For any beverage producer, water quality is a critical ingredient of the finished product. No one wants a product that’s off color, has a strange taste or contains sediment. Without crystal-clear water, a processor wouldn’t have a viable product.

The Boston Beer Company and Dogfish Head Brewery have signed a definitive merger agreement, bringing together two independent craft breweries and their founders and brewers, Jim Koch and Sam Calagione. The new entity will possess more than half a century or craft brewing experience, a balanced portfolio of leading and “beyond beer” brands at high-end price points, and industry leadership in innovation and quality.