The Sacramento Area Brewers Guild, “a consumer compass for Sacramento area brewed beer”, vocally opposed last Thursday's opening of Golden RoadBrewing’s new Sacramento restaurant and beer garden. The guild argues that Golden Road Brewing was bought in September 2015 by beer behemoth AB InBev and can no longer be considered as a craft brewery according to the rules of America’s Brewers Association.
A statement of the guild, that was redistributed through several local craft breweries before the opening urged “all beer lovers to drink locally brewed craft beer – not the faux ‘craft’ beer that has infiltrated our neighborhood.” And the statement went on: “Golden Road, and their parent company, Anheuser Busch In-Bev, owners of Budweiserand other ‘Big Beer’ brands, is the antithesis of local, slow, craft and independent. On top of that, the planned grand opening of Golden Road is intentionally set for the same day that local, independent Sacramento area brewers will be having their kickoff event for Sacramento Beer Week, a celebration of craft beer in Sacramento.”
The opening, however, did not seem to be impacted by the call for boycott. Golden Road posted a picture on Instagram of a crowded outdoor patio on the opening evening and enthusiastic comments of visitors in social media indicated a successful start of the restaurant.
