Bud Lite - The Beer Thrillers https://thebeerthrillers.com Central PA beer enthusiasts and beer bloggers. Homebrewers, brewery workers, and all around beer lovers. Thu, 29 Feb 2024 15:48:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://i0.wp.com/thebeerthrillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/cropped-The-Beer-Thrillers-December-2022-Logo.jpg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Bud Lite - The Beer Thrillers https://thebeerthrillers.com 32 32 187558884 AB InBev’s Budweiser becomes Olympics’ first beer brand global sponsor https://thebeerthrillers.com/2024/01/11/ab-inbevs-budweiser-becomes-olympics-first-beer-brand-global-sponsor/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ab-inbevs-budweiser-becomes-olympics-first-beer-brand-global-sponsor Thu, 11 Jan 2024 15:24:44 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=14489

Paris at Sunset – Home of the 2024 Olympics

AB InBev’s Budweiser becomes Olympics’ first beer brand global sponsor

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has, for the first time in its 40-year sponsorship history, partnered with a beer brand, welcoming Anheuser-Busch InBev into its multi-billion dollar sponsorship program that benefits both the organization and international sports. This landmark agreement was unveiled by the IOC and AB InBev, the brewing behemoth from Belgium known for popular labels such as Budweiser, Corona, Michelob, and Modelo, covering the upcoming three Summer and Winter Olympic Games. The collaboration kicks off with the Paris Olympics, set to commence on July 26, and will extend through the 2026 Winter Olympics in Northern Italy, culminating with what is anticipated to be a highlight event at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

The IOC has not disclosed how much the sponsorship costs, but estimates point to north of 300$ Million.

Corona Cero, the non-alcoholic variant of the globally second most valuable beer brand Corona, will serve as the worldwide beer sponsor for the Olympic Games, announced the leaders of the IOC and AB InBev. While the financial terms of the sponsorship were not revealed, it is known that some sponsors of the IOC’s TOP (The Olympic Partner) program contribute over $300 million for a four-year commercial partnership.

AB InBev, with its extensive support for sports worldwide, aims to celebrate the communal spirit that sports and beer jointly foster among fans, according to AB InBev CEO Michel Doukeris during an interview with The Associated Press. “Beer and sports are a natural pairing for fans,” Doukeris remarked, highlighting the company’s commitment to enhancing the sports viewing experience.

Since its inception in 1985, a year after the commercially revitalizing Los Angeles Games, the IOC’s TOP program has primarily partnered with companies in the technology and logistics sectors, such as Deloitte, Intel, and Toyota, to aid Olympic Games organizers in host cities. This marks the first time the Olympic organization has engaged with a beer or alcohol brand for its globally celebrated event, which is recognized as the zenith of athletic excellence and features an increasingly youthful roster of medalists in new sports like skateboarding. Nevertheless, beer sponsorships have been commonplace at the local level; for example, Chinese officials designated Budweiser as the international beer for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The IOC’s historical collaborations with Coca-Cola and McDonald’s led to a moment of reflection in 2012 when then-president Jacques Rogge acknowledged the need for these partners to contribute to the fight against obesity by offering healthier, low-sugar, and low-fat alternatives. While Coca-Cola remains an Olympic sponsor, the partnership with McDonald’s was concluded prematurely in 2017, three years before its scheduled end.

The IOC has always maintained a marketing philosophy that shuns commercial ties with products that could undermine its mission or the values of Olympism. When queried about the timing of the new sponsorship agreement, Thomas Bach, who succeeded Rogge as IOC president, highlighted the alignment of shared values between the IOC and its new partner, emphasizing the celebration of sports and unity that both entities cherish.

“We are organizations that are eager for success, yet we understand the importance of social responsibility that accompanies such achievements,” Bach commented during a press conference.

AB InBev’s CEO, Michel Doukeris, in an interview with The Associated Press, saw no conflict in having Corona Cero as the global Olympic brand and Michelob Ultra sponsoring the U.S. team and the 2028 LA Olympics, citing the promotion of responsible drinking as a core message.

The market for non-alcoholic beverages has seen a significant uptick, driven by health-conscious younger consumers and a general trend towards moderation, outpacing the growth of alcoholic beverage sales over recent years. From 2018 to 2023, non-alcoholic drink sales in the top 10 markets surged by 70% to over $8.5 billion, while alcoholic drinks experienced a 14% growth to $470 billion, according to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.

This shift presents alcohol companies with an opportunity to retain customers within their brand portfolio, according to Susie Goldspink, head of no- and low-alcohol insights at IWSR. For instance, a consumer transitioning from alcoholic Corona to Corona Cero remains a win for AB InBev.

IOC sponsors, now totaling a record 15, are restricted from showcasing their names or slogans at Olympic venues. Thus, there will be no visual presence of Corona Cero marketing amidst competitions, such as skateboarding or gymnastics, in Paris. However, sponsors do gain exclusive global rights to use Olympic branding, like the iconic five rings, in their advertising and promotional activities.

The sponsorship program has been lucrative for the IOC, generating almost $2.3 billion in cash, services, and value-in-kind for the cycle ending with the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

The partnership with the beer industry begins in France, where a 33-year ban on alcohol sales in sports stadiums is in place, though alcohol is available in premium hospitality areas.

Fans heading to Paris have diverse views on alcohol’s role at the Games, emphasizing the event’s focus on world-class competition and cross-cultural unity over drinking. Some attendees, like KC Branch, a 61-year-old attorney, and Wendi Johnson, a 46-year-old professor, appreciate the emphasis on a family-friendly atmosphere free from alcohol-induced misbehaviors. Meanwhile, others like Derick Gavidia, a 35-year-old tech worker, view the option to purchase alcohol as a nice-to-have but not essential to their Olympic experience, prioritizing the events, atmosphere, and memories above all.

History of Budweiser

Budweiser, an iconic American beer, traces its origins back to 1876 when Carl Conrad, a German immigrant, decided to create a beer that would echo the Bohemian lager style, popular in his homeland. He collaborated with Eberhard Anheuser and Adolphus Busch, the founders of what would become Anheuser-Busch, to brew this novel beer. Adolphus Busch, utilizing pasteurization and a network of ice-cooled railroad cars, was instrumental in ensuring that Budweiser could be the first national beer brand by maintaining its freshness during transportation across the United States. This innovation marked a turning point in the beer industry, setting Budweiser on a path to becoming a household name.

