1 Matching Annotations
  1. Apr 2016
    1. My friends here who started a micro-brewery tell stories that when they were starting, the other micro-breweries in the region did not seem them as a threat/competition, and in fact, offered advice, equipment, supplies. The people who do this stuff see it as a net gain for everyone if someone can help raise the regional interest in craft beer; if everyone grows more customers, everyone wins. It’s not a tech startup mentality.

      Craft beer is a fascinating world, partly because of this approach to sharing. Much of the so-called “Craft Beer Revolution” happened through homebrewers who were sharing tips and recipes online (not to mention ingredients and samples offline). The idea, in many an indie/craft scene, is that the out-group is the Mainstream. Very similar story among owners of Third Wave cafés. Of course, there are differences. But still… When you have a “common enemy” (Anheuser-Busch, Starbucks, McGraw-Hill…), it’s much easier to grow together.