Tuesday 6 November 2012

Emerson's

So, in case you haven't heard yet, Emerson's - that brilliant small-ish brewery run by the brilliant Richard Emerson - has been sold to Lion.

I did a post a while back where I had a punt at which brewery would probably get brought out first by one of the Big Three. I didn't even give Emerson's a mention, and I don't think anyone else would have either (well, apart from Stu).

Twitter, somewhat predictably, filled up with messages along the lines of "fuck Lion" or "it won't be the same". Comments on the other news sites which covered the announcement are just as one-sided. And I can understand where people are coming from. While too young to have been a Macs drinker before that brand was sold to Lion in 1999, I've heard from plenty that the beers changed after the sale.

But I, for one, am excited. First, Lion has experience in owning successful craft breweries. They've always had a big chunk of Little Creatures' head company Little World Beverages - and got the rest earlier this year - and I very rarely hear a bad word about that brewery.

Secondly, there's a very important line in the official statement:

Emerson’s will remain as a standalone business unit within Lion and will continue to produce the same great beers from the same Dunedin brewery with the same great people. 

So, production will not be leaving Dunedin and - far more importantly - will still be run by founder/brewer/general G.C. Richard Emerson. Therefore, we should keep seeing his brilliant seasonal beers like hot-cross-bun-in-a-glass Taieri George and the stunning collaboration ale RSB.

Thirdly - and the biggest plus for me - Emerson's will become a Lion beer. So, all those pubs which have contracts with Lion (I'm looking at you The Celtic Inn) will hopefully be able to stock Emerson's without hiding it out back or behind frosted glass. And even have it on tap! Fresh Emerson's Pilsner omnomnomnom!!!

So, to sum up this short blog post - pull your bloody head in! Be excited for Richard and the team! More people will get to drink the amazing beer they make, and that can only be a good thing.

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