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January 3, 2012

Budweiser to Sponsor a new Reality Television Program

by bryancarey — Categories: Beer Media, Breweries, Domestic, Macrobreweries — Tags: Anheuser- Busch InBev, brewery, budweiser — No Comments

Beer and sports are natural accompaniments. It is widely known that beer companies rely on sports to help encourage beer sales and attendees at sporting events and viewers of sports on television do not need to look far to see and hear the names of specific brands of beer.

Among the brands promoted at sporting events, Anheuser- Busch InBev is the brewer whose advertisements are most widely seen so it may not come as a surprise to discover that the so- called “king of beers” is considering promoting its name through a somewhat different but related marketing channel. Starting in January, 2012, Anheuser- Busch InBev is going to sponsor its own reality program. Titled Budweiser: The Big Time, this reality program is going to focus on competitions in different sports and in different activities.

Now, what exactly would encourage Budweiser to sponsor a reality television program? Well, (more…)

December 28, 2011

Hold on to Your Sliders, Folks: White Castle may Offer Beer at its Restaurants

by bryancarey — Categories: Beer Media, Restaurants — Tags: beer, pairings, Restaurants — No Comments

White Castle fast food restaurants is testing something new. Not a new sandwich or a new method of deep frying, but rather some beverage selections not usually sold in fast food restaurants: Beer and wine.

No, that six pack of imperial stout you just finished hasn’t affected your vision. You did, indeed, read that correctly. White Castle is considering selling beer and wine at its fast- food restaurants.

White Castle, the iconic fast- food joint loved by some and loathed by others, is looking for ways to improve sales at its restaurant locations. In order to meet the demands of consumers and hopefully boost profits in the process, White Castle is considering adding beer and wine to the menu. It is testing the concept at its Lafayette, Ind., store location as a potential enhancement to its restaurants. It is testing some new restaurant concepts as well, such as Blaze Modern BBQ, Laughing Noodle, and Deckers. The company feels it needs to branch out into new areas in order to compete with the fast- casual restaurant chains and to meet customer demands and changing needs.

As far fetched as a Double Slider with a Bud Light might sound, it really is not that radical of a concept. After all, other fast food restaurants such as Burger King have experimented with adult beverages and fast- casual chains like Chipotle, Smashburger, Freebirds, and others already offer malt beverages and wine or wine- based drinks with their meals. Many of these establishments have enjoyed success, so why can’t White Castle do the same?

According to White Castle Vice President of Corporate Relations, Jamie Richardson, the idea of washing down an order of onion chips with a bottle of Miller Lite has been received positively in Layfayette and the overall response to serving beer and wine with a White Castle meal has been “better than expected.” But Richardson also cautions that nothing is final. White Castle will not consider expanding the concept further unless sales at the Layfayette location justify a change on a larger scale.

At the Lafayette location, White Castle is offering a variety of wines for $4.50 a glass and bottles of domestic beer for $3. The prices aren’t bad and are certainly reasonable for any restaurant. Still, it is difficult for many to get past the White Castle/Beer and Wine concept in general. Many consider White Castle burgers something to eat after drinking beer; not before drinking, and certainly not with a beer, but after drinking beer. White Castle cravings usually take place after a game of beer pong, not at the same time one pops the cap on a bottle of porter.

Whether or not the decision to require a beer/wine selling license to future White Castle franchise owners becomes reality remains to be seen. In the meantime, I think I will keep my White Castle consumption and my beer drinking as separate indulgences. The thought of an order of fish nibblers washed down with a Coors Light does something to my psyche, not to mention my stomach.

December 20, 2011

Texas Beer Laws Ruled Unconstitutional

by bryancarey — Categories: Beer Media — Tags: alcoholic strength, beer laws, brewery, brewing, texas — No Comments

Texas has many strange laws relating to beer and the brewing industry. Ask any commercial brewer in the Lone Star State what he or she thinks about Texas brewing laws and you are likely to witness rolling of the eyes followed by an offer to schedule some time with you to more thoroughly discuss the subject at depth.

Texas brewers have been complaining loudly about the misleading nature and often utter stupidity of these laws for some time and many have agreed that court action would be necessary to overturn these laws on unconstitutional grounds. Jester King craft brewery, a business located in Austin actually filed a lawsuit against the Texas TABC (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission), challenging the constitutionality of several Texas beer laws on 1^st and 14^th amendment grounds.

