Beer..the key to American success?

[deyro]

Beyond some obvious parallels with whats happening to the tobacco industry , the History of Beer special I've been watching got me wondering... (Bear in mind, this is based on no research whatsoever, beyond random thoughts during a History Channel special)
Consider:
During the height of the American industrial revolution, workers took beer, rum or grog breaks. America boomed.
After WWI, Prohibition came along. Followed by the Great depression.

Prohibition ended. Depression ended. America boomed.
Obviously, in the 70s(?) businesses started banning drinking on the job. Recession.
Microbrews started showing up in the 90s. boom times.
The housing bubble burst. Should we assume the movers and shakers in the financial sector are wine drinkers? I think so. Bust.
Microbreweries are flourishing. Economy turning around? some say yes.
Regardless,up here in Montana our economy has petty much survived the national decline. And guess what: we have one of the highest per capita numbers of microbreweries in the nation.
Coincidence?
If it wasn't so early, I'd have a beer and ruminate on it further.

 

[smokindawg]

Beer itself was a success story, that is until Budwieser sold to a company out of country.

 

[dervis]

Beer, the only thing my pipes can sometimes get jealous of.

 

[mluyckx]

We Belgians have figured this out centuries ago... Beer and guns.. that's makes the world go round
Browning ? Owned by FN Herstal.. Belgian company

Anheuser Busch ? Owned by Interbrew (now AmBev)... Belgian company (from my hometown even more.. their original beer.. Stella Artois).
I need to make the T-Shirt..
"Belgians.. take over the world one beer and one gun at a time" :rofl:

 

[brewshooter]

Beer, the only thing my pipes can sometimes get jealous of.

Unfortunately, my pipes, as much as I love them, will always be playing second fiddle to beer and brewing.

 

[spartan]

If it wasn't so early, I'd have a beer and ruminate on it further.

Are you a man or a mouse? If you feel like a brew have a brew!
Now if it's breakfast time and you feel like 6 brews before lunch... I'd say you need to find something else to occupy your mind instead of those 5 extra beers.
Life is no place for time restraints!

 

[cajunguy]

It's hard to find beers that I like, namely the very dark ones that have the consistency of tar and will put hair on your eyeballs.
It's a non-factor, however, because, as stated in a different topic, I can't drink anymore. Now, that sucks. 8O

 

[baronsamedi]

Too bad, Cajunguy. I likes me some Turbo Dog!

 

[deyro]

Mick, Thanks for rubbing all that in, but it kind of supports my half-assed thesis! But seriously, on behalf of Americans who like good beer, tell Belgium they can keep Bud Light and claim it as their own.
Speaking of. Spartan, I'm a mouse. In no small part because the only beer in the house some Bud Light platinum that my sister-in-law left here, which even my bud light drinking in-laws can't stand and and some Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye, which isn't bad but for some reason gives me a tremendous headache.

 

[hobojoe]

"Beer for my horses and whiskey for my men"

I"ll drink with horses . Cause I am Beer drinking Man.

Buy me another and I will shake your hand..

Buy all night and I will dance with your girl all night.

Than you will be to drunk to fight.

Joe

 

[mluyckx]

@deyro: no offense meant...
As a guy who grew up surrounded by the best beers in the world, I am very happy to see how the US beer market has exploded since I moved here (1997). 14 years ago all you could find was the Bud Lights, Millers and Coors. With a few exceptions. Now, look at the beer aisles in the grocery stores ! I think companies like St.Arnolds, New Belgium, Anchor, Sierra Nevada, Independence, just to name a few, are making excellent stuff. Here in Dallas two new ones have popped up over the last two years: Frankonia in McKinney and Deep Ellum brewing company in downtown (they just started less than 6 months ago). And both of them are making excellent stuff !
I'm a beer drinker, partly by having grown up with the stuff, partly because there's nothing better than a cold beer when you're sitting down. With the occasional exception of some good bourbon or scotch. And the fact that there's a lot more of it now here, is making me one happy camper.
[/Start Rant] It'll be when hell freezes over before any decent beer drinking Belgian claims Bud Light as their own. They bought Anheuser Busch to get the distribution relationships with Ben E. Keith, Andrews and the likes to increase the distribution of Belgian beers here. Not the other way around. I can now find Stella Artois pretty much anywhere, even at Walmart. Increased presence of Hoegaarden, Leffe, De Koninck, Belle Vue,etc. But wait ! There is more ! Did you know they even own a ton of international brands like Rolling Rock, Labatt (Canada), JinLing (China), Lowenbrau and Becks (Germany), Bass and Boddingtons (UK) and even (gasp) Spaten and Franziskaner ? Yep.. the good ole German Hefeweizen is owned by the same company. Their product portfolio is gigantic. Their are the global giant in the beer industry. The good thing is .. now they will use the Anheuser Busch distribution agreements to get all these beers here in the US out as much as they can. And I like that. The downside... they have canceled certain beers I grew up with. The downside of a global giant. That's why I ultimately prefer the smaller breweries. Be they American like the list above or Belgian (Orval, La Chouffe, etc..) [/End Rant]

 

[markw4mms]

I just wish AmBev would use some influence to get Bud to actually make a descent beer! I love a good Belgian ale, and the only claim to fame Bud has is consistency, be it good or bad. As always, YMMV, but Bud is not my beer of choice.

 

[jaysin]

Beer the cause of and soultion to all of lifes problems Homer J Simpson

 

[buster]

Beer, it's not just for breakfast any more! ::

 

[baronsamedi]

Chimay, baby! the Excalibur of beer!

 

[colorduke]

I believe it was Tom T Hall's song back in the 80's (I like beer) thats my slogan.

 

[hnryclay]

That is a great song....

It makes me a jolly fellow, I like beer it makes me feel mellow.... whiskys to rough champagne costs to much, and vodka puts my mouth in gear, I love beer

 

[weezell]

The 4 B's..beer builds better bodies,and my fat ass believes it!! :clap:

 

[deyro]

@mick No offense taken. I like rants that inform as well as vent.
Despite a certain twinge of regret that an American icon, or six or seven, is now owned by a Belgian company, it is greatly assuaged (that's right, assuaged -- had to pull out the pompous-ass dictionary for that one) by the fact that it makes it easier to find good European beers here.
But seriously, is there at least a chance we can maybe get the French to claim Bud Light? Its almost as much of a national embarrassment as Coors Light, but we're stuck with that one.

 

[mluyckx]

But seriously, is there at least a chance we can maybe get the French to claim Bud Light?

That'd be nice ! It ranks right up there with their Kronenbourg ! :rofl: