You know that old video where Ayn Rand was on Phil Donahue and they’re talking about monopolies?  Isn’t it a bit weird how rarely you hear somebody point out the companies they’re using as examples nearly half a century ago don’t really exist anymore?

This is my review of Four Sons Brewing Sour Pie Series — Cherry:

For some reason the news in the world of intoxicating beverages brought that to mind. Anchor Brewing, often considered the first craft brewer in the country announced it will be closing down in the coming months.  There is speculation this is related to the brewery workers organizing into a union in 2019:

Not my photo

All told, 94 percent of eligible Anchor workers voted in favor of the contract that day. The deal was done; Anchor Union had its first contract. It was a monumental moment for the American brewing industry, and particularly the craft beer business within it. After all, though Anchor had been acquired by the Japanese conglomerate Sapporo in 2017, it still holds a revered place in hagiographies of the American craft beer movement. That workers at Anchor had successfully organized a union, won their drive and election, and ratified a contract — and did it all without getting summarily laid off or unceremoniously abandoned for a cheaper labor market elsewhere — was a signal that it could be done in other craft-oriented businesses.

As one Anchor worker told me in the early stages of the 2019 drive: “Young working people will be able to see us and be like, ‘if these fucking drunk guys can do it, like anybody can.”

Now this article, written in 2020, goes on to explain how this began a small trend among brewers, distillers, etc. to begin facing organized labor.  Interviewing several workers who extolled the benefits of working for a company that negotiated with unions….

…Suckers.  The Yahoo article (hocked from Huffpo) openly implies the Japanese brewing giant Sapporo after purchasing Anchor, simply allowed nature to take its course after losing millions of dollars. Perhaps the best decision in this case was to no longer intervene and simply watch Anchor Sepuku on its own.

Meanwhile here in America, Anheuser-Busch pleads with Americans no longer interested in buying their product to please think of their 65,000 member workforce.  If we don’t buy shitty beer from a company that apparently loathes its own customers, they’ll have to fire them.

Okay.  Your terms are acceptable.

 

But like Rand was saying they won’t have that kind of power if there are others competing in a free market. Assuming a comparable product is made either cheaper, better, in some way more desirable people can simply take their business somewhere else.  Not this one though, because its not comparable to Bud Light at all.  In fact you probably think they went too far in creating a cherry pie flavored beer.  Maybe so.  Its not really that sweet, because cherries are tart after all.  So its really like a lambic they were able to mess with.  Either way, its fine if that’s what you’re into. Four Sons Brewing Sour Pie Series — Cherry:  2.5/5. 7% ABV