Pressure.

So, this is a bit pre-mature since I can't read the whole article without ponying up to the Wall Street Journal but, apparently, A-B (our favorite Goliath) means to somehow manipulate the distribution system in order to move more product.

When they started buying up craft breweries (Goose Island, Blue Point, Elysian, etc.) I had a gut feeling this might happen.  But those in the industry posited that aybe, just maybe, they were simply bolstering their portfolios. 

Macro sales are decliing.  Craft sales are surging.  Instead of trying to learn how to do it like craft brewers, they just bought up some crafties and turned them loose under their banner. There.  Now they've got a stake in the game.  Now they can have a pice of the tasty, tasty #craftbeer pie.  That's fair, isn't it?

Yes.  Until they pull shit like this.

I can see the rep leaning on a distro's counter, staring at him menacingly in a Good Fellas kinda way.

"If yous want more Elysian, I 'tink yous need to put more Bud and Lime-a-Rita in yer front winduss..."

But the good thing about that scenario is this:  There are tons of other great IPAs, stouts, craft brew out there.

If it came to that, I would hope the distro would sport a backbone and sacrifice the Elysian (say) for the ability to place his inventory how and where they want.  I would hope too that the craftbeer community would be understanding and willing to switch up brands for the sake to supporting their distro and the craft breweries who have remained independent.

It's be very interesting to see how this all shakes out.