Michelob is getting a makeover.
Ho-hum, you say? How cares about a new embossed teardrop bottle?
But wait. There’s more news hidden in the Brandweek story.
Michelob will no longer be made with rice and corn. Right, no adjuncts.
Yet the redo is not intended to align Michelob with craft beers, say wholesalers. Rather the strategy is to bring the brand closer to its original roots and target, which is older consumers. Product literature describes the target as 28 to 54-year-old drinkers who might be drawn to a beer with “more robust malty body and distinctive hop character.” A-B was not available for comment.
Drinkers looking for more robust malty bod and distinctive hop character? That wouldn’t be you, would it?
(We’ve added more details since this post.)
I want something that tastes like Michelob Ultra! 😉 Just Kidding of course.
This could be disruptive. If it is cheaper, but, tastes pretty good the craft beer scene could see some slippage. Walmart is a good example of a big company having lower prices and in turn putting some of the little guys out of business.
Hmmmm…interesting…
Hmm, I’d try it.
That said, Adam, I;m not sure your Walmart analogy works. People who usually shop at Walmart tend go there because of low prices on basic, everyday, consumer goods.
Craft beer is hardly a basic, everyday good, its much more of a niche, or dare I say gourmet product. It tends to be more of an affordable luxury than vintaged liquors or wine.
Its kind of a tough topic for me to get my head around. I’ll have to think more on it. What was this post about, now?
I know A-B officially said Feb 26 for nationwide distribution, but it looks like there is limited distribution of the All Malt Michelob already available — unless there is another type if Michelob in those tear-drop bottles, I just bought some at the store.
All_
I am drinking an all-malt (bottled) Michelob as I write this. I am disappointed in the flavor profile. It does not taste as intense on either the malt or hops as I had hoped. I guess going from 80/20 malted barley/rice to 100% malted barley doesn’t kick up the malt flavor that much. I should have known.
It is crisp and clean, as expected. Hops are hard to pick up.
MB
STLMO
I had one the other night. I was at a Thai resturant and ordered a Singh Ha for $3.75 (strike one) and it came in an 11 oz long neck bottle instead of the the old 12 oz short goblet bottle (strike 2) and it also did not seem to have the sweet malty and EtOH flavor balanced with crisp metallic hops I remebered, (you’re outta there).
So when it was time for a second beer I noticed they had Michelob for $1.25 less ($2.50) so I was like, what the hell, I haven’t had one in a long time. When it came I first noticed the cool new bottle but I was more impressed when I read that it was now all malt. I tried to tell my wife the significance of this pleasant surprise but she just kind of stared at me with her “wtf does all malt mean, and wtf should I care” look so I realized I was alone in interesting discovery.
So on to the taste. I actually thought it was pretty good. It is really pretty similar to the origional Michelob which has always had a little more body and malt flavor than bud. But it is definitely improved. Gone is the slightly sour flavor associated with the adjuncts and it has slightly more medium-full body, dryish but not fizzy with really no malty sweetness and no discernable aromatic hop character. I would classify it as similar to a martzen. To me it is a well crafted beer but if you associate all malt with US micro lagers you will be dissappointed by the lack of “in your face” hops. I’ll definitely try it again.