(Washington, DC) – Earlier today, Flying Dog Brewery DC sales rep, Tommy Hunter, took to Twitter alleging that MillerCoors paid off a bar to put Pilsner Urquell on tap over one of Flying Dog’s beers.
The payola issue has largely been a behind-closed-doors topic of discussion though Crain’s Business did a full investigation of the issue in the Chicago market in 2010. Just as many questions surround why industry people aren’t more vocal about this issue than the alleged practice itself.
Regardless of the truth behind Hunter’s allegations today, after the post went up, we had a nice little discussion on Twitter today.
@StoneBrewingNE
jeff nelson
“@beerpulse: Flying Dog rep alleges @MillerCoors is guilty of DC bar tap line payola http://t.co/qXvy8jfs #craftbeer #beer” say it ain’t so!
February 7, 2012 5:50 pm
@justingaynor
Justin Gaynor
@ToddFromSaranac funny stuff RT @beerpulse: Flying Dog rep alleges @MillerCoors is guilty of DC bar tap line payola http://t.co/Qr77DbSY
@ToddFromSaranac
Todd Rivers
@justingaynor i believe it, big beer = big budget. DC is like the wild west with alcohol laws too.
@indiealehouse
The Indie Alehouse
Can’t wait for someone to look into TO biz.Flying Dog rep alleges MillerCoors is guilty of DC bar tap line payola. http://t.co/YFeSrzh9
@BacklashBeer
Backlash
Classic. Big beer playing dirty, again. RT @beerpulse: Flying Dog rep alleges DC bar tap line payola http://t.co/y6PBpEKD” (cc @StoneGreg)
@StoneGreg
Greg Koch
Illegal shenanigans against #craftbeer? I’ll feign shock. RT @beerpulse: Flying Dog rep alleges DC bar tap line payola http://t.co/NXPWDbBw
@adamnason
Adam Nason /BeerNews
@StoneGreg do you think more brewer reps should be vocal on the issue like @flyingdogdc? BA & large crafts have resources to fight this, no?
@adamnason
Adam Nason /BeerNews
If tap line payola is as pervasive as many think it is, why don’t breweries ever pipe up about it? Taking a stand is only way you’ll curb it
@StoneGreg
Greg Koch
@adamnason Our ‘resources’are refusing to play illegal games & making tasty beer consumers actually want. Great craft WILL (eventually) win!
@StoneGreg
Greg Koch
@adamnason Yes, ethical brewers (which are most, by far) should always be vocal IMO. This is my contribution: http://t.co/1fYN73LA
@beerwars
Anat Baron
@adamnason Because in general small brewers are afraid to go up against their distributors!
@adamnason
Adam Nason /BeerNews
@beerwars micro/small craft, yes. BA & large craft rhetoric is “rising tide lifts all boats” if so, then sacrifice & be leaders on the issue
@beerwars
Anat Baron
@adamnason There is so much illegal stuff going on but no one would discuss it on camera while making the film.
@ToddAlstrom
Todd Alström
@beerwars @adamnason Yep. Tons of illegal activity and tons of it occuring at the #craftbeer level. No one talks as many benefit from it.
@beermonkey
Scott Metzger
@SteinerRecliner
Andy Stein
@beermonkey @stonegreg naive to think that his beers havent benefited from being in “big beer” houses and the marketing dollars they spend?
@beermonkey
Scott Metzger
@SteinerRecliner @stonegreg not sure I follow your comment, but my point is that all players should act ethically l, or at least legally
@SteinerRecliner
Andy Stein
@beermonkey @stonegreg i agree. I need more info from @flyingdogdc bc maybe his beer wasnt targeted, just happened to be the one taken off.
@beermonkey
Scott Metzger
@SteinerRecliner @stonegreg @flyingdogdc don’t know much about that particular case, just know Payola WAY too prevalent in the biz
@CavalierBeerIN
Mat Gerdenich
@adamnason
Adam Nason /BeerNews
@CavalierBeerIN when they determine that illegal activity has taken place after it has been brought to their attention :S @beerwars
@CavalierBeerIN
Mat Gerdenich
@adamnason not in agreement that brewers & distributors need to bring bogus activity to their attention. Not all rumors I hear are true
@adamnason
Adam Nason /BeerNews
@CavalierBeerIN if it’s bogus, of course they shouldn’t. agree there is a valid question of how many resources to devote to investigating.
