Dean McGuinness
@beermessiah.bsky.social
Beer Sommelier, Beer Importer, Beer Judge, Brewer, Beer Broadcaster on Moncrieff's Movies and Booze on NewstalkFM (www.newstalk.com) Fridays 3pm to 4pm ...
.. and, I'm Irish
I like Beer (in a not-Justice Brett Kavanaugh kind of way)
.. and, I'm Irish
I like Beer (in a not-Justice Brett Kavanaugh kind of way)
Rather, the really successful craft brewers let the seeds planted as a result of their passion generate enough money to allow them to flourish.
(32/32)
(32/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Rather, the really successful craft brewers let the seeds planted as a result of their passion generate enough money to allow them to flourish.
(32/32)
(32/32)
Passion for beer is important in craft breweries, but money is also necessary.
The really successful breweries do not let money over-shadow their passion.
(31/32)
The really successful breweries do not let money over-shadow their passion.
(31/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Passion for beer is important in craft breweries, but money is also necessary.
The really successful breweries do not let money over-shadow their passion.
(31/32)
The really successful breweries do not let money over-shadow their passion.
(31/32)
Ultimately, by trying to be too big, too quickly, they ran out of money.
They fell into a trap often tempting to craft brewers - where size, volumes and speed to succeed become more important than establishing sufficient foundations first.
(30/32)
They fell into a trap often tempting to craft brewers - where size, volumes and speed to succeed become more important than establishing sufficient foundations first.
(30/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Ultimately, by trying to be too big, too quickly, they ran out of money.
They fell into a trap often tempting to craft brewers - where size, volumes and speed to succeed become more important than establishing sufficient foundations first.
(30/32)
They fell into a trap often tempting to craft brewers - where size, volumes and speed to succeed become more important than establishing sufficient foundations first.
(30/32)
The people at Killarney Brewing and Distilling (also mentioned in the article) had ambitious plans.
Where other breweries with less extensive ambitions, and less urgency to expand, have been extremely successful, Killarney also had bad luck with the timing of Covid.
(29/32)
Where other breweries with less extensive ambitions, and less urgency to expand, have been extremely successful, Killarney also had bad luck with the timing of Covid.
(29/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:52 AM
The people at Killarney Brewing and Distilling (also mentioned in the article) had ambitious plans.
Where other breweries with less extensive ambitions, and less urgency to expand, have been extremely successful, Killarney also had bad luck with the timing of Covid.
(29/32)
Where other breweries with less extensive ambitions, and less urgency to expand, have been extremely successful, Killarney also had bad luck with the timing of Covid.
(29/32)
They did everything right at Black Donkey - innovating, pioneering and exploring and extending quality in the beers they brewed.
Without the timing of Covid, and with less regulatory hassle and/or more support, I'm convinced they would have continued successfully.
(28/32)
Without the timing of Covid, and with less regulatory hassle and/or more support, I'm convinced they would have continued successfully.
(28/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:52 AM
They did everything right at Black Donkey - innovating, pioneering and exploring and extending quality in the beers they brewed.
Without the timing of Covid, and with less regulatory hassle and/or more support, I'm convinced they would have continued successfully.
(28/32)
Without the timing of Covid, and with less regulatory hassle and/or more support, I'm convinced they would have continued successfully.
(28/32)
It can also happen with breweries that do everything correctly.
Sometimes passion for excellent beer is just not enough.
Richard Siberry, brewer at Black Donkey (also in the article), and his brewery co-founder Michaela Dillon have great passion for excellent beers.
(27/32)
Sometimes passion for excellent beer is just not enough.
Richard Siberry, brewer at Black Donkey (also in the article), and his brewery co-founder Michaela Dillon have great passion for excellent beers.
(27/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:51 AM
It can also happen with breweries that do everything correctly.
Sometimes passion for excellent beer is just not enough.
Richard Siberry, brewer at Black Donkey (also in the article), and his brewery co-founder Michaela Dillon have great passion for excellent beers.
(27/32)
Sometimes passion for excellent beer is just not enough.
Richard Siberry, brewer at Black Donkey (also in the article), and his brewery co-founder Michaela Dillon have great passion for excellent beers.
(27/32)
There are some breweries that have closed because not all breweries can get all that is necessary right.
Just like with restaurants and the food in a restaurant, this can happen with a brewery if the quality of the beers brewed is not consistently excellent.
(26/32)
Just like with restaurants and the food in a restaurant, this can happen with a brewery if the quality of the beers brewed is not consistently excellent.