The early 20th century was a challenging period for Budweiser and the entire American brewing industry due to the Prohibition era (1920-1933), which banned the production, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. Anheuser-Busch navigated these turbulent times by diversifying its product line to include non-alcoholic beverages such as soft drinks and malt syrup. Despite these efforts, the company’s survival was at stake. However, the end of Prohibition marked a resurgence for Budweiser, as it quickly reestablished itself as a leader in the beer market, benefiting from the infrastructure and distribution networks that had been kept intact during the dry years.

Post-Prohibition, Budweiser embarked on an era of innovation and expansion. In the 1950s, Anheuser-Busch introduced the Budweiser can, significantly expanding the beer’s accessibility and convenience for American consumers. The latter half of the 20th century saw Budweiser solidifying its position as “The King of Beers,” a slogan that aptly reflected its dominant market presence. The brand was adept at marketing, utilizing various mediums from print to television, which featured memorable campaigns such as the Budweiser Clydesdales and the “Wassup” commercials. These efforts helped Budweiser to not only become synonymous with American beer but also a significant cultural icon.

Entering the 21st century, Budweiser has faced new challenges and opportunities. The rise of craft beers and changing consumer preferences towards more diverse and artisanal beer options have seen Budweiser adapting its strategy to maintain relevance. In 2008, Anheuser-Busch merged with InBev, forming Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest beer company. This merger allowed Budweiser to tap into new markets and expand its global footprint. Today, Budweiser continues to be a major player in the beer industry, renowned for its rich history and contribution to the development of the American beer landscape. Despite the evolving market dynamics, Budweiser remains a symbol of quality and tradition to beer enthusiasts around the world.

History of the Modern Olympics

The Modern Olympics, a global spectacle uniting nations through the spirit of competition and camaraderie, trace their origins to the vision of Pierre de Coubertin, a French educator and historian. Inspired by the ancient Olympic Games held in Greece, de Coubertin aimed to revive this tradition to foster peace and understanding among nations. His efforts culminated in the first Modern Olympic Games in 1896, held in Athens, Greece. Despite initial skepticism, the event was a success, featuring 241 athletes from 14 nations, competing in 43 events. This marked the beginning of the Modern Olympics, setting the stage for what would become the world’s foremost sports competition.

As the 20th century unfolded, the Olympics faced numerous challenges, including two World Wars, which led to the cancellation of the 1916, 1940, and 1944 Games. Despite these setbacks, the Olympics emerged as a symbol of global unity and resilience. The post-war era saw significant expansion and innovation in the Olympic movement. The introduction of the Winter Olympic Games in 1924 in Chamonix, France, broadened the scope of competition to include winter sports, while the Paralympic Games, established in 1960, emphasized inclusivity for athletes with disabilities. The latter half of the 20th century also witnessed the advent of the Youth Olympic Games, further extending the Olympic ideals to young athletes.

Throughout its history, the Olympics have not only been a showcase for athletic excellence but also a platform for social and political statements. The 1968 Mexico City Games were notable for the iconic Black Power salute by American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos. The 1972 Munich Olympics were tragically marred by the terrorist attack on the Israeli team. The 1980 and 1984 Games were affected by Cold War tensions, with the United States and the Soviet Union leading boycotts. Despite such controversies, the Olympics have continually strived to uphold the principles of peace, respect, and mutual understanding.

In recent years, the Olympic Games have continued to evolve, reflecting the changing landscape of global sports. The introduction of new sports and disciplines, such as skateboarding, surfing, and sport climbing, aims to capture the interest of younger audiences and reflect the diversity of athletic talent worldwide. The Tokyo 2020 Olympics, held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, showcased the resilience of the Olympic spirit amidst unprecedented challenges. As the Olympics look towards the future, with upcoming Games in Paris (2024), Milan-Cortina (2026), and Los Angeles (2028), they remain a testament to humanity’s enduring quest for excellence, unity, and peace through sport.

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

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As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

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The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

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The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

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If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

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BY 99 PERCENT, TEAMSTERS AUTHORIZE STRIKE AT ANHEUSER-BUSCH https://thebeerthrillers.com/2023/12/18/by-99-percent-teamsters-authorize-strike-at-anheuser-busch/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=by-99-percent-teamsters-authorize-strike-at-anheuser-busch Mon, 18 Dec 2023 14:46:05 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=13392 BY 99 PERCENT, TEAMSTERS AUTHORIZE STRIKE AT ANHEUSER-BUSCH

Teamsters working nationwide at Anheuser-Busch have voted by an overwhelming 99 percent to authorize a strike.

The resounding vote allows the Teamsters National Negotiating Committee to call a strike if Anheuser-Busch fails to come to terms on a strong new contract. The union is seeking an agreement that improves wages, protects jobs, and secures health care and retirement benefits for 5,000 Teamsters across the company’s 12 U.S. breweries. The current agreement expires Feb. 29, 2024.

Anheuser-Busch is one of the largest brewing companies in not just the United States, but also in the world. Employing one of the largest production work forces for beverage companies, short of just Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

Teamsters stand firm in our fight for the best contract at Anheuser-Busch, and this powerful strike vote proves it. Our members’ labor, talent, and sacrifice are what put Anheuser-Busch products on the shelf, and we are committed to getting a contract that rewards and recognizes their hard work. If Anheuser-Busch’s executives can’t get their act together to negotiate an agreement that respects workers, we will see them out on the streets

Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien
Anheuser-Busch

Under pressure from the Teamsters, the company reached tentative agreements to end tiered health care and restore retiree health benefits last month. However, Anheuser-Busch has delayed negotiating on important job security issues since mid-November, despite repeated requests by the union. The global beermaker pulled in $58 billion in 2022. The company also recently announced $1 billion in stock buybacks to wealthy investors as it simultaneously ignores the need to protect good jobs.

Anheuser-Busch can’t kick this can down the road much longer. The Teamsters don’t want to be forced onto the picket line at any employer, but we are fully prepared to walk if Anheuser-Busch doesn’t get serious about negotiating a record contract that also protects good union jobs. It is the workers — the dedicated and tireless members of the Teamsters — who make this company a success and who have earned to share in that success.

Jeff Padellaro, Director of the Teamsters Brewery, Bakery, and Soft Drink Conference

There are no dates currently set for negotiations. Anheuser-Busch Teamsters recently rallied in New Hampshire, California, and Florida. More actions will take place soon across the country.

If this company wasn’t willing to come to a fair agreement with the Teamsters, we would strike. My Teamster brothers and sisters have a lot of fight in us and, by all means, we will stand united.

Josh Blanton, an Anheuser-Bush worker with Teamsters Local 947 in Jacksonville, Florida

Anheuser-Busch is obviously best known for its Budweiser line of beers (Budweiser, Bud Lite, etc), as well as the Clydesdale Horses seen in their annual commercials during the Super Bowl.