Today, December 20, 2011 a judge has made a decision and has sided with the Texas brewing industry. This is great news for the growing Texas beer business because it offers greater flexibility and allows brewers to (gasp!) actually tell the truth about their products. The judgments include changes such as:

Advertising: According to the old rules, breweries were forbidden from telling customers where to buy their products. Now, they can freely state this information, in much the same way that any other advertiser is permitted to do. In addition, brewers are no longer forbidden to use certain descriptions to describe their products, such as “strong ale.” If the ale is strong, brewers can now say so.

Labeling: Previous Texas law required malt beverages below 4 percent alcohol by weight to be labelled as “beer” and anything over 4 percent alcohol by weight to be labelled as “ale” or “malt liquor.” This false and misleading rule is now overturned and brewers can accurately refer to their products as beer, ale, lager, or whatever description accurately fits.

Why Texas had laws like this in place is anyone’s guess, but most people agree that big business interests were behind the restrictions. The big brewers know that the craft beer industry is a very real and growing threat to their survival. The big brewers also have boatloads of cash and they know that they can sway lawmakers through financial means. By confusing the public and by making it more difficult for small craft breweries to advertise and market their products, the big breweries were hoping to reign- in the craft brewing threat, at least to a small degree.

Texas still has a long way to go in its efforts to shed decades of stupidity but the overturning of these crazy beer laws is at least one step in the right direction. Now, when I pick up a bottle of ale at my favorite carryout, I won’t have to wonder whether it was really brewed with ale yeast or lager yeast. I can actually get the truth- something that is sorely lacking in Texas politics and has been lacking for years, both with business and otherwise.

December 15, 2011

Full Sail Brewer’s Share Series goes National

by bryancarey — Categories: Beer Media, Breweries, Domestic, Microbrews — Tags: brewery, brewing, oregon — No Comments

Full Sailing Brewing, an Oregon craft beer operation with a national following, is going forward with its Brewer’s Share series with the first release expected next month.

Full Sail Lineup

Brewer’s Share is a series of craft beers created by Full Sail’s own employees and the idea actually originated back in 2008. At the time, Brewer’s Share products were sold only on tap and only in Full Sail’s exclusive pub. Now, the brewery is expanding the series to include 22 oz. bottles for sale on a national basis. The series will include a new, employee- inspired brew each season and will continue through the end of 2012 and possibly beyond.

The first offering planned is Extra Special Barney (ESB), a product created by Full Sail Brewing Supervisor Barney Brennan. According to Brennan, Extra Special Barney is going to be brewed in the tradition of an English style ale. It will be brewed with five different malts and Challenger hops, including one pound per barrel of dry hop. The product will weigh in at 6.5% alcohol by volume with a modest bitterness rating of 35 IBU.

Brewer’s share might seem like an unusual name for a series of employee- inspired beer products, but there is something behind the choice of title. When beer ages, there is a small portion that disappears from a barrel and it is often referred to as the “angel’s share.” The term “Brewer’s Share” was selected because it is considered an equally mysterious occurrence that appears during something special; in this instance, a moment of inspiration. The parallelism isn’t perfect, but it’s close enough that the name works.

Besides celebrating the creative talents of its employees, the Brewer’s Share series is also a means to support charity. Full Sail is choosing a designated charity for each Brewer’s Share and the charity will receive a portion of the earnings. Extra Special Barney will support the Columbia Gorge Arts in Education fund- a charity focused on K- 12 visual, literary, and performing arts in local schools. Other Brewer’s Share charities have yet to be announced.

Each Full Sail Brewer’s Share product will be offered in 22 oz. bottles and on draft. Once Extra Special Barney has run its three- month course8, it will be followed by such unique malt beverage delights as Phil’s Existential Alt, Chris’s Summer Delight Berliner Weisse, and Big Daddy J’s Malt Liquor.

Full Sail is an employee- centered company and the people who run the brewery are all considered partner’s in the business’s ultimate success. The Brewer’s Share series is an admirable gesture on the part of the company, both from the perspective of employee involvement and charitable giving, and it is nice that Full Sail is involving its employees in the production of new products. Look for Brewer’s Share bottles where Full Sail products are currently sold.

November 3, 2011

Time to Party Like a Sam Adams Investor

by bryancarey — Categories: Beer Media, Breweries, Domestic — Tags: Boston, Boston Beer Company, profits, sales, Sam Adams — No Comments

Tea Partiers might have felt a sense of jublilation when they threw thousands of pounds of otherwise fine British tea into the ocean, but it looks like the real party is taking place at 1 Design Center, Suite 850, close to the Boston harbor.

