The Big Sale: Anheuser Busch

[eedre]

:edit: In case you were unaware - Anheuser Busch Companies may sell to Belgium-based InBev. You may be familiar with AB Incorporated which is the branch of AB Cos. that brews and manufactures AB beer products.

The following article outlines how AB came to be in this position:

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/bus...2?OpenDocument

Well, InBev just keeps upping the offer, almost $70 a share they're willing to go to. Let's hope the board of directors can keep a leash on their greed.

Being born and raised in and around St. Louis I can say that I would be very upset to see a great domestic US brewer and source of culture for the St. Louis area sell to an overseas company (no bigotry here). It's not just beer, Anheuser Busch is a symbol of Americana for many people. I've been on many tours at the headquarters, including some more in-depth tours associated with my university's IEEE department. Every time they make sure to point out that the company is very much mindful of its legacy. We'll see.

I can honestly say that if AB does sell, I will discontinue giving them my business and switch to another domestic brewer.

If you'd like to sign a petition against the sale to foreign investors, some folks have put together a nice little website for support against the taking. (You can also sign up for a free bumper sticker).

http://saveab.com/

Your thoughts are appreciated

[Jeremy Crockett]

I dunno. It just seems like it's gonna get worse.

[tplyons]

Yep, red this today, don't know how I feel.

[Croox]

thats unfortunate, but I'm a miller guy

[SoComSurfing]

Ahh, so the German company that settled in America may go to Belgium. Interesting. I couldn't care less, as I don't care for most A-B products.

BTW, KILLER avatar, eedre! I can't wait for TJ&E to come out on the Wii Virtual Console!

[crikker]

Are there any domestic brewers left? I'm talking about the big boys. I think Coors still is US owned but Miller went overseas.

[jrthebassguy]

AB products are pretty disgusting anyway. If I want cheap'n'domestic, I go for Coors or Miller before I settle for that Bud swill. And theres dozens of macro and micro breweries that are better than those three, domestic or otherwise.

[jrthebassguy]

Originally Posted by crikker

Are there any domestic brewers left? I'm talking about the big boys. I think Coors still is US owned but Miller went overseas.

Sort of. Coors and Molson merged a year or two back, so they have actually have two headquarters - One in Denver and another in Montreal.

[CamMcIntyre]

That bites if it means the loss of jobs. Otherwise-i don't care very much. For domestic beer, I drink more domestic brews. Current favs are: Goose Island & Three Floyds.

[RWP]

The one that got me, The Radio Corporation of AMERICA, RCA is owned by the French.

[spade2you]

I don't get it. Why would the Belgians and all of their amazing brewing abilities want to buy the A-B water company? There's gotta be some sort of logical conspiracy behind this. Are we gonna wake up some day and learn that all the domestic lights have been replaced with saisons?

[ADbassman]

This is big news for the Saint Louis area. The Busch family has given a lot to this city and I would really hate to see them taken over. From what I understand, the brewery and all that will still work the same as before, but the administrative side will change. While I think most AB beers taste like trash compared to import beers, I still respect the company.

One cool thing to note about Saint Louis; I believe our chief exports are Beer and Missiles.

[fdeck]

I have relatives in Missouri who still miss Falstaff.

[Tsal]

Originally Posted by RWP

The one that got me, The Radio Corporation of AMERICA, RCA is owned by the French.

So? France has been a large part of the history of the Americas, there's a lot of french-speaking people in the Canada alone. Plus, they even have a piece of land called French Guyana below Cuba!

[Rumzini]

+1 on that. Much more tasty brews can be had. Just looked at an Oberon mini keg today...hmmm, maybe this weekend with dear ol'Dad.

Originally Posted by jrthebassguy

AB products are pretty disgusting anyway. If I want cheap'n'domestic, I go for Coors or Miller before I settle for that Bud swill. And theres dozens of macro and micro breweries that are better than those three, domestic or otherwise.

[Lazylion]

It only takes about 1/2 a Budweiser to give me a headache. Getting more Belgians involved can only be a good thing.

(Smithwick's FTW)

[doctorjazz]

Fine by me. If I have to drink American beer, I prefer Miller.

Now if something happened to Guinness, I'd be pissed.

[The Crusader]

Originally Posted by doctorjazz

Fine by me. If I have to drink American beer, I prefer Miller.

Miller is owned by SAB, South African breweries. A Non-American company. AB is the last full scale american brewer. if you think that it's OK for this sale to go thru, think again.

I think that what many of you is missing is the point that AB, or Budweiser, while I myself am no fan of it, is the last, great-sized American brewery. A company which employs many Americans, and prides itself, on American heritage. The beer is distinctly (perhaps unfortunately) American. However, at this point in time, this country needs no further influence from outside. Is it not enough that we are in total debt to other nations? that foreign countries continue to buy our real estate? (abu dhabi now buying the Chrysler building)

Budweiser is about more than beer. Ever been to SeaWorld? or Busch Gardens? They are owned by AB. AB does a lot for the environment and conservation and education of not wiping out animals. it is also one of the largest, if not the largest, recycler of aluminum. did you know that recycling 1 aluminum can can power a TV for up to 3 hours? (equivalent....)

so before you say "who cares", think again. and think hard about where we should draw the line of American companies being sold.

[daofktr]

Sam Adams for me, thank you, but...
some things should not be outsourced just to make some greedy barstids happy.

[jonathan_matos5]

anyone else think that Belgium ownership would greatly improve the beer?