If there’s anything the Pacific Northwest loves—besides rain, flannel, and the satisfying sense of superiority—it’s craft beer, the unique, sturdy brew that reflects the history and agriculture of where it’s made and is painstakingly created at independently owned and operated breweries. In Portland, we’re lucky: As one of America’s first craft beer hotspots, the city is drenched with the stuff.
But even in this wondrous beer utopia, it’s harder than one would expect to find truly independent breweries. Figuring out if a pint comes from a hard-working local brewer or a multinational conglomerate can be a labyrinthine process that requires both a love of beer and a degree in economics.
(I have the former. The latter, not so much.)
To know who’s getting your money when you buy a beer, one first has to know about Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), the all-powerful Thanos of the beer industry that, with the snap of its fat fingers, can change everything. Well, for beer drinkers, at least.
