The Arizona craft beer community went into a tizzy late Tuesday night when Arizona Wilderness Brewing co-founder Jonathan Buford posted the following on his personal Facebook page:
Sometimes, you just can’t keep up with your goals and vision. The capital it takes to run an ever-growing business just isn’t matching cash flow. Luckily, Greg Hess and Mike Hess of Mike Hess Brewing Company – Arizona and us have decided to team up and merge our companies. In turn, they will be the major share-holder in Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co, LLC. They are a MUCH more established brewery, and better yet, a much more established brand. We will share our knowledge of the industry, and our passion for beer. Selling out? NO. This is only tightening the bond we have to our own vision. To the future!
Greg Hess, sales and distribution manager for the San Diego brewery, shared the post on his Facebook page.
It should be noted the two breweries have a very friendly relationship. Just last week, they got together to keg a collaborative Berliner Weisse (see group photo above, including Buford on far left and Hess on far right).
And there have been hints AZWBC would make some kind of announcement this week.
Still, while Tuesday night’s surprising news generally drew praise on social media, there were a few who immediately questioned whether Buford and Hess simply were punking their followers.
That distrusting group seemed to include Buford’s wife, Katie, who posted her own comment on her husband’s news:Â “Shenanigans.”
So is it all just a joke, or maybe a way to get some publicity for their collaborative beer?
So far, there’s been no announcement on either brewery’s official Facebook page. Buford has not returned calls or messages.
Update:
Well, it turns out it was a hoax, an attempt to grab people’s attention to announce a Sept. 4 charity fundraiser at AZBWC. In an explanatory Facebook post today, Buford calls it a “social experiment gone right.”