Teamsters

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.

Anheuser-Busch Articles

Anheuser-Busch

The following comes via Untappd. Anheuser-Busch is a Subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev. They are a macro brewery from St. Louis, MO United States. They have 492 unique beers, and over 2.8 Million ratings, with a global average rating of 2.66 (as of 12.18.23).

Their Untappd description reads: The leading American brewer, bringing people together for more than 160 years.

You can find them at the following social media pages:

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer ReviewsHike ReviewsBook ReviewsBrewery News, Brewery OpeningsBrewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – FacebookFacebook GroupTwitterInstagramYouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

 

 

 

 

 

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Book Review: Family Reins (Billy Busch) https://thebeerthrillers.com/2023/08/06/book-review-family-reins-billy-busch/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=book-review-family-reins-billy-busch Sun, 06 Aug 2023 13:40:00 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=12157 Family Reins

Family Reins – The Heartbreaking Fall of An American Dynasty (or – Family Reins: The Extraordinary Rise and Epic Fall of An American Dynasty) is a book by Billy Busch Sr. There’s a lot to discuss with this book, and I thought about how I wanted to approach the review, and decided I didn’t want to jump right into a biography of Billy Busch (which I will be doing in a bit). But I first also need to address that I was approached and reached out to by Rebecca Malzahn and given a free copy of this book (an Uncorrected Advanced Reading Copy – or “ARC”) in lieu of a review here on the blog / site and on our GoodReads and LibraryThing pages.

So lets first take a look at Billy Busch Sr, take a look at Grant’s Farm, and more, then dive into the book review.

Billy Busch Sr.

If you do a quick Google search on Billy Busch Sr. one of the first things that pops up is his net worth – a staggering $17.6 Billion. He has self reported in the past that his family is the “16th richest family in the world with a net of $18 Billion” (according to The Sun).

A quick biography search on Google also brings up this:

The businessman was born William K. Busch in 1954 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. As already mentioned, he belongs to the Busch family, whose business was launched by Bill’s great-great-grandfather, Adolphus Busch. Likewise, Billy Busch Sr’s father, August Anheuser Busch, aka Gussie Busch, served as the Anheuser-Busch CEO for more than two decades. He married four times in his lifetime, and Billy’s mother, Gertrude Buholzer Busch, was his third wife.

William grew up in a large household with five siblings, Adolphus A. Busch III, Peter W. Busch, Beatrice Busch von Gontrad, Trudy Busch Valentine, and Andrew D. Busch. Among them, Peter created The Busch Family Foundation, and Trudy was a Missouri Senate candidate. On the other hand, Beatrice is one of the owners of Grant’s Farm and is passionate about wildlife and environmental conservation.

Billy Busch Sr. Biography 2023 – Businessman And Gussie Busch’s Son

The Busch Family Brewed

“The Busch Family Brewed” stars one wing of the beer dynasty. The show focuses on Billy Busch, Sr., his wife Christi Busch, and the couple’s seven children — Billy Jr. (28), Haley (27), Abbey (25), Gussie (24), Grace (22), Maddie (17), and Peter (13) — at the time of its airing.

The show aired for one season (10 episodes) on MTV in March of 2020. The show never broke the 0.5 million viewers mark.

The Busch Family Brewed is an American reality television series that premiered on MTV on March 5, 2020.[1][2] The series chronicles the lives of Billy Busch, great-grandson of Adolphus Busch; his wife Christi; and their seven children ranging in age from 28 to 13: Billy Jr., Haley, Abbey, Gussie, Grace, Maddie, and Peter.[1]

The Busch Family Brewed – Wikipedia

Grant’s Farm

House on Grant’s Farm / Billy Busch on the Bud Light Polo Team (photos courtesy of Rebecca Malzahn)

Grant’s Farm has its own website – a tourism website – about how to visit and view the legacy farm. They are currently geared up for their summer season, which you can read about here:

Summer

Late May – August

Summer at Grant’s Farm features days of fun and exploration and nights of music and dancing!

Starting May 26, we are open daily for general admission visits, where guests can enjoy the tram ride, animal feedings, carousel rides, complimentary beer samples courtesy of premier sponsor Anheuser-Busch, and more. General admission is free. There is a parking fee.

Seasonal Events

Grant’s Farm – Official Website
Clydesdales at Anheuser-Busch Brewery / Adolphus Anheuser-Busch with President Truman at Grant’s Farm (photos courtesy of Rebecca Malzahn)

Book Statistics and Book Blurbs

The Press Junket:

Billy Busch on his new tell-all book Family Reins: The Extraordinary Rise and Epic Fall of an American Dynasty? Written for the first time by a Busch heir, the book chronicles the iconic multi-billion-dollar Anheuser-Busch dynasty (creators of Busch, Budweiser, Bud Light, and Michelob brands). But with money and power, misfortune and mayhem were quick to follow suit. (Think: The Kennedys of the beer industry.) 

Family Reins tells the story of a legendary American family, their rise to power, and their fall from grace through poisonous infighting, succession struggles, and a seemingly endless string of tragedies, scandals, and loss. The book also shares the family’s patriotic involvement supporting American businesses and warfare during WWI, Prohibition, the Great Depression, and WWII. 

Family Reins – Press Junket

Book Title: Family Reins: The Extraordinary Rise and Epic Fall of an American Dynasty

Author: Billy Busch

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing 

Formats: hardcover, audio, e-book

Genre: Autobiography

Hardcover ISBN: 9798200798827

Pub Date: August 1, 2023

GoodReads Blurbs

Family Reins: The Heartbreaking Fall of an American Dynasty — And the Discovery of What Really Matters by Billy Busch.

Blurb:

The story of the iconic Anheuser-Busch dynasty, written — for the first time — by a Busch heir.

As an heir to the Anheuser-Busch company and fortune, Billy Busch was raised on the real stories of how his family built one of America’s oldest and most iconic brands. Since the company was formed almost 150 years ago, the Busch family, their beer, the famous Clydesdales in their advertising, and even their style of business have become a symbol of the American dream — that not-so-outdated belief that hard work, grit, and a positive can-do attitude make anything possible.

Growing up on the family’s ancestral estate as a prince to the King of Beers, Billy lived a life only kids could dream up — living in an amusement park, traveling by private rail car and yacht, and playing with his pet elephant, Tessie. But as he grew up, he realized that the Busch family legacy was not just wealth and privilege. With no separation between family and business, Billy’s father — more boss than dad — continued the tradition of preparing the next generation for corporate leadership, with high and exacting standards for his children. For Billy, all of this, combined with a dysfunctional family environment, was all too normal.

