Jacob Laxen

jlaxen@coloradoan.com

A total of 14 craft breweries split from the Colorado Brewers Guild last Friday to form a new trade advocacy organization.

And members of the newly formed Craft Beer Colorado are citing AB-InBev’s voting power as a main reason in the decision to leave the Guild.

The Belgium-based Budweiser parent company acquired Breckenridge Brewery in December. Todd Usry of Breckenridge Brewery is listed as a 2015-16 board member for the Colorado Brewers Guild.

“We felt if we are going to be a craft brewers guild, then there really isn’t any place for international mega-brewers in our organization,” said Doug Odell, founder of Odell Brewing Co.

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Odell was charter member of the Colorado Brewers Guild when it formed in 1996. The current Guild, which has more than 200 members, didn’t respond to requests to be interviewed.

“Our industry has matured in a hurry,” Odell said. “I think we were all very ignorant and not terribly sophisticated back then (in 1996) both in our business practices and our approach to proaction.

“We all hope that once again in the future there can be a unified voice and single organization representing Colorado craft beer.”

Doug’s wife Wynne resigned from her position on the Colorado Brewers Guild board. So did Brad Lincoln of Fort Collins’ Funkwerks brewery.

“Large breweries (like AB-InBev) have a lot of advantages,” Lincoln said. “They have purchasing power and there’s challenges with access to the market.

“We want a voice for the independent brewers.”

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Also joining the new Craft Beer Colorado were New Belgium of Fort Collins; Grimm Brothers Brewhouse of Loveland; Oskar Blues Brewing, Left Hand Brewing and Wibby Brewing of Longmont; Epic Brewing, TRVE Brewing, Renegade Brewing and Great Divide Brewing of Denver; Bristol Brewing of Colorado Springs; Mountain Sun Brewing of Boulder; and 4 Noses Brewing of Broomfield.

New Belgium, Odell, Oskar Blues and Left Hand are considered Colorado’s four largest craft beer producers by the Brewers Association.

"We hope any brewer in our state seeking industry representation will consider becoming supporting members as well,” said Bryan Simpson of New Belgium Brewing in a statement.

Added Emily Armstrong in a Left Hand Brewing press release on the move: “We are excited to be part of a new organization that strives to protect and promote Colorado craft beer, fostering inclusivity, transparency, and proactivity.”

Weist Capitol Group, a lobbying firm, also left the Colorado Brewers Guild to represent the new Craft Beer Colorado.

“I think the approach (by Colorado Brewers Guild) at the state capital was extremely conservative,” said Laura Long of Weist Capitol Group. “We had taken the back seat on a lot of issues ... It was time to go with a new organization that has a proactive focus and new bylaws.”

Follow Jake Laxen on Twitter and Instagram @jacoblaxen.

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