Here Come BrewDog

Is it just me or are BrewDog losing some of their romantic charm?

With recent news of the huge expansion plans at BrewDog which include U.S. operations - a brewery to be located in Ohio, a ‘craft beer hotel’ to include beer taps in the rooms (that does sounds cool) and many more bars beyond their 28^th which recently opened in Oslo, Norway. I am beginning to wonder if BrewDog are forgetting their roots and why people like them so much?

These ambitious plans are a clear sign that BrewDog are doing many things right and are in massive demand which can only be a good thing for them and craft beer as a whole. But do the craft beer drinkers still see BrewDog in the same light they did as little as 2-3 years ago? Are they still a craft brewer or are they on the verge of becoming a mainstream sell-out.

Let’s be honest, while most craft beer drinkers enjoy a Punk IPA or Dead Pony pale ale, very few would say these beers are amongst the best they have ever had or that BrewDog is their favourite brewer. To many BrewDog is a stepping stone from mainstream dribble to fantastic small batch beers. A wake up call from the mundane lagers we were forced to drink for so long if you will. This is taking nothing away from the quality of BrewDog beers. They make some very adventurous, high quality beers and were one of the first modern craft brewers in the UK. But there is without a doubt many brewers making better beers, on a smaller scale. In my opinion at least.   

So while BrewDog may not have the best beers in the World, their marketing plan may well be. Their rate of growth has been unbelievable. Let’s not forget that this is a brewery located a little north of Aberdeen, Scotland. The in your face, up yours attitude seems to have worked. That’s not to say that there haven’t been just a few cringe worthy moments too. But many beer drinkers have got on board with this. They too want change and want to give the finger to the suits in charge.

The real challenge I see for BrewDog now is not to cross that line from everyday guys living the dream into a mainstream, corporate, money driven conglomerate. Wearing a flat cap alone will not prevent this. I’ve no doubt that (for now at least) the quality we’ve come to expect from them will continue. They will continue to brew on a small scale in comparison  to many brewing giants. But what happens as the demand grows at the rate they plan? Will the cave in to outside pressure and begin cutting corners? Cheaper ingredients? Larger brewing batches?

Then there is the potential of outside investment. So far the Equity for Punks scheme has been a huge success, helping fund their constant development. But as they grow and become even more successful, eating into the giant brewers profits they become a more appealing purchase/investment to these companies. How long will it be until the likes of AB-InBev or Molson Coors attempt a takeover? And what would it take for the Scottish pair to sell? Or Punk investors for that matter? Only a couple of months ago we saw SAB Miller’s takeover of Meantime Brewing Co. Many within the UK now await the outcome of this takeover, fearful of any change to the beers.

Whatever developments and changes do happen within BrewDog I hope that the standard of their beers remains high and they continue introducing people to the world of craft beer. Power to the revolution!