Family Reins tells the story of a legendary American family, their rise to power, and their fall from grace through poisonous infighting, succession struggles, and a seemingly endless string of tragedies, scandals, and loss.

Family Reins – GoodReads Blurb 1

Family Reins: The Extraordinary Rise and Epic Fall of an American Dynasty by Billy Busch

Blurb:

The story of the iconic Anheuser-Busch dynasty, written — for the first time — by a Busch heir. As an heir to the Anheuser-Busch company and fortune, Billy Busch was raised on the real stories of how his family built one of America’s oldest and most iconic brands. Since the company was formed almost 150 years ago, the Busch family, their beer, the famous Clydesdales in their advertising, and even their style of business have become a symbol of the American dream — that not-so-outdated belief that hard work, grit, and a positive can-do attitude make anything possible. Growing up on the family’s ancestral estate as a prince to the King of Beers, Billy lived a life only kids could dream up — living in an amusement park, traveling by private rail car and yacht, and playing with his pet elephant, Tessie. But as he grew up, he realized that the Busch family legacy was not just wealth and privilege. With no separation between family and business, Billy’s father — more boss than dad — continued the tradition of preparing the next generation for corporate leadership, with high and exacting standards for his children. For Billy, all of this, combined with a dysfunctional family environment, was all too normal. Family Reins tells the story of a legendary American family, their rise to power, and their fall from grace through poisonous infighting, succession struggles, and a seemingly endless string of tragedies, scandals, and loss.

Family Reins: The Extraordinary Rise and Epic Fall of an American Dynasty by Billy Busch – GoodReads Blurb 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asBbXreD_k8&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blackstonepublishing.com%2F&feature=emb_imp_woyt
The Rise and Fall of the Anheuser-Busch Dynasty

Book Review

This is a memoir by Billy Busch Sr., in his own words, discussing his growing up in one of the most iconic families known across the world. This is the first time a member of the Busch family has released a memoir or really even discussed the family in detail. So this is kind of a ‘big deal’.

The Busch family ruled over the brewing business in America for several decades and was ranked among the wealthiest households. Budweiser has been a staple of the beer market for years upon years in America.

In an interview with St. Louis Magazine, Billy Busch – when asked “Why write this now” – said:

There’s never been a book about the Busch family published by a Busch. I thought, There’s been so many things written about our family from outsiders, so many things in the media. But none of them tell the true story of what it was like growing up in the Busch family. I had read a lot of old letters that my father left behind. My wife and I went through boxes and boxes of relics. There was one book about the company that really stood out—it wasn’t a published book but written more for the employees. It was called Making Friends Is Our Business. I read that book, and I came to a realization that this is such incredible history and that my ancestors worked so hard to build a dynasty. My grandfather kept the company going during 13 years of Prohibition, and he kept all 2,000 employees working. My father ran the brewery when I was a kid, and it was probably the time of the brewery’s greatest growth. I saw the principles he used to make the company successful. I then got a better understanding of where he got these principles—from his father, whom I never knew. 

Billy Busch wants you to understand his side of the Busch family story – St. Louis Mag

Family Reins chronicles the history of the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Company, makers of Budweiser beer as well as other very successful brands ver the years, from its beginnings in 1857 to today. Currently Anheuser-Busch is owned by AB InBev. The author, Billy Busch, is the great – grandson of its original founder, Adolphus Busch, who emigrated from Germany to St. Louis, Missouri. Adolphus established a supply company first, then bought a brewery from Eberhard Anheuser and married his daughter – Lilly Eberhard Anheuser. (They had twelve children). From his great – grandfather to his grandfather, father, and brother, Billy Busch tells the story of how the company survived Prohibition, the Depression, and two World Wars to become a business empire.

Adolphus Busch’s first job in St. Louis was working as a clerk in the commission house. He was also an employee at William Hainrichshofen’s wholesale company. Billy Busch goes into the detail of the family legacy, the history, and the sheer scope of their family. Talking about how the Busch family rose from that first job to the business conglomerate, world spanning empire, that they are today.

Busch partnered with Ernst Battenberg in St. Louis to found the first of his businesses, a brewing supply company that sold to the three dozen breweries in the city. Eberhard Anheuser was one of Adolphus’ customers. Anheuser was a soap manufacturer that lent money to the Bavarian Brewery. When the small brewery went bankrupt, Anheuser bought out the other creditors and renamed the company Anheuser. Adolphus married Eberhard’s daughter Lilly in 1861.[3]

Returning to St. Louis after the Civil War, Busch entered his wife’s family’s brewery business. He bought out Eberhard’s partner, William D’Oench. In 1879, the company was renamed Anheuser-Busch.[3]

At the death of Eberhard Anheuser in 1880, Busch became president of the business, and became wealthy due to the success of the brewery. He envisioned a national beer with universal appeal. His work was distinguished by his “timely adoption of important scientific and technological innovations, an expansive sales strategy geared largely toward external domestic and international population centers, and a pioneering integrated marketing plan that focused on a single core brand, Budweiser, making it the most successful nationally-distributed beer of the pre-Prohibition era.”[4]

Adolphus Busch – Wikipedia

“I want to leave something to my family and this world as my ancestors did for me,” Billy Busch Sr. said at the end of July, when discussing his upcoming book release. (The book goes on sale August 1st, 2023.)

The book’s story is “[a] great American history and something people will be interested in hearing about,” Billy Busch Sr. continued, from his home in Ladue.

Billy, the third son of Gertrude, reminisces about growing up Grant’s Farm. For many the farm, the Clydesdales, and the animals represent a nostalgia. Billy refers to it as “show magic” not “real magic”. This sums up Billy’s youth, growing up, and the Grant Farm in general. The opening chapter of the book discusses a normal day at the farm for him, playing with animals, playing as a kid does, and then the ride with his parents – which he both looked forward to and loathed in its own way.

Much of life in “the Big House” at Grant’s Farm was a created spectacle for guests. Typical for the rich and the elite, nannies and staff took care of Billy and his siblings, their parents entertained celebrities, athletes, singers, and even future Presidents, people such as John Wayne, Frank Sinatra and Lyndon B. Johnson.

Later he writes about disagreements with his siblings and half siblings. Stating there was animosity, feuds, and quarrels. Of August Busch the Third (August III), who took over Anheuser-Busch from his father, Busch Sr. writes that his father asked him, to “sock August III in the puss if you get the chance.” (Billy Busch Sr. recalls this happening when he was 15 years old.)