@BigSkyJojo
Joe Petrilli
Plenty of craft breweries do it. Unfortunate but true RT @beerpulse Industry weighs in on draft line payola issue on Twitter bit.ly/xT3yAW
@beerspeaks
Mike Reis
@adamnason agree with the previous replies. Also, ratting out your accounts is a quick way to earn a bad reputation. Bars are incestuous.
@EvilGeniusTrev
Trevor Hayward
@adamnason It’s not just the breweries doing this, a lot of the wholesalers are just as bad. We’re lucky to be with one with more ethics…
@ShangysPhilly
Cameron Saunders
@FlyingDogDC Quite a little ruckus you’ve stirred up today. Good for you! I’m a rep up in Philly for a Flying Dog wholesaler. Love FD!
@ThBlackSquirrel
The Black Squirrel
.@FlyingDogDC is a truth-teller. Follow him for the scoop. & drink his beer.
@KnuckleHeadDC
Dave Coleman
Y’all see @FlyingDogDC kicking up some dust today? Bringing the all too common practice of pay to play to light on twitter. #championoffacts
Photo Credit: horiavarlan on Flickr (via Creative Commons)
I am extremely intrigued by all of this. It is hard to speak up sometimes as the little guy at the risk of pissing off retailers, those badly needed sales. Coors distribution carries flying dog in Colorado, I would like to know if Coors pays for FG to stay placed in the Colorado local shelves. This goes on way too much in bars and stores
From what I’ve heard from my sales reps, AB InBev was all around Indy dropping some decent money trying to get extra Bud/Bud Light lines in bars near Lucas Oil.
I’ve heard upwards of $4k a line, but I imagine that may be inflation for the sake of a story.
@GoobVonNasty, I wouldn’t put it past AB. After all, they are the “official” sponsor for the NFL, so I’m sure the brewery and local distributor was under a substantial amount of pressure to get some lines in bars.
Unfortunately, this happens in all states. The big boys will pay to play, and can sweep something like that under the rug, and nobody would bat an eyelash. I would hate to say the liquor control just looks the other way, but it certainly appears that way in some cases.
Tommy Hunter must be living under a rock on in a cave!
I am a native of Los Angeles and live in the San Fernando Valley, where Bud and Miller; in nearby Azuza, operate brewing & distributing for So Cal and surrounding areas.
It is has been long known that; particularly Bud, conducts many types of “payola” for many many years. Even more “under handed” tactics have been known but never 100% proven at the hands of the sales reps. Tactics like puncturing lines from kegs, switching lines to their product, just to name two.
They do the same payola thing in Liqour stores. millercoors package is at a better price in a good spot in the store? AB offers up a buck a case off or a bulk discount and magically their stuff is in the best spot in the store, and their shit is cheaper. This is usually forced upon the retailer to save their own asses.
The little guys can complain about this till their heads’ spin, but those big breweries are huge contributors in the political world for a reason.
I’ve seen it everywhere in my home market from breweries large and small.. Even Stone, sorry Greg! Want it to stop? Urge the ATF to level the playing field for real and enforce the laws against it. This includes card swiping, employees giving their allotment up, and every other trick you could conceive.. Until then, it’s going to happen.
I’ve been on both sides. I’ve been a rep at a big domestic distributor and am now a rep at a smaller strictly craft distributor. I guess I was on the lucky end because both distributors that I worked for had a very ethical stand on ‘no illegal activity’. We got all of our handles through legal processes. However, our competitors did not have the same stance. It’s extremely prevalent every where I go and I am currently in my third market in 5 years.
Every AB wholesaler I worked for has been ethical but I can’t say the same for the so called craft distributors and their brewery reps.
Burt, I wish I could say the same. But I know for a FACT that the AB wholesaler in my state, does a lot of shady business with bars, restaurants and retailers. From $$ to concert tickets and much more.
The problem with the craft beer side bitching about big-beer payola, is that the payola is usually coming from THEIR distributor! Meaning, many craft breweries are distributed by AB / MillerCoors houses. So speaking up can cost your brewery dearly, as well as your job.
Is it worth pointing out that this sort of practice goes on and is legal in nearly every other business outside of beer?
It’s 100% legal in my state for liquor and wine and let’s not even get started with what goes on in pharmaceuticals, main grocery, etc
Is it bad to have a budget for this type of business?
Shouldn’t the onus be on the bar/restaurant/beer shop to have enough integrity to say “NO!”?
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