Anheuser-Busch InBev announced today the acquisition of its ninth craft brewery, Karbach Brewing Company in Texas.
The deal was announced just two months after the U.S. Department of Justice closed its antitrust investigation following the AB acquisition of Devil Backbone Brewing. The DOJ stated at that time that they would “scrutinize any future craft acquisitions.”
Karbach Brewing produces about 55,000 barrels last year and was forecasted to grow 40-45% in 2016 which could put them close to 80,000 bbls next year after just 80,000 bbls after just seven years of business, and all of that is just in Texas. The company does not sell any beer outside its home state.
Karbach was founded in 2011 by industry veterans Ken Goodman, Chuck Robertson and Eric Wallace. Goodman and Robertson owned the well-known craft beer distributorship C.R. Goodman and the craft import company Belukus Marketing. The two just sold C.R. Goodman to Breakthru Beverage Group two months ago. Wallace is a longtime brewer in the industry who originally came from Tabernash Brewing.
After AB’s first craft acquisition in 2011, Chicago’s Goose Island, they have since covered the country by buying 10 Barrel and Elysian in the Pacific Northwest, Golden Road in California, Breckenridge in Colorado, Four Peaks in Arizona and Blue Point in the Northeast.