Sadly, Billy Busch doesn’t go into great detail with some of the rivalries and disagreements. For those looking for more of the ‘scandalous’ stories of the Busch family, the memoir will be a bit lacking.

The half-siblings met at the Belleau Farm, for a “throw down of sorts,” Busch writes. August III defused the situation, Busch writes, by saying: “I had to do what was right in order for the company to continue to thrive. We had to make this decision. Dad is still affected by the loss of Christina emotionally and physically. He doesn’t have the strength at this point to run the company any longer.’”

Even with his father asking for it, no punch was thrown, but Billy Busch recalls that although his father remained honorary chairman of the board at Anheuser-Busch, he was certainly “humiliated.”

Through all this, Billy Busch Sr. lost control of the Grant Farm, no longer owner of the property, he is now not even allowed on the property. He says in his memoirs that he now concentrates on his children, which is evident in their reality show from MTV back in 2020.

At the wrap up of the book, Busch writes ‘life remains busy’, he says, but it’s a lucky accident that his book goes on sale the same month a new brewing venture plans its opening. (Luck or marketing?) Busch’s book goes on sale August 1 2023, and on August 25 2023, he will open Busch Family Brewing and Distilling to the public on weekends. His farm in Defiance grows hops, wheat and other products and will brew several types of beer, Busch Sr. states. “It’ll be farm-to-glass and farm-to-table,” he says. His last brewing effort, called Kräftig, (unfortunately) eventually failed. The ultimate goal – to start with – is for the Busch Family Brewery and Distillery to break even within four years.

I think I want to create something of my own. I still feel the weight of the legacy upon me. I don’t want that to be forgotten.

Billy Busch Sr.

Final Thoughts On The Book

Overall I thought it was pretty good. Skimp on some details I wished that he went into more, and not as “scandalous” as one might think given the sub – title to the memoir. I enjoyed it, and its a good look into the family. Well worth the read – especially if you are into memoirs, family history, Anheuser-Busch, or the idea of the “American Dream”.

My GoodReads Rating: ****
My LibraryThing Rating: ***.5

(Just as a reminder – I was given this book for free in lieu of this review. This did not alter my thoughts or review of the book.)

Anheuser-Busch Articles

Other Book Reviews

Interested in more book reviews? Then check these out:

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Yuengling Begins To Take the Market Share From Number One Selling Beer Bud Lite https://thebeerthrillers.com/2023/07/21/yuengling-begins-to-take-the-market-share-from-number-one-selling-beer-bud-lite/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=yuengling-begins-to-take-the-market-share-from-number-one-selling-beer-bud-lite Sat, 22 Jul 2023 01:49:11 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=14428

Yuengling Brewery – America’s Oldest Craft Brewery

Yuengling Begins To Take the Market Share From Number One Selling Beer Bud Lite

Yuengling seems poised to claim a new title as “America’s number one,” building on its reputation as the nation’s oldest craft brewery—a distinction that sometimes gets overlooked online. The brewery, based in Pottsville, is reportedly encroaching on the market share of America’s best-selling beer, Bud Light.

A recent Newsweek report highlighted a shift in beer popularity in bars and restaurants, showing Bud Light falling to fourth place in terms of popularity, while Yuengling’s market share has expanded. This shift brings the Pennsylvania-based brewery closer to becoming the top beer in America. Data from Bump Williams Consulting indicates that Bud Light’s market share has increased by 8.1%, whereas Yuengling experienced a substantial 25% growth in market share over the same period, moving it up the ranks among America’s largest breweries.

(See our articles on Top Producers in Beer:

This shift appears to be influenced by the negative reaction Bud Light has faced since early 2023. The brand has been losing market share following its partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in March of that year, a move that has been widely covered and critiqued in the media.

Yuengling has somewhat capitalized on Bud Light’s misstep. Following the controversy, Yuengling took a veiled jab at Bud Light on Twitter, highlighting the latter’s connection to Anheuser-Busch, which is owned by a foreign entity. This detail has prompted some consumers to switch to Yuengling, seeking an American-made beer option.

The impact of Yuengling’s rising sales on Pennsylvania’s beer production remains uncertain. While a significant amount of Yuengling beer is produced in their Pottsville facility, the brewery has been expanding its operations beyond Pennsylvania. This includes a brewery in Florida and a new 42,000 square foot facility in the state, alongside a partnership announced in 2020 with Molson Coors to brew beer outside their traditional East Coast market. The full effect of the sales increase on the state’s beer output is still to be determined.

The decline in Bud Light’s market share since early 2023 seems to be linked to the controversy surrounding its partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in March of the same year. This development, which has been extensively reported and discussed by numerous media outlets, does not necessitate further elaboration here.

In the midst of this controversy, Yuengling has found itself indirectly connected to Bud Light. Following the latter’s embroilment in public backlash, Yuengling seemingly took a veiled dig at Bud Light on Twitter. Part of the consumer shift away from Bud Light has been attributed to the revelation that it is produced by Anheuser-Busch, a company under foreign ownership. This detail has prompted a significant number of consumers to seek out beer produced within the United States, positioning Yuengling as a preferred alternative. By subtly highlighting its status as an American-made beer on Twitter, Yuengling reinforced its appeal to those seeking domestically produced options, leveraging the situation to underscore its American heritage.

Furthermore, as previously reported, Yuengling, recognized as America’s oldest brewery, had accused Bud Light of infringing on its trademark for Yuengling Flight, a contention that adds another layer to their interaction beyond the aforementioned tweet.

The repercussions of these developments on Pennsylvania’s beer production volumes for the year remain uncertain. Despite a significant amount of Yuengling’s production occurring at its Pottsville facility, the brewery has been broadening its operational scope well outside Pennsylvania’s borders. This expansion includes the establishment of a brewery in Florida and the recent inauguration of a substantial 42,000 square foot facility in the same state. Moreover, Yuengling announced a collaboration with Molson Coors in 2020 aimed at brewing beer beyond its traditional East Coast stronghold. The impact of Yuengling’s sales growth on the beer output within Pennsylvania is still an open question.

History of Yuengling Brewery

The Yuengling brewery boasts a storied history, cementing its status as America’s oldest brewery. Founded in 1829 by David G. Yuengling in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, the brewery has weathered numerous challenges over the years, including Prohibition. Despite such obstacles, it has managed to maintain continuous operation, adapting through innovation and expansion. Yuengling’s enduring legacy is not just a testament to its quality and resilience but also to its role in shaping the American brewing industry. This rich history underpins the brewery’s current endeavors and its response to market dynamics.

