Miller Coors Acquires Terrapin Beer Co.

Those familiar with Terrapin Beer Co. may know that Miller Coors already had a minority stake in the Athens, Georgia craft brewery, but through its Tenth and Blake subsidiary the big brewer has just gone all in, purchasing a majority interest.

"It's a highly regarded craft brewery. More than anything, it allows Tenth and Blake to offer award-winning IPAs," said MillerCoors spokesman Marty Maloney.

Terrapin's bestselling Hopsecutioner likely played a part in the decision, but the acquisition also speaks to the changing landscape of craft/big beer relationships, and the rising tide of Southern craft beer -- Florida alone has over 150 fifty craft breweries, and strategic purchases of succesful regional brewers is becoming the new norm, with AB InBev, Lagunitas (via Heineken) and Oskar Blues (via Fireman Capital) leading the charge. 

Factor in as well, that Georgia hosts the busiest airport in the world, and Florida attracts over 100 million tourists a year, and you've got a perfect recipe for spreading the craft beer gospel worldwide.

Details of the acquisition were not disclosed, though it is expected to finalize in August.