This happened yesterday, but it’s a slow news day so I’ll go ahead and give it some attention. Magic Hat Brewing Co. in Vermont was purchased yesterday by the owner of Genesee Beer. Hey, that doesn’t sound so bad, right? I’ve always hated Magic Hat beers, so maybe this will turn the brewery around, right? Right?

Rochester-based North American Breweries Inc. has purchased Independent Brewers United of Vermont, which owns the Magic Hat, Pyramid and MacTarnahan’s beer lines. The sale was announced Wednesday.

The addition of the craft beer breweries should make sales of all North American Breweries products easier to sell to wholesalers and retail chains, said CEO Rich Lozyniak. “Putting all our brands together under one sale and distribution model we think can help all the brands,” he said. “This will help us grow Genny, help us grow Honey Brown.”

Oh, fantastic. This will help Honey Brown, my favorite beer! This is just another marketing ploy where money and market share are being placed above the quality of the beer and the little-guy mentality. If I was going to avoid Magic Hat before, I will now avoid it like the glasses are made of toxic Gulf Coast sludge laced with meth and given a sharpened edge. Too harsh? Probably not. Try Magic Hat’s beet beer. Then tell me you don’t want to give up all beer for life.

Genesee Beer owner buys brewer of Magic Hat #9 — Democrat and Chronicle