Wow. This guy is certainly passionate. And some of his comments were echoed by people I met at screenings and panels over the past few weeks.

One thing is certain. There is no singular craft beer enthusiast. And perceptions vary widely.

There are many who believe that craft beer should stay small and local. Some believe that craft beer should not be made by corporations. But on one of the panels, all 5 brewers admitted that their breweries/brewpubs were all… corporations. Seems like those people feel less connected once “their” discovery brand gets “too big” and move on to the next small brand. But that’s a contradiction. All breweries are businesses (that’s why some homebrewers see going “pro” as the next step) and therefore want to get bigger. Bigger means making more beer to satisfy consumer demand. And just because they get bigger doesn’t mean they’re sacrificing quality or their soul. I think Sam Calagione addresses this issue eloquently in the film when he contemplates expansion. And by the way, Boston Beer (maker of Sam Adams) is less than 1% of the US beer market so size is relative.

I believe that consumers should drink what they like. Period. Regardless of the size of the brewery. It’s all about personal choice. I have nothing against BudMillerCoors. Even craft brewers admit that there’s nothing better on a really hot summer day. I think that choice is personal. Buy products from companies whose quality appeals to you. And if you care, whose ethics match yours.

More from the panels/audience Q&A to come.

I’m looking forward to joining Greg Koch (Stone) in Austin, Claus Hagelman (Dogfish Head) in Houston, and to finally meeting Brock Wagner (St. Arnold) in San Antonio, all at the Alamo Drafthouse who have been waiting patiently for the film’s release for quite a while. I’m expecting the Q&A to be quite lively and I look forward to hearing what’s on people’s minds and sharing my experiences and perspective on the issues.

And I look forward to meeting the 10 brewers on the panels set up by the Todd and Jason Alstrom at the American Craft Beer Festival. And of course the many attendees who will hopefully show up to participate in the conversation.

Finally, the conversation that I’ve been longing for will continue.

Let me start by admitting that the film is not perfect. Most documentaries are flawed. When you start out without a script and are creating a narrative structure, things aren’t as seamless as in a film that has an inherent beginning, middle and end. I chose to make a mainstream film about a topic I’m passionate about. And like the independent brewers in the film, I’m an entrepreneur. The challenge of making a feature film that’s both entertaining and enlightening while providing an emotional connection for the audience is no easy task. I can’t apologize if the film wasn’t what you were expecting. Like a brewer, I realized my vision with the ingredients I had at hand. And it didn’t help that it was nearly impossible to get the brewers to speak honestly about the obstacles they face with the camera rolling. I understand why but it made my job as the director much tougher.

Let’s get to it. The top 5 recurring issues brought up by bloggers’ critiques of the film (some made by people who have not even seen it) are:

1. The filmmaker doesn’t drink craft beer (or beer at all) and doesn’t know anything because mike’s hard lemonade is not a beer. The filmmaker’s presence irritated me.
2. Rhonda (or the Moonshot lady) should have been cut out of the film. She is not a craft brewer and her beer is shit.
3. There should have been more breweries represented from [insert region here].
4. The film is dated. Everything is good now. Craft beer is growing so the distribution issues are moot.
5. It is preaching to the choir.

Let’s address these from my perspective.

1. I never hid the fact that I’m allergic to alcohol nor my background. So yes, I can’t drink and I’m not a member of the craft beer club (maybe that’s a positive since I’m objective about the beers themselves). And let’s not debate mike’s any longer. It is sold in the beer cooler and distributed by beer wholesalers. So I may not be an expert on how beer tastes but I do have the experience of running an entrepreneurial company in the beer industry. You may not like mike’s or what it stands for but that doesn’t diminish my understanding of the way the industry operates.

   I’m not sure how to address what some have portrayed as my “irritating presence.” I made a choice to tell the story from my point of view. The feedback from screenings was always that the film needed a narrator to tie it together and that my character worked fine.

