Bud shrinkage

The machinations of local beer distributors - especially those which warehouse mainstream lagers - may not seem to be of importance to good beer appreciators. But that would be a parochial view to hold.

What 'happens there' doesn't often 'stay there'. These shakeups and realignments have penumbras - often unpredictable - of consequences that tend to spread beyond, into our craft beer world.

Local Anheuser-Busch house (that's jargon for distributor, by the way) King has been sold; the spoils will be divided between three other northern Virginia Bud houses: Frick, Giufrre, and J.W. Sieg.

With their soon-to-be increased sizes and their stake in the InBev stable - Stella Artois, Hoegarden, etc. - these three distributors may now feel more confident in their turf battles with another local and predatious wholesaler - one that has national tendrils.

It's all interesting and portentous, especially when considered in combination with:

• A-B' 49% stake in local brewer Dominion.
• Miller's soon-to-be merger of its American operations with those of Coors.