BrewDog boss mocks Molson Coors

James Watt, co-founder of controversial Scottish brewer BrewDog, has labelled Molson Coors’ purchase of Sharp’s brewery “an act of panic” as he lauded the UK’s renewed passion for craft beer.

Molson Coors last month snapped up Sharp’s, which produces Doom Bar, in a deal understood to be in the region of £20 million.

Watt, whose company has come under fire from health watchdogs and alcohol industry observers for its extra-strong beer releases such as the 32% abv Tactical Nuclear Penguin, the 41% abv Sink the Bismark and the 55% abv The End of History, claims that Molson Coors moved in order to ensure they didn’t miss out on the craft beer revolution, rather than it being a canny business move.

“Molson Coors buying Sharp’s brewery is an act of panic, not commercial nous,” said Watt.

“Buying a small brewery does not buy you a craft beer soul. All this does is prove they can see the change is coming and recognition that the market is shifting; it won’t help them be a part of it.

“They, along with every other mainstream brewery, are shaking in their boots.”

Watt was speaking as BrewDog, Scotland’s largest independent brewery, announced record sales for 2010, including a 230% rise in UK sales alone.

Watt insists that the company’s success is indicative of the UK’s growing taste for artisanal beers.

“Craft beer is a force for change in the UK drinks market and our record growth reflects a tectonic shift in the mindset of British beer drinkers,” he said.

“Whereas this is good news for craft brewers and beer lovers, it is clearly shaking the foundations of the mainstream beer brands that have built reputations on marketing propaganda rather than quality and flavour.”

With BrewDog set to roll out the first canned releases of it’s biggest-selling beer, Punk IPA, Watt predicted that: “2011 is a year of change. Companies that sell beer through sales offers, discounts and marketing gimmicks alone are just not sustainable any longer because the craft beer revolution is redefining the expectations of UK beer drinkers.”

Watt also hailed government plans to relax strict rules dictating drink sizes, allowing pubs in the UK to sell beers and ciders in smaller measures than a pint, including a two-thirds pint measure – and claimed the ruling as a victory for his own company.

“The craft beer revolution has claimed another scalp in the form of archaic licensing rules,” he said. “This is nothing short of a landmark victory for BrewDog and an acceptance at government level that we speak for the people and understand the changing landscape of the UK beer market.

“The two-thirds of a pint measure means British beer drinkers can enjoy bold and creative beers responsibly – we knew that and we made sure the government caught up.”

Alan Lodge, 16.02.2011