Fresh look at beer by Budweiser
Consumers angered as InBev
relaxes rules for A-B brands
The St Louis Examiner in Missouri, U.S., reports that drinkers have been angered by a decision by InBev A-B to relax its attitude to "fresh beer". The group is the result of the biggest merger in brewing history between the Belgian-Brazilian InBev and the American Anheuser-Busch, best known for the world's biggest beer brand, Budweiser.
InBev is renowned for its cost cutting and brewery closure policies. It has brought its tough marketing attitudes to bear on the A-B brands by relaxing the American brewer's strict attitude to fresh beer.
For many years, A-B attacked its rivals by claiming it brewed the freshest beer. It was unyielding in its attitude. If a bar or restaurant stocked unsold beer that was more than 110 days old, the A-B "crew" would sweep into the outlets and hand the retailers cheques for the value of the beer.
"They would grab the unsold beer, break the bottles and pour the liquid out," the St Louis Examiner reports. There were no exceptions.
"But now the company says it has realised the 110-day limit may not be necessary. Why? The company says it has improved its brewing processes and packaging -- using new filters and bottle crowns that reduce the amount of oxygen in its beer, for example."
In St Louis, home city of Anheuser-Busch, where the first version of Budweiser was brewed in the middle of the 19th century, drinkers have been less than impressed with the news. One drinkers said: "How stupid do these Belgian goofs think we are?" while another commented, "It's just beer, not medicine."
relaxes rules for A-B brands
The St Louis Examiner in Missouri, U.S., reports that drinkers have been angered by a decision by InBev A-B to relax its attitude to "fresh beer". The group is the result of the biggest merger in brewing history between the Belgian-Brazilian InBev and the American Anheuser-Busch, best known for the world's biggest beer brand, Budweiser.
InBev is renowned for its cost cutting and brewery closure policies. It has brought its tough marketing attitudes to bear on the A-B brands by relaxing the American brewer's strict attitude to fresh beer.
For many years, A-B attacked its rivals by claiming it brewed the freshest beer. It was unyielding in its attitude. If a bar or restaurant stocked unsold beer that was more than 110 days old, the A-B "crew" would sweep into the outlets and hand the retailers cheques for the value of the beer.
"They would grab the unsold beer, break the bottles and pour the liquid out," the St Louis Examiner reports. There were no exceptions.
"But now the company says it has realised the 110-day limit may not be necessary. Why? The company says it has improved its brewing processes and packaging -- using new filters and bottle crowns that reduce the amount of oxygen in its beer, for example."
In St Louis, home city of Anheuser-Busch, where the first version of Budweiser was brewed in the middle of the 19th century, drinkers have been less than impressed with the news. One drinkers said: "How stupid do these Belgian goofs think we are?" while another commented, "It's just beer, not medicine."
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