I had a Goose Island IPA today and it was one of the best beers I have ever had. You might think I need to get out more (agreed), but if I told you that I had spent much of this gorgeous day raking leaves several hours, then opened this beer, sat in the shade and drank it as I watched my kids play in the yard. Craft beer or not, that’s a tasty beer.
I freely admit being fooled by Goose Island the first time I bought it post-merger. Because I live in a cave, I did not yet know that AB InBev owned the brewery.  You might think I am an idiot (again, agreed), but a quick glance at the small print did not yield any obvious sign of being owned by MillerCoors, AB InBev, the Imperial Forces, or any other soul-less beer corporations snapping up craft breweries.
I have been thinking about this today especially because I read a couple of articles this morning about craft beers that aren’t actually craft beers because they are owned by one of the aforementioned corporation or another. Well, not so much articles as lists, which generally pass for articles these days. Ahem.
Anyway, I am not going to weigh in one way or another regarding what does or does not qualify as a craft beer, but only because I don’t care an awful lot. One of the “craft” beers mentioned in both of the articles I read this morning was Goose Island, which the authors were quick to point out, is owned by AB InBev. And I loved it.
Unholy Congress. Heaven forfend! An AB InBev beer in a craft beer glass. Indeed, but all I see is beer and sunshine.
Rather than add my worthless opinion to the heap already readily available on the innerwebs, I will just say that if it’s in my hand, and I am, for instance, with good friends or family in a great location on a beautiful day, I don’t care if the Imperial Forces made it and Darth Vader took a whiz in it—it’s a fine beverage and it’s going to be one of the best beers I have ever had.
Obviously, there is a lot more the the craft-or-not argument, and I appreciate that. And I am not saying we should all drink awful, mass-produced beer. I am merely saying that the beer in your hand is not always going to be the result of your carefully researched purchase decision matrix. Relax and enjoy it. That’s my plan, anyway.