Beer of the Week: Bud’s American Ale
By William Brand
Thursday, September 4th, 2008 at 8:40 am in Beer Business, Beer of the Week, Bud, General.
Budweiser American Ale – It’s the best thing old Bud has ever produced
By William Brand
Oakland Tribune
WELL, I’M CAUGHT between a rock and hard place. Let me explain: Anheuser-Busch, the jolly-about-to-be-Belgian-owned giant, has a new beer: Budweiser American Ale. I like it, and that’s the rub.
Anheuser-Busch has made ales before. But this one’s the first ale to ever carry the Budweiser name. Until now, Budweiser has been a light lager, made in an ersatz German style with lots of rice added to the barley mash to create a beer I really don’t like very much. I like it so little that once when my wife and I had a big fight, she gave me a gift-wrapped can of Bud as a “present.”
To me, Bud Light is the same, except more watery. True, they’re America’s two best-selling beers. But I just don’t like them. READ THE REST OF THE POST…
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September 4th, 2008 at 10:49 am
The real question is… Is it better than Fat Tire?
September 4th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
William,
Thanks for covering the new A-B craft beers. I am looking forward to sampling it in Wisconsin in late Sept so I will check back with you! Any idea what kinda price point the American Ale and Michelob pale ale will be?
I have the same beef with A-B products and Miller products so I will try to approach them with an open mind. It sometimes fathoms me how a brewmaster would continue to make such light, bland beers when they had creative opportunity and resources to try new brews. I understand it is a business, but it would be hard to convince myself I am brewing the best possible beer.
Thanks again for your great reviews! Cheers!
September 4th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
To Drew… yes, better than Fat Tire. But while I love New Belgium, Fat Tire’s not by cup of tea.
To Zak –I have no idea what it will sell for. I didn’t ask. I figure it will sell around $7 a sixer. But that’s jsut a guess. Then, maybe, they won’t want to undercut craft beers and make their beer seem cheaper. So, we’ll see. And yes, please let me know what you think.
October 6th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Is this a paid endorsement? In comparison to Bud or Bud Light, this seems to be a good beer. But overall, I think it’s a weak entry into the craft beer scene. Low on taste, syrupy sweetness, little to no hop aroma. I was able to taste the Cascades after quite a bit of trying.
I really wanted to like this, but overall I was on the disappointed side.
Anway, thanks for all you do for the craft beer movement. I can understand if you wanted to take a little cash from AB.
October 6th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Cash from A-B? My ass. I don’t know where or how you tasted the beer, but the one bottle I have tried was really OK and hey _ I’d love to hate it. But if I said I hated it, Id be lying. It was a decent beer, not the greatest beer, not a knock-your-socks off beer. But if the choice was Bud Ale or any light lager in the entire world, I’d go with Budweiser Ale.
October 6th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Just messing with you.
I agree with your your comments here. I assume this will be available at every TGI Fridays in the world and in that context, it will be a welcomed addition.
October 6th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Yes, that’s true. The only downside is that it might convince a chain to stock Bud Ale instead of a decent craft beer. But then, on the other hand, perhaps it will widen the horizons of the legions of light lager drinkers, convince them to move on to better stuff.
November 15th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
I tried this. It isn’t a great beer, it isn’t a great beer either. Frankly, I was a bit impressed at how good it was, but you won’t be seeing any in my fridge anytime soon.
I can see why craft breweries are a little nervous but I can see it displacing craft brews in stores on on taps. I suppose if the world is a better place if we all drink better beer, we have AB (now InBev) for raising the bar.
November 16th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
You’re right Derrick and I’m not going to be buying it either. But when stuck in some beer desert, if the choice was a light lager or Bud Ale, that would be a no brainer.