Part of me admires them. Despite earning more dollars than any other brewer on the planet and holding onto a walloping American market share just below 50%, the guys who practically invented macro-brewing still feel like they have something to prove. So mark late 2008 as A-B's final surge into the craft beer market featuring the reboot of a familiar name: Michelob. When it comes to the craft beer revolution, Anheuser-Busch is not going gentle into that good night.
The Michelob website has been completely overhauled, with a new slogan -- "Crafting a better beer" [my emphasis] -- that is completely on the nose. The site is overflowing with high society tips on things like "How To Serve Beer" and "Food Pairings." (Sadly, pairing Budweiser with a box of Cheez-Its is not on the list.) And Michelob is no longer just a product; A-B has created the Michelob Brewing Company to "give even more autonomy and creative license to its skilled brewmasters." Classy.
So Michelob AmberBock was just the begining. A-B has announced that Michelob Dunkel Weisse and Pale Ale will now be available year-round nationwide (joining AmberBock, Honey Lager and Porter). In addition, Michelob will be serving up a Marzen and Irish Red Ale in its sampler packs. Oh yeah, and they're also lumping all their previous specialty beers -- Shock Top Belgian White, Stone Mill Organic Pale Ale, Jack's Pumpkin Spice Ale, Winter's Bourbon Cask Ale, Sun Dog Amber Wheat and Beach Bum Blonde Ale -- under the Michelob nameplate. It's enough to make your head spin... especially if you plan on trying them all on the same night.
Michelob seems like a logical starting place to target drinkers in the craft market: It's always been considered the top of Anheuser-Busch's product line. (This despite having debased the name a bit with the introduction of Michelob Ultra in 2002. Oddly enough, it appears MU and its brethern are being teased away from the other Michelob offerings. The craft style beers are being promoted as part of the "Michelob Brewing Company" whereas the Ultra beers are simply part of the "Michelob Family." Who knows where they will end up in the long run.) But aren't all these changes bordering on overkill? What if this craft beer thing is just a fad? And just who do they think they're kidding?
Don't get me wrong, Anheuser-Busch more than anyone should have the resources to brew great beer and the financial leeway to take risks. But is A-B really trying to break new ground as a brewer or are they just up to their old mass-market tricks? Plus, with Budweiser American Ale on its way, there is just so much going on in St. Louis right now I have to wonder who is going to be drinking all these new products.
If you've tried any of these new Michelob beers, let us know your thoughts in the comments. Meanwhile, I'll try to get some reviews up in the near future.
[Photo Credit: michelob.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-10-2008 @ 6:43PM
C. said...
I had to laugh when I saw this ad campaign, and I had the same thought, "Who do they think they are fooling?"
While I think it's great they are selling the craft brew taste to people who might not otherwise go looking for it, I'm more inclined to say this is a mass-market trick than new ground. All these beers are fairly well known beer styles, with little deviation on what makes craft beer great.
I'll change my tone if they release something more obscure that isn't tried and true amongst craft brewers already, like a dragonfruit amber ale, or a dulce de leche porter, or even a sour beer. Trying new recipes is what craft brewing is about.
And if anyone makes those, I want to know! If not, I call dibs!
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9-10-2008 @ 7:26PM
Samme said...
Michelob is known for being a fairly decent beer for the price. The main things going for it are that it isn't crap and it isn't over $9 for a 6-pack. As much as I love and value unique micro-brews, lately they are becoming less of a regular thing and more of a wallet-hitting indulgence. If the new Michelob craft beers manage to stay cheap and taste good, they will definitely get at least a small share of my dwindling beer budget.
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9-11-2008 @ 9:09AM
Baron said...
If you want some a bit more unique from them, they do sell Redbridge which is a sorghum based beer (esp. great for anyone with wheat allergies). It's actually pretty good and I like to mix it up with my purchases from time to time.
Samme is right though, they are a decent (quite good if you are used to only getting Bud, Coors, or Miller all the time) beer that is always consistent and one that you can count on to generally be half the cost of a microbrewed beer. A six pack of Amberbock tends to run around 5 or 6 dollars at our local store where as a locally made amber runs 9 to 10 dollars. Granted, the local brew is better, but if you are planning on having friends over (if your friends are like mine, a six pack each is generally what we need) and you are buying beer, it can get really costly. Michelob can solve that and still be pretty tasty at the same time.
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9-14-2008 @ 12:35AM
Marianne said...
I completely agree that this is a mass-marketing ploy on A-B's part. However, it can only serve the craft brew industry, rather than detract from it. I highly doubt that they are going to lure any true craft brew fans from their local favorites, rather they will turn on current mass market drinkers to new flavors. Then, as the new drinkers realize that beer can actually taste *good* they will turn to other brewers and brands to expand their horizons.
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9-22-2008 @ 1:30AM
travisjohn said...
I recently picked up a Michelob brewing company sampler pack. Mostly, I was curious to see if there was anything worth drinking from the world of macros (I am a promiscuous beer drinker). I was surprised by how decent some of the beers were. Not mind-blowing, but not shabby. The Marzen was particularly good, imo. I have also tried the Shock Top on draft in the past and found it to be pretty tasty (at the time, I did not know it was a Michelob product... or should I say, AB... or Inbev?). Who cares, if it tastes good.
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