As the small (11% of overall volume) but mighty craft brewing industry evolves and adjusts to being in the spotlight, I have noticed the previous generation of craft brewers sitting down to talk about the future. With the amount of breweries continuing to skyrocket in the U.S., many of the more well-known regional and national brewers are able to finally take stock of the last few decades. These industry leaders are now faced with a new decision of what to do with the businesses that they have grown to stardom. The conversation of succession or an exit-strategy inevitably comes up, due in no small part to brewery owners looking to enjoy the fruits or their success.
For Sam Calagione, founder and owner of Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales, that time is not now. Calagione has seen both the peaks and valleys of the beer industry, successfully grown the smallest brewery in the country into one of the nation’s largest and has become the closest thing we beer geeks have to an honest-to-God rock star.
To learn more about his plan for the future, Eric Gorski of the Denver Post recently sat down with Calagione for his article: “Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head on Denver, craft beer growth and an overture from big beer.”
Like Rob Tod of Maine’s Allagash Brewing, I’ve had the distinct honor to work with Sam here at the Brewers Association as he has served (and chaired) on the BA Board of Directors. For those who only know him from a raucous festival or TV, I can tell you, what you see is what you get. Sam is just a big lug of kindness, caring and generosity. I’ve seen few people who care as much about the craft industry as Sam, and whenever I hear about infighting in the craft world, I wish the parties could be reminded of what Sam often says, “Together we’re heavy,” a Tecumseh-esque plea for craft brewer to support each other. That, and the guy is always more than happy to take a selfie with absolutely everyone who asks.
Here are some standout thoughts I liked from the interview:
On continued success of craft brewers: “The three legs any successful craft brewery has to be on today…is quality, consistency and being well-differentiated. To figure out a way to create beer you can tell a unique, exciting story around, the way you can enjoy your beer as compared to another beer. We have to be hopeful that craft brewers will be as committed to quality control as they are being creative…Twenty years ago, there was very little use of the Internet to connect beer lovers, so breweries could open and maybe be hitting on two of those cylinders. Now, there is such a great choice that expectations are way higher and the access to online beer communities and beer education is immediate and robust.”
On championing quality: “I realize I am beating a dead horse here, but that focus on quality and consistency, in addition to the passion for creating good beers. The reputation craft beer got in the late 1990s, when we had a sort of shakeup in the movement, was that some people were more passionate about making money than they were passionate about making quality beer.”
On selling out: “We have gotten those offers. We have gotten them from the biggest brewer recently. We have zero interest in selling out to a big brewer. Our priority is to be family-owned for decades to come.”
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