Anheuser Busch and their deceptive marketing

[passedpawn]

While picking up some brew today I couldn't help but to notice the cooler in my local grocery store packed full of AB products. Id'e say 10' of craft brew and 50' + of BMC products. Should have taken a picture.

I'd say that's about the same at my grocery stores.

 

[Drookit]

As a funny little bit of history, I'll throw my hat into the ring. I have in my possession a pamphlet from the Coors Brewery tour circa 1975 (76?). It talks about their superior product etc. but one of the funnier elements is that at one time it was only available in Colorado, and then later when the pamphlet itself was written it showed a cartoony little map where you could find Coors and where they distributed. Funnily enough it was almost impossible to find east of the rocky mountains and they even cautioned consumers not to buy their product in eastern states because it was likely bootlegged or counterfeit and thus inferior. So really, Coors was a little guy way back when that TONS of people really really liked, even going so far as bootlegging the stuff, and then capitalism took hold (and president Gerald Ford, a HUGE fan of Coors) and BAM, multi-national conglomerate. It's a pretty funny little piece of history and it lovingly shares the shelf next to my other rare-print items, like my 1962 CDC workbook for children educating them and their families about how to react in the event of a nuclear war (some of the shelter diagrams are laughably unrealistic, think particle board lean-to covered in 3-4inches of dirt against a house).

Now I have a choice to make after this delightful little vignette into history, wait a really long time for my homebrew to get cold in the fridge since all the cold ones got consumed, or have a nice, ice-cold Banquet beer right now?

Wait just a minute, you're telling me I wasn't safe in elementary school hiding under my desk as a protective measure from a rusky nuclear blast?

Where's the beer?

My whole life is based on a lie.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Iwas very happy to walk out of my liquor store with some Blue Point Toxic Sludge and some Victory Hop Wallup. Hooray beer.

 

[McMalty]

I'd say that's about the same at my grocery stores.

I go to the local Food n Stuff. It's where i buy my food.............and most of my stuff

 

[cascades]

Ok, honestly guys. Nothing wrong with someone pointing out some dishonest business practices of one company, contrasted with honest business practices of another. AB-Inbev are dishonest, period. Why support that kind of thing? They aren't an American company. Whats wrong with trying to support "made in the USA?" Support your local economy. I thought all that was a good thing. What are people defending here?

Even if their beer was great I would try to avoid it for the same reason I generally try to stick with local organic produce. Healthier, supports local, tastier, usually ends up supporting nicer folk. Its just a general truism. Not always of course, but generally.

I'm with revy on being turned around to BMC on a taste level. Also, respect the skill involved since i started brewing CAPs myslef. Sometimes i drink BMC like a lot of folk, great on a hot day. Never any off flavors (or much of any flavor really). Its just light crisp and thirst quenching. Good for what it is.

No reason to sign some pledge of allegiance here or anything, supporting this company and railing against that one. Just notice AB-Inbev is a bully that produces less than stellar beer. Probably better to support nicer people in your local economy.

 

[norsk]

For a thought provoking and informative read about the Busch family and their methods over the years try (Bitter Brew) by William Knodelseder. American psychopath, corrupt, crony, predatory capitalism at its worse...

 

[cfrazier77]

I don't get it. Why not let people buy what they want to buy and be happy about consumers exercising their personal choice with their purchases? Who cares if someone favorably responds to advertizing that claims "cold" is a flavor? They purchase what they wanted to buy. It the same when people who only drink BMC complain about bitter beer, who are they to care, no one is forcing them to buy or drink it.

All this sounds familiar to the argument against Walmart, people complaining about what they do to small businesses. Guess what, if those in the local community wanted to shop at the local small shops instead of Walmart it would be Walmart going out of business. Why do the local shops go out of business, because the many decide to shop at Walmart instead of them. The problem is that a few have a problem with how the many will spend their dollars. Is it that the few think they are smarter than the many, that the many are not smart enough to know how to "properly" spend their money?

If someone does not want to buy or drink BMC because of taste, exercise your right to do so. To say that others are making wrong buying decisions because they are uninformed or misled is arrogant, you are upset that they do not agree with you. If you insult and go after someone doing their job, who is being polite, then you have no shred of class at all.

 

[phenry]

Why are we arguing about buying beer on here? Isn't this a homebrew forum? Who even does that anymore?


Buying beer. Pffaaw.

 

[Pappers_]

Why are we arguing about buying beer on here? Isn't this a homebrew forum? Who even does that anymore?


Buying beer. Pffaaw.

I couldn't agree more. Lets just declare this done for now, until the next time someone brings up the topic. And we can have the same discussion for the hundredth time.