Boston Beer Company, parent of the popular Sam Adams brand, is enjoying a great year financially and its management sees no end in sight. The company just recently reported net income of $16.3 million for the third quarter of 2011, or $1.19 per share, representing an increase of $850,000 or $0.10 per share compared to the same period in 2010. Total sales were also up, increasing to $134.80 million, which is 8% greater than the same period last year.

Volume increases are credited for the bulk of the sales gains. Core brands like Sam Adams Boston Lager are not enjoying year- over- year sales gains like they did in the past, but other Sam Adams styles are more than picking up the slack. The company continues to expand its portfolio and now produces and distributes about 25 different brands. Combined, these Sam Adams products are on pace to achieve their best year ever for sales and profits

Besides the new products, Samuel Adams started an improvement program this year aimed at reducing the time between packaging and purchase by consumers. Touted as the Freshest Beer program, it aims to reduce wholesale inventories and improve freshness. So far, the reduction in inventories has cut slightly into profits, but Boston Beer management is confident that the program will pay dividends in the very near future, thanks to improved customer satisfaction.

Investors are certainly enjoying Boston Beer’s financial success. Those who purchased Boston beer common stock in March, 2009, when the Dow Jones and other indices were at multi- year lows, would have paid in the $19 to $20 range per share. That same stock today is worth close to $100 per share. Doing some simple math shows a return of more than five times over the course of about 30 months. Few, if any, American beverage companies have achieved financial results like this and many financial analysts still believe the share price has room to grow.

Sam Adams is the best- known craft beer brand in the United States and its products, while not necessarily rated the absolute greatest by beer fans, are still highly respected by the beer drinking public. The company is considered the market leader for American craft beer and positive financial news like this is good for the micro- brew industry in general because it demonstrates the continued trend toward preference for craft beer products.

The big brewers have barely held their own during the past year and many have witnessed small declines in sales volume as consumers seek out more flavorful products. But for craft beer market leader Sam Adams, the party is just beginning and it should continue well into 2012 and beyond.

October 27, 2011

American Beer Day: A Time to Reflect

by bryancarey — Categories: About Beer, Beer Media, Breweries, Domestic, Macrobreweries, Microbrews — Tags: Anheuser- Busch InBev, beer, brewery, brewing, craft — No Comments

October 27 isn’t just the day that falls four days before Halloween. It is now recognized as American Beer Day- a day to celebrate the brewing industry, its history, its influence, and the many great contributions American beer has made to our quality of life.

How important is beer? Well, consider these facts: Beer is the most widely consumed alcoholic beverage in the United States, where more than 1,700 breweries produce more than 6 billion gallons of beer each year. Breweries across America include large, well-known macro- breweries such as Anheuser- Busch InBev, Miller, and Coors as well as regional brands and locally brewed craft beer brands. American pale lager is still the most popular style, but American breweries produce products of distinction across the spectrum.

Industry- wide, the trend is toward craft beer. The big breweries still control the market, but their dominance is waning. The craft beer industry gained momentum in the 1980’s, surged in the 1990’s, fell back a little in the early 2000’s, and is now expanded rapidly again in this, the second decade of the twenty- first century. As tastes continue to mature, there is no reason to believe that this trend will reverse in the coming years.

The American brewing industry has gone through many different phases and has experienced many highs and lows. Yes, the brewing industry was forced to endure the thirteen years of anti- American, anti- freedom insanity known as prohibition during the early part of the 1900’s. But America repented for this ghastly sin and repealed the prohibition amendment in 1933. Today, the industry is back on its feet and thriving like never before, with new breweries opening weekly and with malt beverage products that rival the finest in the world.

So, as October 27 winds down, take some time to reflect on the brewing industry and what beer means to you personally. Pay a visit to your local brewery, buy a six pack of your favorite brand, or otherwise find some way to pay your respects to the world’s greatest beverage and the men and women who work hard to brew, package, and distribute your favorite brands each day.

October 21, 2011

Walmart to Stock More Craft Beer

by bryancarey — Categories: About Beer, Beer Media — Tags: Anheuser- Busch InBev, craft, retail, store, walmart — 1 Comment

Walmart is huge, to put it mildly. The business has stores in every nook and cranny across the United States and many Americans are within ten minutes of one or more Walmart, Walmart Supercenters, or Walmart Neighborhood markets. It is difficult to escape a business of this magnitude and many consider Walmart their one- stop shopping excursion for all their household needs.

