Craft Beers

Anheuser-Busch Brewery

Several weeks ago, when the boys and I were golfing, the Starter paired us up with a high-level executive for Anheuser-Busch.  We learned several things, some of which I’ll share with you today.

The first point he made answered a question I have pondered for several years now, ever since Stella Artois became available in almost every venue in the United States.  This beer, purported to be among the oldest brewed in Europe was purchased by Anheuser-Busch, primarily for distribution rights.  It certainly qualifies as a crafty beer, but may be brewed in other places than its native Belgium.  At least that might account for a statistic I saw a few weeks ago saying the Belgians no longer find it attractive.

Anchor-Steam

Our golfing companion said that Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch) had purchased 175 craft breweries  the rights to distribute them in the last year.  The movement to consolidate small breweries began in the United States when Anchor Steam, a San Francisco Brewery, found itself in financial troubles and was bailed out by Frederick Louis Maytag III in 1965 and subsequently by an investment company and most recently by Sapporo.  Anchor Steam remains brewed in San Francisco and, at least to my taste, is much the same as it was sixty years ago.

It would appear that the Budweiser move (which includes replacing most of the Pabst-brewed beers in Milwaukee with craft beers and some historic brands, such as Stroh’s, Schlitz, Ballentine’s, Andecker and more than a dozen others.) reflects a trend in American beer consumers.  It is not unusual nowadays to find even modest bars with half a dozen or more craft beers in tap.

A far cry from the days when I was at Marquette.  One of my favorite jokes is about a couple, driving into Milwaukee in the early morning hours.  The breweries were all lit up, with steam pouring out of their smokestacks.  The wife says, “Do you see all the beer they are making?  There’s no way you’re going to drink all that beer.”  To which he replied, “Well, I’ve got them working nights.”

Although Coors still advertises they make their beer in the Colorado mountains, Budweiser is brewed in at least four American cities, and no other traditional brew has a major market in the U.S.  Instead major breweries like Sam Adams bring different beers to market seasonally, craft beers, such as their Rebel IPA are harder to find.

Another possible attraction of the craft beers might be thed choice of alcohol content.  When I first tried beer, in Iowa, the law limited alcohol content of beer to 3.2%, a rule I am, sure passed away many years ago.  O'Shea's seels a Double IPA with an alcohol content of 7.4%, the "double" relating specifically to the alcohol. I can't remember the last time I got a "buzz" from beer, but in my younger days there were times, even at 3.2%.
More likely, the beer content effects the smoothness and "bite" of the brew, and tastes will vary on both those issues.

I have a kegerator and my sons insist I stock it with craft beer.  Their recent favorite is Elysian Space Dust, but O’Shea’s, where I buy my kegs doesn’t routinely stock that.  Similarly, the Rebel Ale and Goose Island IPA.  The one I can depend on is Sculpin, a San Diego craft beer that is one of my favorites.  It is a little pricey though, about $115 for a five-gallon keg.

Making one’s own beer has become increasingly popular, possibly because of cost.  O’Shea’s estimates they service more than 200 occasional brew-masters in Orange County.  Even Mary went to a presentation by a home beer brewer, but hasn’t shown any interest in brewing herself.

Oh well, I still have my Sculpin.

My next Post is borrowed from NPR which had a short feature connecting the dots between dead cows, rat poison, and a life-saving drug called Warfarin.  I hope you will join me.