2. On to Rhonda. I didn’t pick her because she’s a woman. Or because Moonshot is a “marketing gimmick” like mike’s. Or because she’s a craft brewer. Because she clearly is not. I chose Rhonda because she had a compelling story that was different than Sam’s. Following 2 craft brewers while interesting to the beer geeks would have made for 2 parallel stories at a time when craft beer’s trajectory is rising. Frankly — not that interesting. Especially in a feature film. Hopefully one of the myriad of TV series pilots about craft beer will make it to the airwaves and that’s where you’ll satiate that appetite.And I always knew that I’d get this reaction from the beer community. But in test screenings with umpteen mainstream audiences, her story is the one that got them feeling something. Some loved Rhonda and some hated her. But that is the test of a great character in a film – the ability to evoke emotion from an audience. And yes, I tried taking her out but without her, there was no movie. If Sam is the soul of Beer Wars, Rhonda is its heart. And if you pull yourself out of what you know and look at her as a character in a movie, I think you’ll agree that her story is powerful. She had it all. The Queen of beer. Chose to start over again. On her own this time. And despite the obstacles, she kept on going. You have to wonder why she chose to compete with mainstream beers when she could have jumped on the craft bandwagon. What drives this woman? Will she make it? Try to look at her story objectively (like others have) and maybe you’ll see that she has just as much in common with other independent brewers trying to realize their dreams. Maybe the reason that Moonshot doesn’t succeed is that it’s running counter to what consumers want. As to taste, I can’t comment but I never saw anyone spit it out. It may not be for you, but does that mean that anyone who doesn’t make a craft beer should fail? Isn’t the point that we should let consumers decide? And to do so, give them the choice?
3. I had 90 minutes to tell a story. There is no way to show even a fraction of all the amazing breweries in America. I had to make choices early on. I selected some of the better known breweries to highlight (Yuengling, Boston Beer, New Belgium and Stone) and Dogfish Head which in 2005 was still tiny and was just starting to get some heat. Sure, there are many others. I even filmed at breweries like Schlafly in St. Louis but ultimately everything had to fit into the bigger story. And so, yes, I made creative choices and I stand by them. The breweries I excluded (over 1400) were absent from the film because their story was either similar to others already represented or because they simply did not fit into the narrative structure. Again, hopefully a cable network will buy a TV show that showcases all these fabulous breweries. It was just impossible to introduce any more complexity into the structure of this film.
4. I’m really not sure how to address this. Ironically, this comment was out there before the film was even screened. Rather than repeating myself, I’d like to direct you to a comment Greg Koch made in response to a blog post about this very issue .And speaking of Greg, I must say something here about his integrity. Here’s a guy who knew that the film wasn’t specifically about him and yet he not only agreed to sit on the panel (even though he wasn’t the “Star”) but he graciously supported the film by encouraging people to see it. And all this before he ever saw one single frame. If I make a sequel, I’m making it about Greg.
5. I made the film to appeal to the widest possible audience. That’s why I chose to create (and pay for) a one night event to be simulcast to 440 theaters. I thought that being in mainstream theaters would bring out a wider audience. It’s why I got into business with Fathom Events and not independent art house theaters. I still don’t know how many people actually attended the event so let’s hold off on this discussion until I have all the facts. Suffice to say that I am sorry that many of you never got to see the film and/or panel because of technical issues at your theater. I’m trying to do my bit by giving you first dibs on the DVD at a reduced price.

Todd Alstrom was right when he said that the Internet makes everyone a critic. And while I welcome the strong opinions on the film, I really hope we can move on to discussing what really matters. As to film reviews, they were provided by the Los Angeles Times and CNN, with more to follow. And these mainstream media players seemed to get the film and the message.

So please, let’s continue the discussion but make it about consumer choice. The question before us is, do we accept the status quo of being at 5% or is there room to grow from there and reach more beer drinkers? I encourage you to think about Greg’s words as they echo the reason why I made this film in the first place.

And hopefully we can spread the conversation to a wider audience once I announce additional screenings and DVDs. Isn’t that the whole idea? To bring the issues out to a mainstream audience and get them to care about their beer choice and having access to it?

So let’s talk. Openly and honestly about the future and what it can be.

And for those who doubt the mainstream interest in this topic, this ran yesterday on CNN… one day late I know but it did run.

Let’s start with the 2 you won’t see. I wanted the new heads of MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch Inbev to provide their perspective. Tom Long from Miller Coors passed because he had a “conflict” while Dave’s Peacock’s “handlers” told me they’d get back to me. Tick tock.

Here’s what to expect from the panel. Sam Calagione and Rhonda Kallman will bring you up to date on their stories. And after watching the film, you’ll be glad they’re there to fill you in.

Greg Koch, Charlie Papazian, Maureen Ogle and Todd Alstrom will provide their unique perspectives on where we’ve been and where we’re going. Having spent time with all of them while making the film, I don’t think there’s a shrinking violet in the bunch. I have a feeling that 30 minutes may not be enough to contain these personalities.

Also remember that none of them have seen the film so their reactions will be raw. And since I’ll be on the panel with them, let’s hope no shoes are hurled at me or at each other. That’s the cool thing about a LIVE show. Anything can happen.

4. You actually care about the subject matter. The continued success of craft beer and craft brewers.

3. It’ll make you CRAVE a great beer. As if you need an excuse…

2. By supporting an independent film you’re ensuring that more films will be made by filmmakers seeking the truth vs. the homogenization of studio films.

1. By attending this event you are showing your support for the craft beer movement. This is as mainstream as it gets. Beer Wars Live is being shown in 440 theaters by the same people who bring the Metropolitan Opera and This American Life into movie theaters. If you don’t show up, it speaks volumes. Everyone is watching…

Remember that NCM Fathom bet big on interest from the beer community. They’re the same people who bring the Metropolitan Opera and This American Life into theatres. Let’s show them that this event is garnering the same type of support.

So… please, if at all possible, support this event by going to fathomevents.com and buy your tickets today.

Embed this video on your own website:

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As of Friday the 13th (I guess it is actually a lucky day) there are trailers running for Beer Wars Live in 1,000 movie theatres across America. And posters hanging in 650 theatres. I have not had a chance to go to a theatre this weekend, so if you go to the movies, please let me know that you’ve seen them.

Even better, post a picture of you with the poster on your blog or your favorite social networking tool and share a link to your pic in the comments section below. Don’t forget to include the theatre location.

The event poster is also available online.

See you at the movies!