The Yuengling Brewery, established in 1829 by German immigrant David G. Yuengling, began its journey in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Originally named the “Eagle Brewery,” it set its roots in a small American town, focusing on crafting traditional German-style beers. The brewery’s early years were marked by resilience and growth, despite the challenges it faced, including a devastating fire in 1831 which led to the construction of a new, larger facility on Mahantongo Street, where it still stands today.

Throughout the years, Yuengling navigated through the tumultuous waters of American history, notably during Prohibition (1920-1933). Unlike many breweries that couldn’t survive the ban on alcohol, Yuengling diversified its products, producing “near beer” beverages with low alcohol content, and even opening a dairy across from the brewery to sell ice cream, ensuring the company’s survival through one of its most challenging periods.

Post-Prohibition, Yuengling quickly resumed its beer production, celebrating the repeal with the release of “Winner Beer” to mark the end of the dry era. The mid-20th century saw the brewery expanding its reach, slowly transitioning from a local to a regional brewery. Under the leadership of Richard L. Yuengling Jr., the company began modernizing its brewing processes and expanding its distribution, revitalizing the brand and introducing it to new generations.

Today, Yuengling stands as America’s oldest operating brewery, a testament to its enduring legacy and continuous family ownership through six generations. With expansions beyond its original Pennsylvania roots, including a significant presence in Florida and strategic partnerships like the one with Molson Coors, Yuengling continues to grow its footprint while maintaining its commitment to tradition and quality. The brewery’s evolution from a small local operation to a nationally recognized brand embodies the American dream, showcasing resilience, adaptation, and the enduring appeal of its beer to consumers across the country.

Other Yuengling Articles

For more information and other articles on Yuengling here at The Beer Thrillers, you can check out these articles:

For More Information on D. G. Yuengling and Sons Brewery

The following comes from Untappd.

Yuengling Brewery is a regional brewery from Pottsville, Pennsylvania. They have 14 unique beers and over 1 Million ratings. They have a global average rating of 3.42 (as of 7.21.23). Their Untappd description reads: “Based in Pottsville, PA, D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc., America’s Oldest Brewery, is family owned and operated since 1829. Principal beer brands include Traditional Lager, Light Lager, Premium, Light, Black and Tan, Dark Brewed Porter, and Lord Chesterfield Ale. For more information, visit www.yuengling.com.”

You can find them on their social media platforms here:

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As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

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The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

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Budweiser Renews World Cup Sponsorship With FIFA for World Cup 2026 https://thebeerthrillers.com/2023/06/08/budweiser-renews-world-cup-sponsorship-with-fifa-for-world-cup-2026/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=budweiser-renews-world-cup-sponsorship-with-fifa-for-world-cup-2026 Thu, 08 Jun 2023 20:32:13 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=11629 Budweiser Renews World Cup Sponsorship With FIFA for World Cup 2026

Despite the World Cup 2022 fiasco, Budweiser has renewed World Cup sponsor deal with FIFA. Budweiser will still be the official World Cup beer through the 2026 tournament in the United States, after brewer AB InBev renewed with FIFA. Budweiser is brewed by AB InBev.

Last year, as we discussed here – Qatar Bans Alcohol Sales at World Cup in Last Second Decision – with just days to go before the tournament kicked off, Qatar banned alcohol sales at the World Cup. Creating a disturbance for the Budweiser and FIFA sponsorship deal that had Budweiser proclaimed The Beer of the World Cup. (This happened just two days before the tournament began in Qatar, World Cup organizers withdrew a longstanding promise to let fans at stadiums buy beer with alcohol.)

The Budweiser brand by AB InBev was the official beer of the World Cup since the 1986 tournament. Despite this, Budweiser is still more than willing to become the sponsorship again for the Men’s Tournament in 2026 – hosted by North American countries (United States, Mexico, and Canada).

FIFA seemed unable to protect AB InBev under pressure from Qatar in a dispute which appeared to be a potential breach of contract issue for soccer’s world body. The conservative Muslim nation signed up to honor FIFA’s commercial partners when it started bidding to be host in 2009.

Though sales of Budweiser dropped in stadiums, the global publicity over the dispute arguably boosted the brewer and left little doubt which brand was tied to the World Cup.

Budweiser – FIFA Sponsorship (ESPN)

Budweiser As The Official Beer

AB InBev is certainly looking forward to having Budweiser brand being the official beer of the World Cup again; especially after recent set backs with their Budweiser Light (Bud Light) brand in the wake of the Republican / Conservative outcry in recent months.

Budweiser will also be the official beer of the Women’s World Cup which is set to kick off next month in Australia and New Zealand. (This was already a deal in place before today’s announcement.)

A renewal for the 2026 World Cup seemed a done deal even during the dispute in Doha. FIFA president Gianni Infantino said then that relations with AB InBev were good and handshakes had been exchanged before arriving in Qatar.

Budweiser – FIFA Sponsorship (ESPN)

The Men’s World Cup Tournament is scheduled for 2026 and will see an increased tournament structure; going to 104 games (from the previous 64). The tournament is due to be co – hosted by the North American countries of Canada, United States, and Mexio.

FIFA World Cup tournaments are the most popular sporting events in the world. We are deeply connected to the fans and to football all over the world, which is why we’re excited about extending the relationship with FIFA.

AB InBev chief marketing officer Marcel Marcondes

In the press conference the value of the renewal was not stated. The sponsorship was reported to be about seventy five million ($75,000,000) for the previous World Cup, hosted in Qatar.

More Information on Budweiser and AB InBev

The following comes from Untappd.

AB InBev (Belgium) is a subsidary of Anheuser-Busch InBev (shortened to Anheuser-Busch on Untappd). They are a macro brewery out of Leuven, Vlaanderen Belgium. They have 29 unique beers with a global average Untappd rating of 3.35 (as of 6.8.23). Their Untappd description reads: As a company, we dream big to create a future with more cheers. We are always looking to serve up new ways to meet life’s moments, move our industry forward and make a meaningful impact in the world. We are committed to building great brands that stand the test of time and to brewing the best beers using the finest ingredients. Our diverse portfolio of well over 500 beer brands includes global brands Budweiser®, Corona® and Stella Artois®; multi-country brands Beck’s®, Hoegaarden®, Leffe® and Michelob ULTRA®; and local champions such as Aguila®, Antarctica®, Bud Light®, Brahma®, Cass®, Castle®, Castle Lite®, Cristal®, Harbin®, Jupiler®, Modelo Especial®, Quilmes®, Victoria®, Sedrin®, and Skol®. Our brewing heritage dates back more than 600 years, spanning continents and generations. From our European roots at the Den Hoorn brewery in Leuven, Belgium. To the pioneering spirit of the Anheuser & Co brewery in St. Louis, US. To the creation of the Castle Brewery in South Africa during the Johannesburg gold rush. To Bohemia, the first brewery in Brazil. Geographically diversified with a balanced exposure to developed and developing markets, we leverage the collective strengths of approximately 164,000 colleagues based in nearly 50 countries worldwide.