But in spite of its status as the apex of retailers, Walmart is the absolute pits when it comes to craft beer selection. Walmart ranks number one in terms of overall retail beer sales in the United States, but its top ranking is due not to great selection, but to its overall popularity as a grocery retailer and, when it comes to beer, its tendency to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Sure, you might find some Dos Equis, Beck’s, and a few other interesting products, but the bulk of Walmart’s refrigerated section is dedicated to Bud Light, Busch, Old Milwaukee, and similar brew.

Pressure is mounting, however, on the nation’s largest retailer to open up more shelf space to craft beer and just this past week, former Walmart CEO Lee Scott made a proclamation that was music to the ears of craft beer fans everywhere. Speaking to a large gathering of distributors at the National Beer Wholesalers Convention in Las Vegas, Scott (who still serves on the Walmart board) stated that Walmart realizes it needs to offer more room for craft beer and an overall better assortment of malt beverages in general.

Customer service is part of the reason for the opening of Walmart to the craft beer segment. Scott acknowledged that consumers are turning away from Walmart in favor of Kroger and other stores where the beer options are better and there is no good reason why the largest retailer on the planet cannot offer the same or better selection at a competitive price. Yes, the big guys at Anheuser- Busch, Miller, and Coors will cry foul and try to interfere with the enhanced competition, but the ultimate decision rests with the customer and if craft beer is what they want, craft beer is what they will get.

Craft beer still has a long way to go before it reaches the level of sales enjoyed by the macrobreweries. After all, only about 5% of the beer market is craft in nature. However, this market is expanding quickly and its recent growth is in the double digits, compared to a two percent decline for beer sales overall. Thus, from the standpoint of economics, it makes sense for Walmart to recognize this trend and open the beer aisle to a wider assortment of products. Craft breweries are opening at a rapid pace and the numbers today are at their highest level (around 1,800) in more than one hundred years.

Walmart hasn’t made any immediate changes yet and decisions like this are still largely under the control of individual store management. But with a few small changes, a visit to Walmart might one day include a six pack of Deschutes and a 22 oz. Rogue rather than a quick purchase of Milwaukee’s Best and a bag of Great Value potato chips.

October 9, 2011

Anheuser- Busch and SABMiller, Together as One?

by bryancarey — Categories: Beer Media, Breweries, Domestic, Macrobreweries — Tags: Anheuser- Busch InBev, beer, budweiser, Buyout, Coors, Merger, SABMiller — No Comments

Anheuser- Busch InBev, the largest brewing operation in the world, has reportedly been in talks to purchase the second largest brewer, SABMiller, in what would be one of the largest takeovers in corporate history.

According to the Brazilian news website IG, SABMiller has been talking with Anheuser- Busch InBev for some time about a potential sale of the business to its larger foe. Spokespersons on both ends decline to comment on the deal, but SABMiller shares spiked in price last week when the news hit the street.

The thought of a merger of any type between Anheuser- Busch InBev and SABMiller doesn’t sit well with many people for numerous reasons. For one, the partnership reeks of potential monopoly. Both companies are already very big and the idea of them becoming one would be like Toyota purchasing Ford Motor. These two businesses are not based in the United States anymore so any merger between the two would not be subject to U.S. anti- trust overview, but it still concerns some people just the same.

Then, there is the mere idea of old rivalries joining together in unison. As anyone in the United States knows, Miller and Anheuser- Busch were bitter rivals for decades and the thought of these two enemies becoming a single company just doesn’t feel right. Add to this the fact that SABMiller owns a portion of Molson Coors and the feelings of uneasiness become even more vivid. Anheuser- Busch, Miller, and Coors products sold by the same company?- the thought sends shivers down my tall boy.

Most financial analysts say there is no reason to worry about this deal going through because, among other things, the cost would be staggering. Anheuser- Busch InBev would have to cough up somewhere in the neighborhood of $70 to $100 billion to seal a deal this large. InBev had to borrow a huge sum of money when it purchased Anheuser- Busch back in 2008 and, as of June 30, 2011, still has more than $40 billion in debt. Given a debt load this large, coupled with the difficult global economy, it is unlikely that Anheuser- Busch InBev would be able to purchase its closest rival, even if it wanted to.

