http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/b...estroying.html
Rebecca Wohltman
Editorial Assistant- St. Louis
BusinessWeek’s cover story last week was titled
“The Plot to Destroy America’s Beer” and included a photo of a bottle of Budweiser exploding. Usually I read the magazine in order, but this time, I turned to the story first. And I was not disappointed.
While the article explains the financial changes AB InBev has made since its takeover four years ago, the more interesting parts of the article discussed changes in the beer itself. AB InBev told BusinessWeek that it hasn’t altered any of its beers’ ingredients, and while that may be true, it has changed the types of ingredients it uses.
If you have noticed a subtle change in flavors of Anheuser-Busch beverages, you’re not alone. The article outlines several changes in brewing locations that have altered the taste of beer. For example, Beck’s used to be brewed in Bremen, Germany, but is now brewed in St. Louis.
Anheuser-Busch only used whole grains of rice for its beer, but AB InBev will start using broken grains. The company says that its concern is with the rice’s freshness, not whether it is whole.
Anheuser-Busch used high-quality hops from Hallertauer Mittelfrüh for its Budweiser brew, but AB InBev uses hops that, according to a German hops farmer, are less flavorful.
Consumers appear to be noticing these changes. Shipments of AB InBev products have dropped 8 percent from 2008 to 2011, according to Beer Marketer’s Insights.
For more fun, BusinessWeek also compiled 99 facts about Anheuser-Busch products in an illustration. Remember the frogs that croaked Bud-Weis-Er? They’re included.
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