After Making Beer Ever Lighter, Anheuser Faces a New Palate (WSJ)

[norml]

Taste Buds
After Making Beer Ever Lighter,
Anheuser Faces a New Palate

Seeking Mass Appeal, Brewer
For Years Cut Bitterness;
Now Drinkers Want More

Drinkability vs. Fat Squirrels

By SARAH ELLISON
April 26, 2006; Page A1





ST. LOUIS -- Sitting in the wood-paneled "corporate tasting room" of Anheuser-Busch Cos.' headquarters here, August Busch III surveyed five recently thawed cans of Budweiser beer, representing a quarter of a century of beer history. In the early 1980s, the Anheuser chairman ordered that freshly brewed cans of Budweiser and Bud Light be cryogenically frozen, using technology typically employed in preserving human tissue.

"We wanted to make damn sure we would have the same beer 20 years down the road," said Mr. Busch, 68 years old, tapping the table rhythmically with his index finger to accentuate his point.

For decades, Anheuser's aim was to develop a beer that would sell across America, one inoffensive enough to appeal to the nation's varied palate.

Now, that goal is out of step with a shift in consumers' tastes. From coffee to fashion to media, niche products are rising, especially ones that consumers can customize, and the great mass brands of the postwar period are under attack. Imported brews and smaller so-called "craft" beers with stronger flavors are more readily available and are selling fast, as are wines and spirits.

Moreover, for all its devotion to consistency, Anheuser concedes Budweiser has changed over the years. It quietly tinkered with its formula to make the beer less bitter and pungent, say several former brewmasters, a byproduct of the company's desire to create a beer for the Everyman.

The question of taste has created opportunities for Anheuser's rivals and has resulted in some ferocious marketing battles. Anheuser, an industry bellwether, used to shrug off such challenges. Now, among myriad other factors, it's begun to take a toll on Anheuser's financial performance and has led beer makers to a moment of self-reflection.


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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB114601602889736048.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

[jmowreader]

1. The Secret Recipe for Budweiser

Step 1: Draw a gallon of carbonated water.
Step 2: Pour one can of someone else's beer into it.
Step 3: Package the resultant concoction and ship it.

Is there a thinner, more flavorless beer than Budweiser?

[norml]

2. I don't know,

is there?

[Left_Winger]

3. Ever try the original Budweiser from Budweis, Czech Rep.?

Good stuff!

[no name no slogan]

4. It's now available in the US, under the Czechvar label

www.czechvar.com

[Left_Winger]

5. Will definitely have to look for it.