No one has confirmed or denied any rumors yet, so there is still an outside chance that this marriage may actually reach consummation. I don’t believe it will, but be prepared for the pitter-patter of Anheuser- Busch/Miller/Coors feet if the deal becomes reality.

September 15, 2011

Amstel Wheat Bier Ready to Launch

by bryancarey — Categories: Beer Media, Imports, Macrobreweries — Tags: Amstek, beer, bier, Heineken, light, wheat — No Comments

Amstel, a Dutch brand sold under the Heineken umbrella, has announced a new beer. The product is Amstel Wheat Bier and it is going to be offered first in upscale taverns and pubs in seven U.S. cities: New York, Boston, Providence, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Chicago, and San Francisco. Distribution across the United States is planned for later this year.

According to Amstel, this new wheat bier is an authentic European wheat beer brewed according to Amstel’s strict craftsmanship. Amstel Wheat will offer a deep golden hue with hints of orange and amber. The aroma will emphasize floral notes, fruit, and bread while the taste will be slightly fruity with delicate hops. The flavour will lean toward the sweet side and will likely be smooth and drinkable.

Samples of Amstel Wheat will be provided at consumer sampling events with the beer served in authentic European wheat bier glassware. This type of glass is tall and includes a wider rim. It is intended to highlight the taste and appearance of wheat beer and it should help to showcase the product’s look and aroma.

Amstel hasn’t introduced a new product in more than ten years so the addition of Amstel Wheat to the lineup is certainly welcome news. However, when I imagine what this new beer will be like, I can’t help but display my skeptical side. After all, Amstel products are not known for their memorable taste and do not come even close to the flavor and complexity exhibited by a fine craft brew. Amstel Light, the company’s best selling brand, is very weak and watery and my concern is that Amstel Wheat will be nothing more than a wheat- enhanced clone of the company’s flagship product.

I won’t know for sure whether Amstel Wheat will prove itself worthy until the product gains national distribution so I will save any official criticism until then. Who knows- it might turn out to be a worthwhile brew with a taste and quality on the level of Amstel Gold or Amstel 1870 (two of the better Amstel products, although both are far from stellar). It could be one of the better products in the Amstel family and a beer for the ages. It could surpass Amstel Light and even other American and German wheat beers in overall quality and taste. It could win national awards and take home dozens of medals to its parent Heineken.

It could do any number of great things, but I wouldn’t bet on any of them.

May 16, 2011

American Craft Beer Week: A Time to Celebrate

by bryancarey — Categories: Beer Media, Breweries, Brewpubs, Microbrews — Tags: beer, celebration, craft, week — 1 Comment

American Craft Beer Week

A celebration of all things malty begins today.

Industries have their ups and downs, but there are some that have been on the upswing for a long time and one of them is the American craft brewing industry. Since its renaissance in the early 1980’s, craft breweries and brewpubs have exploded in number and now total more thn 1,700 nationwide. The growing popularity of craft beer has prompted the creation of a new excuse to celebrate: American Craft Beer Week, a celebration that is now six years old.

What can you expect?:

American Craft Beer Week runs from May 16 through May 22 in 2011 and because it is intended as a celebration of craft beer, hundreds of craft breweries will be hosting special events, offering special promotions, and hosting additional tours. Breweries, however, are not the only places involved. Local beer bars and restuarants are also in on the action, with a good percentage of them promoting different brands of craft beer during this important week.

How Widespread is the Celebration?:

According to official sources, the 2011 American Craft Beer Week is going to be the most successful to date. There is an official celebration in every one of the fifty U.S. states, marking the first time that every part of the country is promoting American Craft Beer Week or celebrating craft beer in some way. American Craft Beer Week even has a special page on Facebook with more than 30,000 thirsty fans.

Where can I go to learn more?:

Check the web page of your local breweries, brewpubs, and beer bars for American Craft Beer Week festivities. Another good resource is the web site craftbeer.com. It contains background information on American Craft Beer Week along with news and links to celebrations. You may also like to visit the Brewers Association, which is the group responsible for creating the concept of American Craft Beer Week in 2005.

American Craft Beer Week is now officially recognized by the U.S. Congress. With an endorsement at such a high level of governance, doesn’t it make sense to follow the law and toast your favorite craft beer? There will be plenty of opportunities this week at breweries and beer bars everywhere, so make sure to set aside time to pay homage to your favorite malt beverage and the individuals who have helped the craft brewing industry become what it is today.

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