Stone & Wood Sells

[Malter White]

As is often the case, a successful small business becomes part of a big business. I guess in the future there'll be less enquiries on here about how to make a Stone & Wood Pacific Ale clone.

https://indaily.com.au/news/2021/09/10/craft-brewer-stone-and-wood-sells-out-to-lion/?fbclid=IwAR15SQZI0qJasgBJEv8Zx7JHwPHKLoLGxSmEwqLVZSWiICHEBbsaxjnZQx0

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

Money talks at the end of the day. There beers were not too bad. Not as good as some of the other craft breweries though. Will be interesting to see what Lion do with it.

[terminal2k]

I've decided I'm actually happy this has happened. There's plenty of good craft breweries still out there. And this means that North Sydney Oval which has a lion supply contract may actually get some good beers for when I go down to the footy or cricket

[Red devil 44]

Yeah it is sad, but understandable given the pressures of COVID lockdowns and pubs locked down etc. ( Maybe that had something to do with it, not sure ) 

I have a pretty good S & W recipe so I’ll keep on making clones.

‘Hopefully Lion don’t change the recipe. 

[Tricky Micky]

31 minutes ago, Red devil 44 said:

Yeah it is sad, but understandable given the pressures of COVID lockdowns and pubs locked down etc. ( Maybe that had something to do with it, not sure ) 

I have a pretty good S & W recipe so I’ll keep on making clones.

‘Hopefully Lion don’t change the recipe. 

Is that the Morgan's clone RD, I have been doing something similar. Any improvements you've added?

[ben 10]

Not that anyone here was complaining but I'd do the same thing myself - sell up, how good?

 

Good on them.

[Red devil 44]

1 hour ago, Mickep said:

Is that the Morgan's clone RD, I have been doing something similar. Any improvements you've added?

Yeah @Mickep I’ve used the Morgan’s Clone, another version is virtually the same but I just added 100g Galaxy, that went really well. 

[Instigator]

3 hours ago, Red devil 44 said:

Hopefully Lion don’t change the recipe. 

They'll be more beers ruined by cheapening. Lion and AB InBev etc are the kiss of death for beer.

[ozdevil]

its like the coles and woolies  issue

they say we want ya to be in business  but we are going to make it hard for ya's

monopoly at its finest

[Malter White]

2 hours ago, disgruntled said:

Not that anyone here was complaining but I'd do the same thing myself - sell up, how good?

 

Good on them.

I just wish I could make beer good enough to sell and get bought out for a tidy sum.

[Bribie G]

What really annoyed me was the guy from Brews News (forget which channel - probably 9)  who said that the beers don't change when the big two take over a craft brewery.  Ballocks. You only have to look at Little Creatures and the James Squire range that are shadows of their former selves.

I actually met a former brewer from 4 Pines at a comp three years ago who had the original recipes on his laptop - first thing that CUB did when they started brewing 4 Pines pale ale at Yatala was to cut out most of the Simcoe and bump up the Citra (the "cheat hop") and to replace all the Munich with extra CaraMunich to cheapen the grain bill. More to come no doubt.

As for Brews News, they cover the industry as a whole and no doubt get a healthy donation from the big 2, so I expect their rep on the TV had to watch what he was saying!

[Tricky Micky]

On 9/12/2021 at 5:08 PM, Red devil 44 said:

On 9/12/2021 at 3:33 PM, Mickep said:

Is that the Morgan's clone RD, I have been doing something similar. Any improvements you've added?

Yeah @Mickep I’ve used the Morgan’s Clone, another version is virtually the same but I just added 100g Galaxy, that went really well. 

I've been adding 200 grams of Dextrose to the recipe (24 ltr volume) but I'm thinking of pulling that. The combo of the Galaxy and the Cascade hops with the dextrose seems to make the beer taste a bit on the cidery side - almost gives me heartburn tbh. I was thinking of substituting the Dex with specialty malt grain or some such. I had some caramalt laying about so I've added that to my last S&W clone - I'll see how that goes. Geez mate 100grams of Galaxy -how'd you add that to the brew? 

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

3 hours ago, Bribie G said:

What really annoyed me was the guy from Brews News (forget which channel - probably 9)  who said that the beers don't change when the big two take over a craft brewery.  Ballocks. You only have to look at Little Creatures and the James Squire range that are shadows of their former selves.

I actually met a former brewer from 4 Pines at a comp three years ago who had the original recipes on his laptop - first thing that CUB did when they started brewing 4 Pines pale ale at Yatala was to cut out most of the Simcoe and bump up the Citra (the "cheat hop") and to replace all the Munich with extra CaraMunich to cheapen the grain bill. More to come no doubt.

As for Brews News, they cover the industry as a whole and no doubt get a healthy donation from the big 2, so I expect their rep on the TV had to watch what he was saying!

Yep. That's big business for you @Bribie G

1. CEO has growth targets so he can get his bonus and buy his new yacht. Buys out the craft brewery

2. Synergies/ cost savings built into the buyout offer. Post acquisition CEO asks the business to find those savings. Cut here, cut there. Substitute this, Substitute that. 

3. CEO gets another bonus for hitting those targets. Buys another yacht.

4. Punters stop drinking it because its changed. Market share drops. By this time the CEO has left to sail one of his yachts.

5. New CEO comes in and is left with a brand worth half of what they paid for it. Blames old CEO.

6. New CEO Buys another craft brewery and the cycle starts all over again.

[Red devil 44]

4 hours ago, Mickep said:

I've been adding 200 grams of Dextrose to the recipe (24 ltr volume) but I'm thinking of pulling that. The combo of the Galaxy and the Cascade hops with the dextrose seems to make the beer taste a bit on the cidery side - almost gives me heartburn tbh. I was thinking of substituting the Dex with specialty malt grain or some such. I had some caramalt laying about so I've added that to my last S&W clone - I'll see how that goes. Geez mate 100grams of Galaxy -how'd you add that to the brew? 

I just dry hopped, but my next S & W will be when I go AG ( very shortly )