Yuengling–Small Craft Brewery?? Why?

I’ve been following the breaking news out of Yuengling and it’

s becoming pretty interesting.  If you haven’t heard, our beloved Yuengling has just joined the Brewers Association.  Because the Brewers Association is almost completely geared toward craft or “small craft brewers” this is an odd change of events.  Now of course it helps that the Brewers Association recently adopted a new definition of “small craft breweries” to include breweries that have an annual production of under 6-million barrels (up from the previous 2-million barrels.)  Oddly enough Yuengling hit just over 3.6-million barrel production with the addition of their Tampa, FL. 

Now keep in mind, there are still issues for Yuengling being a “small” craft brewery” because of some of the corn/adjuncts they use, but the Brewers Association has made exceptions in the past.

…so why did they join?  

First off keep in mind Yuengling can get significant tax breaks for being a “small craft brewer” so for me this is why they’d want in now that the yearly production limit has been raised….but why would the Brewers Association want them?  While some believe it is to gain the bump in member dues, for me it seems obvious.  If Yuengling brings their production totals under the umbrella of “craft brewing,” the craft brewing segment will gain a significant portion of the overall beer market share just by Yuengling signing up.  The big question for me is will we see the Brewers Association make an exception or will we see Yuengling change their recipe.  I’m betting on exception, but stay tuned.