(26/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:50 AM
There are some breweries that have closed because not all breweries can get all that is necessary right.
Just like with restaurants and the food in a restaurant, this can happen with a brewery if the quality of the beers brewed is not consistently excellent.
(26/32)
Just like with restaurants and the food in a restaurant, this can happen with a brewery if the quality of the beers brewed is not consistently excellent.
(26/32)
The reality of the craft beer market in Ireland is there are still many people in Ireland buying and drinking hundreds of thousands of pints/bottles/cans of craft beer.
People still enjoy excellent beer, and breweries brewing excellent beer are still doing very well.
(25/32)
People still enjoy excellent beer, and breweries brewing excellent beer are still doing very well.
(25/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:49 AM
The reality of the craft beer market in Ireland is there are still many people in Ireland buying and drinking hundreds of thousands of pints/bottles/cans of craft beer.
People still enjoy excellent beer, and breweries brewing excellent beer are still doing very well.
(25/32)
People still enjoy excellent beer, and breweries brewing excellent beer are still doing very well.
(25/32)
And/or …
(If they did, or either way), this was not sufficient to allow the Franciscan Well to sell enough beer to meet Molson Coors volume and financial expectations.
(24/32)
(If they did, or either way), this was not sufficient to allow the Franciscan Well to sell enough beer to meet Molson Coors volume and financial expectations.
(24/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:49 AM
And/or …
(If they did, or either way), this was not sufficient to allow the Franciscan Well to sell enough beer to meet Molson Coors volume and financial expectations.
(24/32)
(If they did, or either way), this was not sufficient to allow the Franciscan Well to sell enough beer to meet Molson Coors volume and financial expectations.
(24/32)
What I can say for definite is -
Either …
Molson Coors DID NOT allow the Franciscan Well employees enough leeway to allow their passion for beer to dictate the success of the brewery,
(23/32)
Either …
Molson Coors DID NOT allow the Franciscan Well employees enough leeway to allow their passion for beer to dictate the success of the brewery,
(23/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:48 AM
What I can say for definite is -
Either …
Molson Coors DID NOT allow the Franciscan Well employees enough leeway to allow their passion for beer to dictate the success of the brewery,
(23/32)
Either …
Molson Coors DID NOT allow the Franciscan Well employees enough leeway to allow their passion for beer to dictate the success of the brewery,
(23/32)
Answering this second question in a round about way -
It's easier for a small company with excellent beers to sell enough volume to do well ...
... than it is for a beer brand owned by a large corporation to generate the much higher sales volumes that company expects.
(22/32)
It's easier for a small company with excellent beers to sell enough volume to do well ...
... than it is for a beer brand owned by a large corporation to generate the much higher sales volumes that company expects.
(22/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Answering this second question in a round about way -
It's easier for a small company with excellent beers to sell enough volume to do well ...
... than it is for a beer brand owned by a large corporation to generate the much higher sales volumes that company expects.
(22/32)
It's easier for a small company with excellent beers to sell enough volume to do well ...
... than it is for a beer brand owned by a large corporation to generate the much higher sales volumes that company expects.
(22/32)
I wasn’t on the inside, so I can’t honestly answer this question.
A second question - even if Molson Coors did give this level of freedom, would it have been sufficient to allow them to sell enough to meet Molson Coors financial and volume expectations?
(21/32)
A second question - even if Molson Coors did give this level of freedom, would it have been sufficient to allow them to sell enough to meet Molson Coors financial and volume expectations?
(21/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:47 AM
I wasn’t on the inside, so I can’t honestly answer this question.
A second question - even if Molson Coors did give this level of freedom, would it have been sufficient to allow them to sell enough to meet Molson Coors financial and volume expectations?
(21/32)
A second question - even if Molson Coors did give this level of freedom, would it have been sufficient to allow them to sell enough to meet Molson Coors financial and volume expectations?
(21/32)
The people that I know connected to Franciscan Well were passionate about beer.
Question - did Molson Coors allow them to pursue this passion with enough leeway to allow this passion to dictate the success of the brewery …
… or were spreadsheets more important?
(20/32)
Question - did Molson Coors allow them to pursue this passion with enough leeway to allow this passion to dictate the success of the brewery …
… or were spreadsheets more important?
(20/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:47 AM
The people that I know connected to Franciscan Well were passionate about beer.
Question - did Molson Coors allow them to pursue this passion with enough leeway to allow this passion to dictate the success of the brewery …
… or were spreadsheets more important?
