Refusing A Free Beer???

I won’t get into the ins and outs here, but this past summer as part of the state’s new budget a new law was passed limiting the distribution of Wisconsin’s microbreweries. (If you would like to read up on it, there is an excellent blog post here, from of all places a microbrewery supporting bar in Des Moines, IA.) Although MillerCoors were joined by other groups in backing the bill, which supposedly was only created to block other large brewers (Anheuser-Busch specifically mentioned) from having distribution branches in the state, it also blocks microbreweries from using channels they have used for years. While I can see the merits to stopping other large breweries from moving in, restricting microbreweries is not the way to be doing it. I will give a small bit of credit to MillerCoors for backing legislation that also blocks their use of distribution branches, but it’s quite clear they are using the law to also limit the power of the in-state competition. After all, I’ve found that for beer in Wisconsin you either have choices of Miller products or microbrews. In any case, I’ve decided that from this summer forward I am personally blacklisting all MillerCoors owned products. If you haven’t noticed which beers fall under their umbrella lately, they include:

Coors (Lite & Banquet)

Miller (High Life, Lite, Genuine Draft, Chill, MGD 64)

Keystone Light

Milwaukee’s Best

Icehouse

All Leinenkugel’s

Pabst Blue Ribbon (contract brewed by Miller)

Schlitz (owned by PBR, contract brewed my Miller)

Blatz (owned by PBR, contract brewed my Miller)

Old Style (owned by PBR, contract brewed my Miller)

Hamm’s

Blue Moon

Killian’s Irish Red

Molson

Peroni

Pilsner Urquell

Grolsch

Foster’s

Some of these are more under SABMiller, the international mother company of MillerCoors, who didn’t really have anything to do with the bill. However, it’s hard to say where the line is drawn in the line of brands.

Some of these I never really drank anyway, but still, it’s a long list of products to prohibit from my taste buds. If ever offered any of the above beers, I will graciously decline and ask for water. Yes, my principles are that firm on this that I will refuse a free beer.