By James Atkinson
Coopers this week continued the expansion of its successful home brew business, which chairman Glenn Cooper (pictured) recently revealed was hated by publicans and viewed as "suicide" when it first launched.
Coopers this week confirmed its acquisition of America's largest home brew brand, Mr Beer, in a move that consolidates Coopers at the head of the home brew market worldwide.
The deal further vindicates the controversial move into home brew by Coopers, which was already the world's largest manufacturer of home brew kits.
Glenn Cooper last month said the brewer was going broke when it started the home brew business in 1978.
"We did it because we had to," he said.
"This caused dramatic consternation with hoteliers. We were seen as shooting ourselves in the foot."
"This was seen as absolutely ridiculous, the stupidest thing in the world… suicide," Cooper said.
He said home brew saved Coopers "and it still today forms a nice base of our operations".
"I always said to hoteliers, if people decide not to come to your hotels and go home, make their own beer and sit at home on their own and drink beer, there's something wrong with your hotel."
"In other words, people go to a hotel to socialise, and have fun," he said.