(20/32)
Question - did Molson Coors allow them to pursue this passion with enough leeway to allow this passion to dictate the success of the brewery …
… or were spreadsheets more important?
(20/32)
Btw, I am very sorry to hear this news in the context of the 15 people whose jobs are in question. I don’t know all of these people, but I do know some of them.
I wish them the best, and hope things work out well for them.
(19/32)
I wish them the best, and hope things work out well for them.
(19/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Btw, I am very sorry to hear this news in the context of the 15 people whose jobs are in question. I don’t know all of these people, but I do know some of them.
I wish them the best, and hope things work out well for them.
(19/32)
I wish them the best, and hope things work out well for them.
(19/32)
The closure of the Franciscan Well doesn’t really say anything about the craft beer market.
(18/32)
(18/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:46 AM
The closure of the Franciscan Well doesn’t really say anything about the craft beer market.
(18/32)
(18/32)
What does the closure of the Franciscan Well say about anything?
It says Molson Coors was not able to manage/develop a beer brand that they wanted to compete against craft beers such that it would sell enough volume to satisfy their expectations/financial targets.
(17/32)
It says Molson Coors was not able to manage/develop a beer brand that they wanted to compete against craft beers such that it would sell enough volume to satisfy their expectations/financial targets.
(17/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:46 AM
What does the closure of the Franciscan Well say about anything?
It says Molson Coors was not able to manage/develop a beer brand that they wanted to compete against craft beers such that it would sell enough volume to satisfy their expectations/financial targets.
(17/32)
It says Molson Coors was not able to manage/develop a beer brand that they wanted to compete against craft beers such that it would sell enough volume to satisfy their expectations/financial targets.
(17/32)
However, when a beer brand is owned by a company that pays its top management tens or hundreds of times what it pays its median employee, volume expectations are greater.
The simple truth is that the Franciscan Well beers did not meet THESE volume expectations.
(16/32)
The simple truth is that the Franciscan Well beers did not meet THESE volume expectations.
(16/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:45 AM
However, when a beer brand is owned by a company that pays its top management tens or hundreds of times what it pays its median employee, volume expectations are greater.
The simple truth is that the Franciscan Well beers did not meet THESE volume expectations.
(16/32)
The simple truth is that the Franciscan Well beers did not meet THESE volume expectations.
(16/32)
There are two sides to this question.
Undoubtedly, there were a number of people in Ireland that enjoyed drinking Franciscan Well beers.
Smaller Breweries can do quite well on relatively small volumes of sales.
(15/32)
Undoubtedly, there were a number of people in Ireland that enjoyed drinking Franciscan Well beers.
Smaller Breweries can do quite well on relatively small volumes of sales.
(15/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:45 AM
There are two sides to this question.
Undoubtedly, there were a number of people in Ireland that enjoyed drinking Franciscan Well beers.
Smaller Breweries can do quite well on relatively small volumes of sales.
(15/32)
Undoubtedly, there were a number of people in Ireland that enjoyed drinking Franciscan Well beers.
Smaller Breweries can do quite well on relatively small volumes of sales.
(15/32)
In mid 2024, Molson Coors made an agreement for Heineken to distribute Molson Coors brands in Ireland.
The issue for the Franciscan Well brand became - is the quality/reputation of the (Franciscan Well) beers sufficient to allow them to meet Molson Coors expectations?
(14/32)
The issue for the Franciscan Well brand became - is the quality/reputation of the (Franciscan Well) beers sufficient to allow them to meet Molson Coors expectations?
(14/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:44 AM
In mid 2024, Molson Coors made an agreement for Heineken to distribute Molson Coors brands in Ireland.
The issue for the Franciscan Well brand became - is the quality/reputation of the (Franciscan Well) beers sufficient to allow them to meet Molson Coors expectations?
(14/32)
The issue for the Franciscan Well brand became - is the quality/reputation of the (Franciscan Well) beers sufficient to allow them to meet Molson Coors expectations?
(14/32)
The truth of the situation about Molson Coors is that Molson set up a distribution operation for Molson Coors brands about thirteen years ago.
This operation (I understand) lost money virtually every year, and was bank-rolled annually by Molson Coors Corporation.
(13/32)
This operation (I understand) lost money virtually every year, and was bank-rolled annually by Molson Coors Corporation.
(13/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:44 AM
The truth of the situation about Molson Coors is that Molson set up a distribution operation for Molson Coors brands about thirteen years ago.
