Anheuser-Busch brews bitter beer battle

Boston Globe ^ | 5/21/04 | AP

[wagglebee]

NEW YORK -- For years, Anheuser-Busch Cos. has been the undeniable King of Beers. But now, faced with rising competition from both a better-funded Miller Brewing Co. and a cocktail craze that is shifting sales to spirits, Anheuser is launching an aggressive attack on Miller, its distant No. 2 competitor.

[wagglebee]

Anheuser-Busch has always been a strong supporter of American ideals. South Africa went from the deplorable racism of Apartheid to socialist anti-Americanism.

[tet68]

Doesn't matter, both taste like horse pi**.

[Klaus D. Deore]

I love those Miller commercials.

"Why won't my opponent debate this issue?"
"Is it because he's a horse or is it because he has blinders on? No peripheral vision!"

"Look at me! Both sides..."

[gortklattu]

....and in matters that really count, Bernstein, in the Bud car, is kicking Dixon's butt (Miller car).

[Klaus D. Deore]

"Whose pocket are you in, anyway?"
"This is a travesty and a sham and a mockery.... it's a "travishamockery!"

[Petronski]

Dear Anheuser-Bush and Miller:

Rice and corn are no substitute for malted barley. Preservatives cause hangovers.

Signed,

Beer drinker

[DoctorMichael]

"........Rice and corn are no substitute for malted barley. Preservatives cause hangovers..........."

Ding, ding, ding!

[babaloo999]

At Budweiser, we'll continue to spend all our effort making great beer

Effort is good and much needed. When will consumers get to experience this "great beer"?

[SamAdams76]

A-B may or may not be patriotic. But they have done no service for American beer drinkers. Americans deserve to drink real beer. Unfortunately, the only way for Americans to get real beer (other than a few microbrews) is to buy imports.

[Petronski]

I have often wondered what it would be like if Anheuser-Busch actually brewed a beer with only malted barley and quality hops. Charge more, and use a little bit of preservatives if you have to, but for heaven's sake, at least make an effort!

[SaveTheChief]

Well said. American mass-produced beer is swill.

There is nothing quite like a good beer from the U.K. in my opinion.

Why should I buy Naxos? You can't make me, you know. ;-)

[John Will]

Heh, new tagline.
Americans deserve good beer.

[atomicpossum]

AB didn't get to where it is today by half measures.

My wife works at an outside company that supports their wholesalers, and recently AB came in and 'cleaned house' in their company as part of a BIG contract that made the wife's company an exclusive vendor to the wholesalers. They trimmed the deadwood and all manner of other things--they're BIG, both here in St. Louis and around the world, and they play to stay that way.

Couldn't care less about the beer, though, I'm a complete non-drinker. The worst thing that the brewery did IMHO is screwing up the Cardinals after Augie Busch died....

[proxy_user]

St. Peter's Golden Ale
Old Peculier
Bellhaven Scottish Ale
Thomas Hardy's Ale

[SamAdams76]

Oh yeah, my tagline. Forgot all about it. I'm sort of boycotting the RIAA due to their inflated prices and their draconian measures to fight file-sharing (which if left alone, would actually help them sell more records IMHO).

I discovered this record label, Naxos, which lists CDs at $6.98. They have nearly the entire classical repertoire as well as some early American jazz greats. I'm really impressed with the quality of these recordings and have been buying tons of them lately.

[Agnes Heep]

Rice and corn are no substitute for malted barley. Preservatives cause hangovers.

Years ago I found that every time I consumed Budweiser I ended up with a splitting headache. It's truly a nasty potation -- "urine from the last leper in hell," to quote a character in the funny British comedy "Blackadder."

[Billthedrill]

Give up on these bozos. Roll your own. I just put up a brown ale about 10 minutes ago, and it didn't have any rice or corn in the malt, either. It's for the next FReepmeet...

[SaveTheChief]

Thanks for the suggestions!

[DoctorMichael]

Your comment on the 'hangover' is spot on. I stopped drinking their stuff about 15 years back. I would rather pay a little more and get something that doesn't give me a hangover and tastes good to boot. Besides, the local Kroger rotates sales on other brands like Pete's Wicked, Sam Adams, Red Hook (currently whats in my fridge from the sale Friday; $9.99 for a 12-pack of AMBER ALE bottles), etc.

Here's one I miss: SHEAF'S STOUT (from Australia). Tastes like a chocolate milkshake, not chalky like Guiness. I used to drink it on the West Coast, but you can't find it anywhere here in the East. Only available in Liter bottles. Yummy!

[TaMoDee]

Yup I don't know what's in Bud but I have the same reaction,
1/2 can and one hell of a headache.