That is, until I decided that it isn’t about the movie.
It is about the issues. I don’t think I always understand
my role as a blogger. I mean sometimes I wish I was like
the “real press”, meaning getting paid to do it I guess.
Other times I’m happy to just be one guy with his opinion.

To me, all this commotion, whether it be positive or
negative, is a measure of success for a documentary. It
gets us thinking. When we bloggers think, we start typing
soon after. My question is, “What now?” What issues
are worth doing something about and what will we do?

This is just getting silly. Beer and film (like all theatrical arts) are participatory. There is no film or beer without the audience. I did not see the movie as it was not available in my country but, like everyone else, I have every right and skill to describe by reactions to thing in pop culture. This movie was plainly aimed at a general audience given the 440 theater release and is about a pop culture subject matter. Moving this into an exclusive question about artistic merits that only a precious few can really grasp is, frankly, insulting.

Beer Bits 2 has a good write-up too:
http://beerbits2.blogspot.com/2009/04/participating-in-and-facilitating.html

Here is my own:
http://www.corebrewing.com/2009/04/beer-wars-movie-event-recap/

I want to do more to get the ball rolling in a positive directions for the craft beer industry. I’d like to see us bloggers start blogging about the real problem here. Maybe we start by blogging about this more often. Maybe get our local accounts of whats going on in the local super markets around our own towns. Maybe talk with local brewers and see what their biggest challenges are.

I attended the Beer-U, History of Stone Brewing and I remember that one of their biggest challenges was distribution. I even made note of it, because one day a group of friends and I would like to start a brewery and a brewpub.

Lets start now!

As a quasi-outsider, I’ve shared many of Amy S’ frustrations with the community of Beer-Bloggers these last few weeks.

I wish the beer blogs would focus on that instead of so much hate. I have a very negative impression of craft beer bloggers right now, especially having read 2 additional angry posts just now. Anything you can recommend to change the impression?

I am personally offended by the attacks on Rhonda and people recommending to chop her out of the movie. Where does that self righteousness come from? Would you tell an author to cut a character out of his book? And, I am sorry all the noise about $15 – give me a break. This is absolutely baffling. I feel like I’ve entered a new world that I don’t care for at all. It’s creepy and feels a bit “cultish” to say the least – wasn’t the film was more for people like me than people who are in the industry? Now, I feel like it’s an insider community. Are people not happy to know that someone like me wants to try to craft beer? Wasn’t the message (that I loved), vote with your wallet? I am so glad I discovered your blog and found some reasonable people.

Ok, I am going back to the mainstream where people seem to be a bit less critical and don’t use blogging as a weapon but a way to facilitate dialogue.

Well it certainly matters to me, and I suspect it will ultimately matter to everyone else in the craft beer segment of the industry. That’s exactly the kind of results I had hoped for. Thanks for your thoughts, and I hope you enjoy the new experience of exploring craft beer. Let me know if want any recommendations. Best, J

As I wrote I think it is worth seeing, good job for trying, but less focus on some points, more focus in other areas, and a call to action at the end could have really helped make this movie a crowd favorite.

Thanks for your thoughts on the topic though, Jay. ~ Chell

I guess the issues raised in the film are not as important? status quo is simply fine for all the craft beer experts? Would CNN run a piece if these issues are just fluff? As a consumer, I felt educated and inspired by the movie. Sam and Rhonda’s stories meant something to me about survival of little guys in America. I am inspired that there are over 1,400 craft brewers today – but can history repeat itself and the number be reduced because we are too busy criticizing and not spending as much time making change happen?

I work for a start up in the new media space and I know these struggles. This movie is more than just about craft beers. I I am sure I will be criticized for my comments because I am an outsider. But I am an American and a consumer and feel this movie was just as much for me as you. Thanks Jay for your very thoughtful piece. I wish people would get their heads out of the film critic role and focus on the issues at hand that impact ALL of us.

As a result of Beer Wars, I am going to try craft beers instead of just drinking wine. Does that matter to anyone?

In the meantime in response to Derrick, here are some movie reviews to date:

Los Angeles Times:
http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-bx-screen-beerwars15-2009apr15,0,5971970.story

Time Out New York:
http://www3.timeoutny.com/newyork/the-feed-blog/restaurants-bars/2009/04/beer-wars-fights-the-power/#more-7937

But of course, I’m not a professional movie critic. I couldn’t find any professional movie critic reviews from brief Yahoo and Google searches. I wonder how the movie was viewed as a documentary by those personally invested when it comes to beer. Anyone aware of any?

I was in heaven last Thursday… I am a home brewer, Craft beer drinker, and avid fan of documentaries in general… I liked the movie… was the it best documentary I have ever seen… No… I think that it did what is was supposed to do… it was to show the battle between the Sam’s of the craft beer world… and then Auggie’s of the Macro Beer world… It was about the business of Beer and not the making of it and it did that…

My only criticism of the movie is that I wish that Anat would have given more credit to Charlie Papazian and his role in what the Craft Beer industry is now…I do think that lacked some in the film.

I just think that people were looking at it as a beer movie… It is not about beer only… it is about How Auggie Busch…. InBev… Miller… Coors… have tried to rape and pillage over the industry… How they don’t care about Sam or his employees…or even his drinkers… they care about the $$$ in the drinkers wallets. For those people who watched I.O.U.S.A. it would be like watching the movie and coming out and hating America… that is not what it is about… these kind of documentaries are about informing and educating… To be honest… my first thought was… wow this movie isn’t for me… I love DFH… I love my local Brew Pubs… This is about my college buddies who still come over to my house with a 12-pack of MGD… they are the ones who this movie is for….

But… now… I am just one of those people you talk about Jay… just typing to type!! :~)

This is what I thought the movie was going to be about. Not about some woman selling a gimmick beer.

I’ll think of more later. I’m glad I went, though. I’d give it a B+. Wish it could be shown at gunpoint to the non-craft-drinking masses.

And who exactly are these so-called “people who care passionately about craft beer?” What exactly do you think I am, an enemy of craft beer? At least I bothered to see the film. Talk about missing the point. Hilarious.

I have not seen the movie yet, however I found your article to be a little too apologist. From what I have read, it sounds like a lot of time is spent on the push to bringing a caffeinated beer to market, and the film itself is made by someone whose only craft beer credentials come from a stint with Mike’s Hard Lemonade.

I think it’s understandable why people who care passionately about craft beer would be bothered by this.

Shaun

I think what you’re witnessing is a collective disappointment with the film and its failure to both live up to its potential and capture the greatness/excitement of the craft beer industry industry. At least this is my read on the non-industry take on things. I think many of the industry critics, myself partially included, saw the film as missing the mark on important issues it took aim upon, including distribution, lobbying and politics, etc. I think this was also the rare occasion that craft beer enthusiasts didn’t put up the united front, that is after the film. We saw wide-spread excitement and support before the film’s release. Afterwards, these same folks were left with a sense of disappointment and the nagging questions I was counseling about in my limited writings on the topic.
And in reviewing my articles a few minutes ago, I believe there were simply raising these questions, with context given, instead of criticizing what was not yet known. After the fact, I concede my comments were biting and critical as the film resulted in a lost opportunity. I’d be curious to hear your thoughts on the film, either on or off line, as compared to your pre-showing expectations.

Safe travels to Boston…

Best,

Andy

On the other hand, if you don’t do any of the work, but pick nits at the 15% that you don’t like in someone else’s work, telling all within earshot how you would have done it better, the correct response is “then why didn’t you do it?”

Keep up the great work.

-Motor