With its brightly colored tall-boy cans and brash marketing, Monster could almost be mistaken for a trendy indy brewery—if it weren’t also a Coca-Cola partner and NASCAR sponsor, with products ubiquitous in convenience-store fridges and supermarket impulse racks across the country.
Now, apparently, that association with craft beer won’t be misplaced at all. With the planned acquisition of CANarchy Brewery Collective, announced January 13, Monster Beverage is entering the world of independent brewing.
“Independent” remains the right word, according to the definition of the Brewers Association. The industry group for smaller, independent brewers went so far as to issue a statement on the same day to clarify that position.