit like losing part of our craft brewing heritage to a foreign company.

I'm also probably not alone in enjoying the feeling of at least pretending I'm supporting independently owned and operated craft breweries with my purchases :) It's getting harder these days with all the consolidation occuring.

Re: Lagunitas Brewing to lay off 12 percent of its workforce

#18

Post by subjectHarold »

everdev wrote: post #13
S_A_P wrote: post #8

I’ve been thinking we were getting close to peak craft beer for a while now. I’m thinking that a lot of independent craft brewers agree as there has been a lot of these breweries selling to the super majors in the past few years. As others have mentioned there is simply too much to choose from that really isn’t all that different. This is my own opinion, but the recent trend of sour beers hasn’t helped matters either…

Apparently microbrews are out of fashion now and "nanobrews" are the new thing where only a couple cases or kegs are made in any one batch. I also know a lot more people being their own beer. I knew Lagunitas got too big though when I saw them in supermarkets in Boston and Europe. At that point you're just a brewery.

Ha, lol..."nanobrews"...spot the hipster.

Picobrews are the latest thing: only one small shot glass is ever made. After consumption, the recipe, all utensils used to create the brew, and the shot glass itself are destroyed in an industrial oven. Oh, and the person who made it (and their close family) is exiled to a rain forest in Madagascar for ten years.

Microbrews, nanobrews...so conventional and corporate. I suppose they are an easy way in if you don't know much about beer and just want to copy your friends. Good for you.

Re: Lagunitas Brewing to lay off 12 percent of its workforce

#19

Post by js2 »

baus wrote: post #14

I enjoy beer, but have to admit I’m burning out on the hopped up IPAs. Lagunitas produces a bunch of different beers, but they are all just variations of the same theme (ok I like their Pils)

Just? IPAs have taken over half the taps for years now. I've been burned out on them for a while. :-(

Fortunately, sours are finally starting to become more widely available. If you haven't had one yet, I'm a big fan of Rodenbach as a good sour to start with.

Re: Lagunitas Brewing to lay off 12 percent of its workforce

#20

Post by addicted »

baus wrote: post #14

I enjoy beer, but have to admit I’m burning out on the hopped up IPAs. Lagunitas produces a bunch of different beers, but they are all just variations of the same theme (ok I like their Pils)

I backed away from craft beers once it seemed to me that the craft beer market had become about making as unlikeable a beer as possible so that people would then claim that they were true beer lovers since they enjoyed that pretty unlikeable beer (unlikeable here largely refers to hoppiness but there are other forms as well such as extremely high alcohol levels or excessively flavored beers).
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