PostScript: That mysterious voice you hear is an interview with Anat where she discusses the film [embedded at the bottom of the page].
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Laid low by a cold, I finally had the time to screen the Beer Wars preview DVD that was sent my way.
Over all I liked the concept of the documentary, but it had many flaws which could not be dismissed.
The biggest flaw, was the insistence of Anat Baron (Writer, Producer, Director) of including herself in the movie – both as a person of interest and as the narrator. Her brief stint at the head of Mike’s Lemonade was reason for her to time and time again remind the viewer that she was formerly “in the beer industry”. Worse, her shrill nasal tones were totally inappropriate as the narrator. Anat has definitely taken a page from the pseudo-documentary style of Michael Moore – to the detriment of her film.
The film is only 90 minutes, but drags on as she revists several topics and an extended history of beer in America before getting to the focus of the film (almost by accident) focusing on 2 protagonists: Sam Calagione (Founder of Dogfish Head) and Rhonda Kallman, (Co-founder of Sam Adams beer and founder of MoonShot). Yes, other brewers of renown make appearances (Greg Koch of Stone, Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn) but the film focuses on these two as they toil, David & Goliath style) against the big boys.
The problem with these protagonists and their stories is that after 10 years, Dogfish Head is doing pretty well – despite the Goliaths of the world eating up all of Kroger’s display space.
The story of Kallman’s Moonshot has all sorts of problems. Baron focuses on Kallman’s success in establishing Sam Adams – and how she has created a “category making beer”.
The problem is that Kallman’s product is a caffeinated beer – and the fact that there may not be a market for such a product is largely ignored. It also seems a stretch to put Moonshot into the “Craft Beer category” since it seems to:
a. Only have caffeine as it’s differentiator and
b. Be a contract beer. (A contract beer is a beer that is made to order by another brewery).
I make this assumption because that’s how Sam Adams started, no mention of a Moonshot brewery is ever made – nor do we ever see Kallman at a brewery – instead we see her hoofing her beer from bar to bar; wearing tight clothes and chatting up guys.
The reason behind Moonshot’s lack of success is obvious and apparent to any and all…and has nothing to do with the existing of market controlling giants. It seems to me, an insult to Stone & Dogfish to include Moonshot in the story as one of the “Davids”. Yes, in 2004 Budweiser did introduce an energy Beer (the horribly named “B to the E”)…but I would believe it was to kowtow to the energy drink craze – and not as a direct response to Moonshot. Both drinks were released within weeks of each other in 2004.
It also shows the datedness of the documentary, a good deal of the content is from 2004 [Ed. Note: Per Anat's comment, she points out that she did not start filming until "Late 2005" - per my comment, the editing of the documentary does not make that clear, I apologize for this erroneous information] – before the economic melt-down.
But all is not bad.
The best parts of the documentary are when Baron exposes the fraudulent labeling of various “Micro-breweries” such as the fictitious “Green Valley Brewing Company” in Fairfield, CA which is, in fact one of the many giant Budweiser plants.
Baron also explains the origins of the three-tier system quite well, but loses a great opportunity to make a case against it, when she switches the story to Wholesaler/Distributors in almost a fawning manner.
Beer lovers will enjoy the film – especially for it’s brief cameo by the much loved Beer Hunter Michael Jackson – but as a David & Goliath story and a clear picture of the variety of craft breweries across the US (and the fantastic work they are doing despite monopolistic practices), this documentary falls short.
Not enough Business, not enough Beer and an incredibly grating voice-over.
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data="http://www.thenewsroom.com/mash/swf/cube.swf?a=V3673099&m=723917">
Kevin:
Sorry you think I’m shrill and a bad narrator.
You may want to do some fact checking.
The film never calls Moonshot a craft beer. Rhonda is an independent brewer, like Yuengling.
The film does show Rhonda in her (contract) brewery.
And I did not start filming until late 2005. I’m not sure what footage you saw from 2004.
Documentaries are always dated. They’re not news but a look back. And forward.
The three-tier system is all about wholesalers/distributors so not sure what your issues are there.
Hi Anat,
Thanks for the clarification AND your input.
What do you want me to say “Sorry I found you shrill?”
Re:2004
At about 46 minutes in, the documentary MAKES IT APPEAR that “B to the E” was introduced as a response to Rhonda’s ground-breaking caffeinated beer – and that that introduction took place during the course of the documentary. “B to the E” was introduced in October 2004.
Taken in terms of viewing a documentary of when it APPEARS to have been made – by the situations the documentarian focuses on – you can see my confusion regarding my assumption the the documentary was spending a lot of time in 2004.
This is the problem (by no means specific to you) with documentarians doing multi-year documentaries but editing the film in a way that makes the timeline difficult to follow – because by minute 50 – you’ve moved to May 2006 with the Rolling Rock sale to AB.
Regarding Independent vs. Craft. In my book one must have a brewery in order to be called a brewer. I would happily refer to Rhonda as an independent Marketer…but not an independent brewer. Sorry, I’m a stickler like that!
