I don't really have a problem with AB or Molson buying craft breweries. Craft beer lovers are pretty savvy and if AB fucks up the beer by cheaping out on ingredients or scaling it up to where it is not as good, hard core craft beer fans will move on to something better and that will give other craft brewers the chance to fill the void. Its not like there will be a shortage of craft brewers and aspiring craft brewers anytime soon.
Some of the breweries A-B have bought or invested in are still making great high end beer and innovating. Mostly what AB brings is larger scale distribution which will mostly focus on the more basic beers like pale ales, ambers and regular IPAs. I can get all the basic stuff from Goose Island in SD but their high end stuff like Bourbon county is still good, and still hard to get. I won't buy the basic but when I find the good stuff, I buy it….
That said it will be fun giving connor shit for being a pawn to corporate america. Ha!
By definition, craft brewing is producing a small amount of beer with an emphasis on quality. Its not to say that they cant produce good beer, but when youre run by one of these conglomerates, small and quality are no longer the focus. These companies certainly can continue producing a sparsely available high end product, but they are doing so backed by corporate means that others in the craft industry dont have access to. If this were solely about a larger footprint, these breweries would be signing exclusive distribution agreements. Thats not whats happening.
Like you say, there are so many good options out there. Im not going to walk away from good beer, but given the choice between something thats AB owned and a beer thats craft, Ill have no problem choosing the more expensive alternative.