This months Session is brought to us by Mario Rubio at Hop Press and the topic he has chosen is Collaborations.

I really know nothing about the good side of collaborations, I know that one Ontario brewer - Beau's - was intending to collaborate with Dutch brewer - De Koningshoeven - but apparently that has been postponed due to the volcanic ash from Iceland. I hope this eventually happens, Ontario could really use some Belgian influenced beer. Never enough for my taste.
The only other collaborations I know anything about are the collaborations between Anheuser-Busch InBev and SAB Miller which is also Molson Coors to control the taste of the worlds beer drinkers. Apparently they are not doing so well since most of their market shares are dropping while the shares of Craft Brewers seem to be growing.
All I can say is Yeah Craft Brewers, Rah Rah, Three cheers and all the rest of it.
Oh, wait, there is one more. Here in Ontario we also have the disgraceful collaboration between the government and the big three brewers (Sleemans has a small part) to control the marketing of beer through their own stores. They and the Liquor Control Board are the only legal outlets for beer. It's like telling people that only Ford is allowed to sell cars in this province but if G.M. pays Ford enough your Chev. will be stocked and displayed at the very back of the lot.
A truly antique and ridiculous system.