Has Budweiser sold out? That's what lots of consumers of the popular line of beers have been asking since Budweiser was purchased by the Belgian company InBev for $52 million. InBev produces and distributes popular (and delicious) international beers such as Stella Artois. So they do know a little something about beer. And, apparently, capitalism.
No one is questioning their brewing ability. At the center of the controversy has been the question of whether an American company, with American roots, should be sold to a foreign company. Started in St. Louis in 1860 by Eberhard Anheuser, it's been a beer that has touted its all-American image. Even the Bud and Bud Light cans are red, white and blue. And did you check out the Anheuser-Busch logo at the beginning of this post featuring the bald eagle?
And some of its drinkers are mad as hell. Online petitions and websites have sprang up, with names such as SaveBudweiser and SaveAb protesting the sale and asking people to stop purchasing Anheuser-Busch products if this sale does go through. Hit InBev where it counts ~ in the wallet. Another truly American idea.
Will they or won't they? Beer drinkers are loyal. We have several friends that are in the Coors camp and others in the Bud camp. Only very rarely (and possibly exigent circumstances - such as running out of "their" brew) will a Coors guy drink a Bud. And it's usually done with wailing and gnashing of teeth when it does.
So it remains to be seen whether the 74,000+ people who have signed these petition will actually follow through with their threats. Or will they continue buying and consuming their favorite beer and grumble while drinking it? Which seems to be yet another American phenomenon.
We will be watching to see if the Super Bowl continues to feature the Bud commercials with the iconic Clydesdales we've grown accustomed to seeing. Or if the baseball stadium in St. Louis changes its name to InBev stadium. Hey, maybe instead of Busch Gardens, it will be renamed to Becks Gardens.
Or maybe not. This Bud's for you.
--Contributed by Deb
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