Budweiser pressured into listing ingredients

[jpc]

Years ago (20 or so, by my recollection), there was a list of "95 chemicals that major brewers use but don't have to divulge" that was easily accessible on the intrawebz. I can't seem to find it now, but there are additives in Budweiser that are not listed on the label, including heading agents (how else would something so devoid of body actually form a head?).

The same is true of fining agents and other such things added. Probably not very much in the finished product, but it's in there...

 

[bob1852]

Years ago (20 or so, by my recollection), there was a list of "95 chemicals that major brewers use but don't have to divulge" that was easily accessible on the intrawebz. I can't seem to find it now, but there are additives in Budweiser that are not listed on the label, including heading agents (how else would something so devoid of body actually form a head?).

The same is true of fining agents and other such things added. Probably not very much in the finished product, but it's in there...

Sounds like you have more than enough information to start an anti-chemical food blog.

 

[roger_tucker]

It's funny. She's worried about all sorts of additives and other crap added to the beer that might make it harmful to your health. I would suggest if one is that worried about those additives they probably should be worried about the main poison in beer, namely the alcohol.

 

[jpc]

If you look at all the Large commercial breweries then that statement is true. Miller uses extracts in most of their beers. In fact, we took over an old Miller brewery and one of our engineers on the project told me they had to get rid of four extract tanks to make room for more grain silos. Budweiser is still mashed along with a cereal mash. The ingredients are still high quality and it's still Beechwood aged, although they do use less beechwood than they use to. That in itself is an expensive part of the cost of Bud. The amount of steam usage and manpower to "cook" the beechwood is not cheap! Beachwood doesn't add flavor it just gives the lager yeast a place to hang out so it just doesn't sink to the bottom. This allows the beer to ferment quicker, which saves money. It also makes a nice filter when they drain a tank. You may not like the taste of the beer but I guarantee you it's the highest quality of any beer made! Oh, and we don't use fish bladders, we use DE filters and centrifuges.

Go here for more info: http://www.tapintoyourbeer.com/

I was under the impression that the beechwood doesn't keep the yeast in suspension, but acts as a fining agent to help take the yeast out of suspension to clarify the beer. This is added at the lagering stage, which would make more sense, since the beer is already fermented at this point.

 

[jpc]

Sounds like you have more than enough information to start an anti-chemical food blog.

Sure I do... because zero information is needed to be an alarmist twit.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

Sure I do... because zero information is needed to be an alarmist twit.

I now know what I'm doing with my summer.:rockin:

 

[NickTheGreat]

It's funny. She's worried about all sorts of additives and other crap added to the beer that might make it harmful to your health. I would suggest if one is that worried about those additives they probably should be worried about the main poison in beer, namely the alcohol.

Or the chemicals in her makeup, her car, the color painted on her walls in her home, her clothes, her soap, her . . .

It's almost like everything in the world is made from chemicals or has a chemical makeup.

 

[JonM]

She's an insufferable worrywart who tells other, like-minded insufferable worrywarts exactly what they want to hear.

 

[KegconnectionLLC]

“we know of no brand produced by any other brewer which costs so much to brew and age. Our exclusive Beechwood Aging produces a taste, a smoothness and a drinkability you will find in no other beer at any price”

That has got to be right up there with "better ingredients, better pizza, papa johns" in the top 10 bull**** lines that are totally legal to use in advertising and shouldn't be. no other brand which costs so much to brew and age? a taste you will find in no other beer at any price?

ARE YOU FAHKING KIDDING ME? Budweiser is one of my favorite examples of the style, but the only way they could spend the most to brew and age this is if you took their TOTAL cost of all their beer per year for this one style. Because it costs about $.10/can to brew and age and sells for for what, $.50/can? And you will find the taste in no other beer at any price because other beers cost more and taste different i.e. better.

I am a little hesitant to admit this, but this post cracked me up because I have a friend that memorized that line 20+ years ago over a 12 pack of Budweiser we were sharing and he can still say it on demand today. This is despite the fact that both of us moved on in our beer tastes many years ago. "we know of no brand produced by any other brewer which costs so much to brew and age. Our exclusive Beechwood Aging produces a taste, a smoothness and a drinkability you will find in no other beer at any price”

 

[tootal]

I was under the impression that the beechwood doesn't keep the yeast in suspension, but acts as a fining agent to help take the yeast out of suspension to clarify the beer. This is added at the lagering stage, which would make more sense, since the beer is already fermented at this point.

You forget about Krausening. Once it's out of the Alpha tanks it goes into the Lagering tanks where it is given some fresh wort. At a certain point they close the blow off valve and it naturally carbonates. The beechwood does attract the yeast but it just allows more contact area for the beer. The more beer in contact with the yeast the faster it ferments.

Oh, and we don't use phosphoric acid anymore, we now use sulfuric. Ooooo! the same stuff that's in your battery!!

As far as water goes, we use to just filter St. Louis city water with carbon and brew with it. To make all the breweries taste the same we now all use a RO system along with carbon filters and build the water the same everywhere.

 

[JonM]

I think just about every young guy has memorized that at some point. (Not here in Milwaukee, though, where Budweiser is practically verboten.)

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

If you look at all the Large commercial breweries then that statement is true. Miller uses extracts in most of their beers. In fact, we took over an old Miller brewery and one of our engineers on the project told me they had to get rid of four extract tanks to make room for more grain silos. Budweiser is still mashed along with a cereal mash. The ingredients are still high quality and it's still Beechwood aged, although they do use less beechwood than they use to. That in itself is an expensive part of the cost of Bud. The amount of steam usage and manpower to "cook" the beechwood is not cheap! Beachwood doesn't add flavor it just gives the lager yeast a place to hang out so it just doesn't sink to the bottom. This allows the beer to ferment quicker, which saves money. It also makes a nice filter when they drain a tank. You may not like the taste of the beer but I guarantee you it's the highest quality of any beer made! Oh, and we don't use fish bladders, we use DE filters and centrifuges.

Go here for more info: http://www.tapintoyourbeer.com/

I remember hearing this on Jamil's Podcast or one of those podcasts, I think the Wood Aged beer style one from a month or two ago. It makes perfect sense, all that beechwood gives the yeast so much more surface area to ferment, rather than only the top layer fermenting while the rest at the bottom of the conical does nothing.

 

[SpeedYellow]

I remember hearing this on Jamil's Podcast or one of those podcasts, I think the Wood Aged beer style one from a month or two ago. It makes perfect sense, all that beechwood gives the yeast so much more surface area to ferment, rather than only the top layer fermenting while the rest at the bottom of the conical does nothing.

It was actually discussed on his douchecast regarding smoked beers. One of the douchehosts used to work at A-B and was describing their use of beechwood, yes a complete non-sequitur but Schlenkerla smokes with beech and so....