Little Creatures — Change for the better

Recent discussion on this site and in other forums about beer provenance and brand ownership has revived the argument that ‘Big Beer’ will, at every opportunity, ‘cheapen’ the product. This recent article shares Sam Caligione’s thoughts on the factory-brewery’s ability to mass-produce a previously small batch beer and at a significantly discounted price, thus disadvantaging the true ‘indie craft brewer’.

Here in Australia we have seen the acquisition of the Little Creatures brand by multi-national brewer Lionco and the subsequent disquiet with regard to the way in which some drinkers view the brand now. Many, it would seem, are voting with their pockets and making a statement about where they see the future of craft beer in this country. Many again have no qualms about their favourite having a change of faces in the boardroom and rightly expect their chosen brew to taste the same as it did when it was independently owned.

But for some, the temptation to imprint their own prejudices

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