...and now a new can

In a new marketing move Budweiser announced yesterday a new can for their flagship beer Bud, http://consumerist.com/2013/04/17/budweiser-worked-really-hard-on-bow-tie-can-shape-because-other-beers-are-so-hard-to-hold/ .InBev has designed a can that is in a bowtie shape to better match their Budweiser logo.  It is nothing more than a marketing move to sell more beer.  They are aiming this can to the loyal Budweiser drinker.  The funny thing is that the can is actually smaller and will be sold in 8 packs, so this means the typical Budweiser drinker will probably pay more for less.  I am sure that most of them will not care, because they have a "cool" new can to drink from. 

This is just another example of InBev tackling the continued decline of sales of macro-brewed beer while Craft beer continues to grow by double digits.  It is unfortunate for InBev that they have concentrated on making beers that are pretty much bland and tasteless, while there is a movement towards beer that has flavor and variety.  Another approach InBev has used is to purchase Craft breweries and maintain those brands as "independent" to cash in on the Craft beer growth.  This has had some success, like making Goose Island available throughout the United States.

When I go into a liquor store I can not help but wonder why there are so many different packages of Budweiser, Bud Light and so on.  Then I realize what it is all about, market share and making the macro-beer drinker feel unique.  All of the packages help individualize the drinking experience for the macro-beer drinker, that way they feel that they are not drinking the same beer as everyone else when they actually are.  That is what marketing is all about for the macro-breweries.

QC Beer Guy

QC Beer Week

I wanted to let everyone know about an upcoming event in the QC.  Starting May 4th and running through May 12th the first QC Beer Week will be happening.  To find more information just head to the following website http://qcbeerweek.com/ .  Some of the beer related places involved in the week include: Bent River Brewery, Great River Brewery, Blue Cat Brewpub, Camp McClellan Cellars and Against the Grain Brewery and Alehouse.  Hopefully more places will decide to join in the fun.  Events will be happening all during this week.  Including Big Brew Day on the 4th and a special tapping of a collaboration beer between MUGZ and Bent River.  A big thanks goes out to Tim K. for organizing and spearheading the week.

QC Beerguy