It seems in Australia they're clamping down on craftiness. SABMiller has been fined for contract brewing and distributing nationally Byron Bay Pale Lager with the words "Brewed in NSW by the Byron Bay Brewing Company and its Licensees" on the label.
As the company that owns the brand seems to be a brewpub I think they were being a bit crafty in what they're saying there. Still, it seem to me it would still fit in with the American Brewers Association craft beer definition.
I wonder how relevant the specifics of the deal between Byron Bay Brewing and CUB are.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like BBB licensed out the use of the brand and recipe rather than paying CUB to brew beer on their behalf.
That's a pretty different model than 'normal' contract brewing. Usually the originating brewing company actually makes important decisions like 'How much will we brew? Do we want to risk our money brewing something people might not want to buy? etc.' - it sounds like all those 'risks' were being taken by CUB - making the situation and labelling more dishonest.
Or maybe that wasn't relevant to the decision at all. No idea.