 

Anheuser-Busch is a subsidary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, and is a macro brewery out of St. Louis, Missouri. They have 529 unique beers with a total of 2,866,128 Ratings, and a global average rating of 2.65 (as of 6.8.23). Their top beers are Bud Lite, Budweiser, and Michelob Ultra (in order). Their Untappd description reads: The leading American brewer, bringing people together for more than 160 years.

You can follow them on the following social media:

Budweiser is an American Lager by Anheuser-Busch. It has 12 IBU and is 5% ABV. The Untappd description reads: Known as “The King of Beers,” Budweiser was first introduced by Adolphus Busch in 1876 and it’s still brewed with the same high standards today. Budweiser is a medium-bodied, flavorful, crisp American-style lager. Brewed with the best barley malt and a blend of premium hop varieties, it is an icon of core American values like optimism and celebration.

It has over 461,000 ratings, and its global average rating is 2.61 (as of 6.8.23).

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-B. Kline

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Beer Review: Hershey’s Chocolate Porter (Yuengling Brewery) https://thebeerthrillers.com/2019/10/28/beer-review-hersheys-chocolate-porter-yuengling-brewery/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=beer-review-hersheys-chocolate-porter-yuengling-brewery Mon, 28 Oct 2019 12:09:21 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=1047
Hershey’s Chocolate by Yuengling

This is going to be something different, and don’t expect much more of this kind of thing. I’m not a huge fan of doing the mainstream beers, and I definitely don’t want to be doing macro beers (so have no fear, no Naturdays review coming up or Bud Lite Platinum or whatever other BS their peddling).

Yuengling is Pennsylvania though, through and through. You walk into any bar in Pennsylvania and say ‘lager’ you are going to get a Yuengling. Simple as that really. So if I have to drink the “lesser” beers, or the “swill” or “macros” or “mainstream” or “lower quality but mass produced beers”, Yuengling is usually my go to. Over the other heavily distributed beers like Miller Lite, Coors, Bud, Corona, or Heineken. I am not above drinking macro and I’m not making this a beer snobbery post, I drink, and I’ll drink anything/everything if nothing else is available. For instance, family parties where say a brother in law has just Corona, I’ll drink the Corona. So be it.

At the Boneshire Brew Works 3rd Anniversary party on Friday night (which by the way, look for an upcoming joint blog post from both me and J. Doncevic) I was hanging out with J. Doncevic and we discussed this exact drink, and we also discussed Yuengling in general, and macro beers as a whole. He’ll be upfront with any of you who ask him, he takes his beer snobbery to a whole new level, and he’s damn proud of it. He was telling me he’s never had Miller or Coors or Bud and won’t, and would rather not drink at a party then drink those. My unabashedly candid alcoholism tells me to drink everything and anything if available – so I do. Different strokes; different folks. Nothing wrong with either approach (in my opinion). But we did have a consensus that Yuengling is craft (it is by definition of the Craft Brewer’s Association) and that we both are willing to drink it.

In the South Central PA area, primarily every Hershey bar/brewery, beer place, etc, as well as in Harrisburg, Hummelstown, Elizabethtown, etc, nearly every place that has a good enough distributor got this (the Chocolate Porter) on tap. Specifically Hershey, Hummelstown, and Harrisburg. The Warwick, the Bear’s Den, Hershey Biergarten, Primanti Brothers, Hotel Hershey, Boro Bar and Grill, Chick’s Tavern, Boneshire Brew Works, The Sturgis, Ted’s Bar and Grill, Arooga’s on 422, Arooga’s on 22, just to name a few places that carried this.

Most places even did a glass give away the first night of the tapping. I know Boneshire Brew Works did (thus the glass in the picture), as well as the Gin Mill in Lebanon did. Hershey Biergarten did as well and I believe the Primanti Bros. did also. It is a lovely glass, a nice tulip with the logo in gold on it, looks very lovely and is a nice drinking glass for stouts, porters, belgians, etc.

So, on Wednesday the 16th, Boneshire Brewery announced that they were going to be tapping a keg of the Hershey’s Chocolate Porter and giving away the glasses. I got done with work at 5:40 (NEO from my work) and went straight to the library to drop off books, and was going to be meeting a friend at Newfangled Brew Works, but stopped at Boneshire to try out the porter.

So let’s break down the beer thats basically taken the beer industry, Twitter, social media, and the internet by storm. The beer that all of your non-craft beer friends have been bugging you about and asking you about for your opinion of it. Well, now here you go, you can just point them to this article, because I’m sure I speak for everyone. ………I kid…. I kid.

Hershey’s syrup

I feel like I could just break down Hershey’s syrup and that would be all the review needs to be. A slightly alcoholic version of the syrup, and bam-o there you go, review done. But, its not quite that simple, and there are a few more subtle notes.

This does seem to be the point of contention, for some it tastes like the syrup, for some it tastes completely different, it seems theres two sides to the coin of this beer, and the multitude of my friends fall on both spectrum(s).

Beer: Hershey’s Chocolate Porter
Brewery: Yuengling Brewery (or D.G. Yuengling and Sons Brewing Company)
Style: Porter – American
ABV: 4.7%
IBU: No IBU
Untappd Write-Up: Yuengling, America’s Oldest Brewery, and Hershey, America’s most iconic chocolate, are collaborating, for the first time in their history, to provide a once in a lifetime creation for their loyal fans to enjoy. America loves beer and America loves chocolate, so Yuengling and Hershey joined forces to bring the best of both worlds to their fans with a limited-edition Yuengling Hershey’s Chocolate Porter. This collaboration gives consumers the opportunity to savor and indulge in the unique beer from America’s Oldest Brewery and America’s most beloved chocolate brand.

Yuengling Hershey’s Chocolate Porter is a fresh take on Yuengling’s 200-year-old Dark Brewed Porter. Don’t miss your chance to enjoy, for a limited time only, America’s #1 craft brewery, Yuengling, come together with America’s most iconic chocolate brand, Hershey’s, for their first-ever collaboration — Yuengling Hershey’s Chocolate Porter.

