Will Beavertown sell-out? The case against
On 15th May Beavertown Brewery announced their plans for the future. The Beaverworld project of a new brewery, tap room etc is back on track for some time in 2019. In the meantime some of the production of Neck Oil and Gamma Ray will be in Belgium. Details are here:
http://www.beavertownbrewery.co.uk/the-road-to-beaverworld/
The respected beer writers Boak and Bailey argued that the moves could be a harbinger of Beavertown selling out to Big Beer.
https://boakandbailey.com/2018/05/getting-in-shape-for-takeover/
They could be right. Ultimately business is business and if the price is right who knows. As a trade union officer in the private sector who deals with some of the largest UK companies I entirely appreciate how the bottom line can drive matters.
That said I celebrated Beavertown’s announcement on social media because an independent brewery producing high quality beer bringing forward plans to increase production is surely welcome.
Of course (and I can provide anyone interested with relevant passages from Marx’s Capital) this is what businesses in a market society do if they can. Yet at the same time this is good news for those who like good beer. When you look at capitalism expect contradiction.
Does it mean Beavertown is now more attractive to Big Beer? Possibly. But the increased profile of Beavertown’s barrel ageing project, Tempus, is not really something to grab men in suits who see not beer but brands.
Beavertown does have brands: Neck Oil and Gamma Ray, but they remain relatively niche.
My conclusion is that while you can never rule out what business might find it convenient or profitable to do, Beavertown will, as it has said, remain independent. Hopefully it will also maintain a presence in Tottenham too.
What will happen in 5 years time? Well Jeremy Corbyn will be Prime Minister by then..
Kmflett's Blog 
Gamma Ray and Neck Oil: Niche in the sense that they are two of the strongest and most successful brands in the UK craft brewing ‘niche’. How many UK craft brands could you name that would be more attractive than those two to Big Beer?
The men in suits are looking at a PowerPoint on Bourbon County Stout *right now*.