This operation (I understand) lost money virtually every year, and was bank-rolled annually by Molson Coors Corporation.
(13/32)
This operation (I understand) lost money virtually every year, and was bank-rolled annually by Molson Coors Corporation.
(13/32)
The second part of the quote is notable honesty from Molson Coors - namely, that the Franciscan Well is closing due to “... wider economic pressures.”
Economics - i.e. financial concerns - is the PRIMARY driver of large corporations.
(12/32)
Economics - i.e. financial concerns - is the PRIMARY driver of large corporations.
(12/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:43 AM
The second part of the quote is notable honesty from Molson Coors - namely, that the Franciscan Well is closing due to “... wider economic pressures.”
Economics - i.e. financial concerns - is the PRIMARY driver of large corporations.
(12/32)
Economics - i.e. financial concerns - is the PRIMARY driver of large corporations.
(12/32)
, we can apply the same logic to Molson Coors and the Franciscan Well.
Molson Coors is most definitely NOT a craft brewery.
Franciscan Well was a craft beer. The brand name was purchased by Molson Coors to attach to beers brewed by the Molson Coors Corporation.
(11/32)
Molson Coors is most definitely NOT a craft brewery.
Franciscan Well was a craft beer. The brand name was purchased by Molson Coors to attach to beers brewed by the Molson Coors Corporation.
(11/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:42 AM
, we can apply the same logic to Molson Coors and the Franciscan Well.
Molson Coors is most definitely NOT a craft brewery.
Franciscan Well was a craft beer. The brand name was purchased by Molson Coors to attach to beers brewed by the Molson Coors Corporation.
(11/32)
Molson Coors is most definitely NOT a craft brewery.
Franciscan Well was a craft beer. The brand name was purchased by Molson Coors to attach to beers brewed by the Molson Coors Corporation.
(11/32)
Btw, Monster Beverage Corporation also purchased craft beer brands as a financial investment decision - like Molson Coors purchase the Franciscan Well brand.
Here is some news about Monster's craft beer investments -
www.fooddive.com/news/weekly-....
(10/32)
Here is some news about Monster's craft beer investments -
www.fooddive.com/news/weekly-....
(10/32)
The Weekly Sip: Monster shuts down craft beer plant amid alcohol woes | Jamba Juice gets into powdered hydration
In other beverage news, Ryl Tea raised $15 million in its latest funding round with the help of its country star co-founder Morgan Wallen.
www.fooddive.com
November 23, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Btw, Monster Beverage Corporation also purchased craft beer brands as a financial investment decision - like Molson Coors purchase the Franciscan Well brand.
Here is some news about Monster's craft beer investments -
www.fooddive.com/news/weekly-....
(10/32)
Here is some news about Monster's craft beer investments -
www.fooddive.com/news/weekly-....
(10/32)
A second quote from the article giving an opinion as to whether BBC is a craft brewery or not -
“... the business (Boston Beer Co - BBC) is a craft brewer in the same sense that IHOP (the International House of Pancakes) is a hamburger restaurant.”
“... the business (Boston Beer Co - BBC) is a craft brewer in the same sense that IHOP (the International House of Pancakes) is a hamburger restaurant.”
November 23, 2025 at 10:41 AM
A second quote from the article giving an opinion as to whether BBC is a craft brewery or not -
“... the business (Boston Beer Co - BBC) is a craft brewer in the same sense that IHOP (the International House of Pancakes) is a hamburger restaurant.”
“... the business (Boston Beer Co - BBC) is a craft brewer in the same sense that IHOP (the International House of Pancakes) is a hamburger restaurant.”
So - a follow-on question.
Does it look like Boston Beer Company (or, alternatively, Monster Beverage Corporation) is a craft brewery?
IMHO, it depends on whether you believe the company is more passionate about beer or money.
(08/32)
Does it look like Boston Beer Company (or, alternatively, Monster Beverage Corporation) is a craft brewery?
IMHO, it depends on whether you believe the company is more passionate about beer or money.
(08/32)
November 23, 2025 at 10:41 AM
So - a follow-on question.
Does it look like Boston Beer Company (or, alternatively, Monster Beverage Corporation) is a craft brewery?
IMHO, it depends on whether you believe the company is more passionate about beer or money.
(08/32)
Does it look like Boston Beer Company (or, alternatively, Monster Beverage Corporation) is a craft brewery?
IMHO, it depends on whether you believe the company is more passionate about beer or money.
(08/32)