And sorry I missed the scene where Rhonda is in a brewery. When I reviewed the film again, I see her in her house; in bars; in retailers. Didn’t see anything in a brewery.
Is the definition of “Independent” a brewery that is not owned or associated with the big 3/2?
The three tier system is about production; wholesale/distribution; and retail being separate – and not about the middle tier as you assert.
ANYWAY. I maintain that Rhonda was not the best subject to focus on as a protagonist
It wasn’t clear to me why Rhonda and Moonshot were even a major subject — except to be the failure counterpoint to Calagione’s success story. She isn’t brewing, and as you point out, she was simply a marketer with a product idea — and not a very good one. I would much rather have heard about micro-turned-macros like Pete’s or Redhook that saw their businesses implode after questionable expansions. As for the craft beer story, frankly I think American Beer was more fun and a better exploration.
As for the wholesale/distribution question, she made a good start at digging in to it. Unfortunately, too little was made of how fake micro brands play into the game, and too little was done with the lobbying influence held by the big 3/2 AND the distributors as connected entities. Same problem as Moore, actually: she stepped back when she should have skewered the subject.
This from Wine & Spirits Daily:
“FDA GIVES CAFFEINATED MALT BEVERAGE PRODUCERS 30 DAYS TO DEFEND THEIR PRODUCT
The FDA notified nearly 30 caffeinated malt beverage manufacturers, that it intends to look into the safety and legality of their products. The FDA has given them 30 days to provide evidence that the combination of caffeine and alcohol is safe at the urging of 19 state attorneys general.
Recall this is not the first time the FDA has targeted malt beverage producers for putting caffeine in their brands. Last year Miller Brewing Company and Anheuser-Busch complied with the FDA and agreed to remove caffeine from their respective products, Sparks and Tilt, and to not produce any caffeinated alcoholic beverages in the future. Just a few months ago the FDA went after Constellation’s Wide Eye caffeinated schnapps claiming its online advertising was “deceptive.” This took place after Constellation had already discontinued the product due to “limited commercial success.”
Now the FDA is targeting small independent companies such as Joose and Four Loko. If they fail to prove that caffeinated alcohol isn’t harmful to consumers, the FDA “will take appropriate action to ensure that the products are removed from the marketplace.”
So how does this apply to wine and spirits? As you know, there are many caffeinated spirits brands in the marketplace owned mainly by small, independent companies. Will the FDA target them next? Perhaps these malt beverage providers will find a way to prove that caffeine is not a harmful additive to alcohol. Nevertheless, we’ll be watching the current situation closely.”
The one part of the movie that really shows Rhonda as a marketer and not a brewer or lover of beer was when she meet with the venture capitalists to get financing. She showed up with a sixpack of moonshot and gave her pitch based on the marketability of a caffeinated beer. She then leaves the meeting with ALL 6 BOTTLES IN THE SIX PACK! What real brewer and aficionado of beer would try to sell his product without having the potential investors actually taste the beer? This shows me she is all about marketing and does not have a passion for beer and brewing that real craft brewers like Sam have.
I would have loved to see a Brewer like Shiner (Shiner, Tx) featured in the documentary. I have been trying to find Shiner, since it is one of my favorite beers, in bars/stores across the country. It hasn’t been until the past 6 years or so that I have seen it in places like Chicago and LA, where I had asked for it out of habit and met with a “say again” face. Hope they don’t get bought out like Rolling Rock, would really be a shame.
As a homebrewer for 20+ years, and big movie fan, it’s hard to express how excited I was for Beer Wars – and how immensely letdown I was. A bumbling bitter tragedy of execution.
There is such an exciting and amazing story left to be told about the burgeoning culture of craft beer, particularly on the US West Coast. What a missed opportunity – a complete “whiff” as far as I’m concerned.
She chose to create a self-focused resume (a Dog Fish love letter) with the journalistic integrity and perspective of a weasel – an East Coast weasel – an East Coast whiny Liberal weasel. It’s hard to imagine someone doing less with such a bountiful wide-open subject. Not to put too fine a point on it, but I actually hate that woman for her disservice to the craft of beer making.
The irony is that every bumbling lunge at the beer industry big 3 is matched shot for shot with envy and jealousy by the groveling new players who want nothing less. The movie is not about beer: it’s about the pangs of capitalism. The subject could just as easily have been “Shampoo Wars”.
When talking about movies I despise the term “compelling” (which should wholly be reserved for pornos), but this movie is actually anti-compelling – a turn-off – a dud – damaged goods – return to seller. Like a pallet of skunked Sierra Nevada sitting out in the heat by an ignorant and incompetent store manager.
Greatest beer movie ever made? No. But the movie had some strong points. Exploring craft beer was not one of them. However, introducing the evils of large beer companies to a larger audience was one and promoting Dogfish Head was another. Craftbeer lovers would enjoy a different movie more; but the filmmaker does not drink beer, so not a bad effort for a teetotaler.