They also own Redhook and while they've pared down the number of offerings they sell and quality and taste hasn't changed. So I guess, in a round about way, I'm a Bud drinker. Yikes!

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Why anyone would drink anything with an Anheuser-Busch name on it when there are thousands of delicious microbrews out there is beyond me.

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They also force products on distributors to get it into the market, even if they won't sell well. Coors Miller SAB has a little more business sense.

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To clarify, Redhook was an independent brewer out of Washington state that was bought by AB.

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Uh, Redhook DID change.
I drank Ballard Bitter in the 90's prior to the "change" that Redhook said would not change recipes. Right. No longer was Ballard Bitter (marketed as an arguable IPA with hints of buttery diacetyl making it closer to an ESB than a IPA--but I will allow that--it USED to be nicely bitter as an IPA should be, and was one of my favorite products from Redhook)--then came AB. BB was replaced by Longhammer, which was not even close to the same recipe. I have had an opportunity to taste Longhammer recently and noticed a change in character again--it tastes closer to the original recipe. How long did that take 10 years to rediscover the recipe? Or have they really drank the kool-aid and started adding an adjunct that produces a diacetyl quality to this product because they lost the original way? Redhook is NOT Redhook... they sold out to big money and big production... and I am sorry I just don't buy their products anymore.

As for "serious beer drinkers" looking for more variety on their shelves from AB. Good luck. AB distributes what sells in quantity. Serious beer drinkers are seriously NOT drinking what is being sold in AB market quantities. Fortunately, smaller and more adventurous distributors provide the flavors that more adventurous beer tasters are looking for!

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"Anheuser-Busch has recently announced an increase in shipments to wholesalers of 2.1 million barrels, or 2% over last year."

August Busch forgot to mention the other likely reason that AB are ramping up production over last year- sales of alcohol go up during economic recessions like the one starting now in the US and elsewhere.

Was Redhook really ever very good? I haven't had one in this century, but drank a lot of mediocre ESB back in the day.

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