Thats quite the marketing ad write-up right there. Gotta give an A+ to the ad team on this one, or at least a raise or something, that was a very well crafted (ah….. pun intended) and well made Untappd write-up for the beer. You can tell if a Brewery has a good marketing or ad-team with their social media presence, and things like a good Untappd write-up for their beers (like Troegs usually has a fantastic write-up, even for their Scratch beers) is a good sign of it; great Twitter posts, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc posts are always a good sign of a good marketing team which reflects well on a brewery as a whole.

So you have the oldest American brewery (left) and a staple of the East Coast (specifically North East Coast) dive bar, and the “most iconic” chocolate company in America teaming up to make a beer. Yuengling is the oldest brewery in America; by process of elimination. It wasn’t the oldest founded, it wasn’t the first founded, but it has survived through prohibition, and other stretches when most American breweries folded, by changing what they sold, how they sold, downsizing, upsizing, etc, and they are to be commended for how they were able to achieve and survive and thrive despite times like prohibition, etc.

Hershey’s is iconic, insofar as anyone from the United States has heard of it, if not had it. From Pennsylvania to California, from Maine to Texas, Hershey’s is distributed. And that’s not speaking internationally. I could go into the history of Hershey’s (or even Yuengling) and talk about how the company was started, by who, how they’ve grown, etc. I could talk about Hershey Park, Chocolate World, the town of Hershey in Derry Township, etc, but its all stuff we pretty much know, and its all stuff that’s not really necessary or relevant to the beer review. Suffice it to say that the write-up is pretty spot on despite everything; Yuengling and Hershey are both iconic. Perhaps some hyperbole but it is mostly true, and a sound argument, and a pretty remarkable thing for the two of them to hook up and collaborate on this beer.

The idea of these two brands hooking up and collaborating on a beer is pretty amazing and impressive in its own right. I don’t know what the process was; who contacted who; what the involvement was that each brand had (I can’t imagine Hershey had much say, I have to assume its kind of like how the write-up reads, that they took their recipe for their old Dark Porter and just added Hershey’s ingredients to it, and called it a day – it tastes that way as well). But its brilliant marketing and strategy plan, especially given the anniversary of Yuengling, and with Hershey doing their big launching of the new entrance to Hershey Park and everything.

But enough of all this gibberish and jibber-jabbing…. lets get onto the actual beer itself.

Chocolate Porter

Appearance is a typical porter, Razor Ramon hair black, full bodied, thick, like some entertainers of the evening. It has a nice head to it, foamy, bubbly, a good half-inch that dissipated with nice interspersed and varied bubbles. The foam has a light brown look to go with the richness of the beer.

Aroma is chocolate syrup… Hershey’s chocolate syrup to be exact. Like flipping the lid of the syrup container and immediately getting that whiff of it. You get malty roasty grains from the porter to go with it, but the chocolate smell overpowers much of that. This is fine, this is what its being billed as, and it works well for this.

Moving on to taste; once again the very first thing you are going to note and taste is the Hershey’s chocolate syrup. I’ve likened this to drinking an alcoholic version of the famous Hershey’s syrup. But even in that aspect, its not too much of it, since the ABV is only 4.7% anyway. So its not a boozy version of Hershey’s syrup thats for sure. There is some malt, some roast, some dark notes underneath the chocolate syrup abundance, but its pretty subtle and mute. The mouthfeel is heavy, its thick like a good porter, and it hangs and feels right in your mouth, all signs that the beer is well made. I think beyond the chocolate syrup, there is a blandness to the beer. The chocolate syrup wears thin on the taste as you start to sip, and then its just a kind of generic bland porter with not enough malt backbone to really keep the taste alive or to really hold the beer. The more you sip and drink it, the less notable and profound the chocolate syrup taste is, and the weaker the beer as a whole gets. This is in general a discussion of mass market beers typically; that they don’t usually have the most flavorful beers, the most robust character notes, that there is just an underlying general blandness to most beers, like Bud, like Coors, like Miller, like Yuengling lager, like Corona, or Heineken, etc, theres just a ‘blandness’ or ‘been there’ kind of taste. Like McDonald’s to your local diner or restaurant, might be a very apt comparison for that sake. There’s just a mute blandness that this beer takes on as you sip it more and the chocolate syrup dissipates more. …or perhaps I’m full of it and reading too much into things and have my head up my own…..

Either way on this beer, it has certainly gotten the beer universe a flutter for a while, from Twitter to Instagram, from your friends at work and family who know you like beer “so how was it” or “did you hear Hershey and Yuengling are teaming up?” to actual craft beer enthusiast nerdy hipsters willing to try it out, it has gotten the attention, and the marketing it was aimed and designed for.

Overall, its not the worst beer you are going to drink, you know the hype is overblown, like it usually is for anything; not even just the craft beer industry, but all aspects (stares at the latest Star Wars trailer…. I know what your game is….). Its worth seeking out for the novelty of it. I couldn’t imagine myself ordering this again, but it was acceptable, and a fine drink at the moment of.

My Untappd Rating: ***.25
Global Untappd Rating: 4.03 (as of 10.27.19)

This review was started yesterday morning (Sunday, October 27th) but I wasn’t able to finish it before work, and then work happened, and then post brewski’s happened with my friend D. Scott. Which, he has finally finished the podcast that we did discussing Breaking Bad and El Camino, so I will provide the links for that, its two podcasts (a two-parter) because of how ridiculously long it was. This was done with our friend Esty and its for their podcast channel “WTF did I watch”.

You can check them out here:
WTF Did I Just Watch: Breaking Bad and El Camino – Part 1
WTF Did I Just Watch: Breaking Bad and El Camino – Part 2

Just as a heads up, there is some language in the podcasts, it would probably receive a R rating from the FCC, they are also long podcasts, so devote some time if you are going to watch them.

Thank you all for reading, please click the like, follow, subscribe, comment, etc. we always appreciate that here at The Beer Thrillers. When I do more podcasts with D. Scott, I’ll be sure to post them here (I won’t be posting the ones I’m not involved in). Also look for an upcoming collaboration article between myself (B. Kline) and J. Doncevic about the Boneshire Brew Works 3rd Anniversary Celebration. I also have plenty of beer reviews to post up. So please be on the lookout for all of that!

Tonight will be busy, work from 10-6, then blood donation at the Hershey Library, then the Hummelstown Parade, and then a party at a brewer from Tattered Flag’s house, so most likely no posts or blogs from myself tonight, but I’m sure I’ll have something for you all tomorrow, so be on the lookout!

Cheers!

-B. Kline

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