Brewers Association gets gimmicky, wants to crowdfund the purchase of Anheuser-Busch InBev

In an attempt to keep the craft vs. crafty debate on people’s minds, the Brewers Association (BA), the trade organization for craft breweries, announced its #TakeCraftBack campaign — launched at TakeCraftBack.com. It supposedly seeks to crowdsource the funds to buy Anheuser-Busch InBev or, as we collectively call them, Big Beer (and Beer Voltron). The BA also made the spoofy video above to give you something to watch. While the logic and levity behind the campaign feel a bit contrived, I do hate fun, so form your own opinions. To the press release!

“Since 2011, Anheuser-Busch InBev has quietly acquired 10 small and independent breweries, but they won’t tell you that on their packaging,” said Andy [that guy in the video]. “Just try to name all 10 without Googling…exactly. Big Beer creates an ‘illusion of choice,’ but we are presenting them with a reality check—and hopefully, at the end of the day, with a real check too.

“Independent craft brewers refuse to be muscled out by Big Beer,” Andy continued, “And we are uniting on an unprecedented scale to take on Big Beer and their efforts to make it harder for beer drinkers to find their favorite independent craft beers at their favorite bars, liquor stores and restaurants.”

Anheuser-Busch InBev, which is worth an eye-popping $213 billion, represents the biggest—and the most powerful — of Big Beer, so Take Craft Back aims to make them an offer they can’t refuse.

For full details on the campaign and how to contribute, visit TakeCraftBack.com. Pledges will only be collected after all $213 billion has been secured. Until then, free swag will be distributed to all contributors and perhaps a few toasts will be raised along the way.