Tonight I met a gentleman who's grandfather had once been a master brewer/taster for Anheuser-Busch - only to be fired and replaced by a computer.
I let him know that yesterday's Wall Street Journal contained a story that offered a bit of retribution:
Sitting in the wood-paneled "corporate tasting room" of Anheuser-Busch Cos.' headquarters here, August Busch III surveyed five recently thawed cans of Budweiser beer, representing a quarter of a century of beer history. In the early 1980s, the Anheuser chairman ordered that freshly brewed cans of Budweiser and Bud Light be cryogenically frozen, using technology typically employed in preserving human tissue.
"We wanted to make damn sure we would have the same beer 20 years down the road," said Mr. Busch, 68 years old, tapping the table rhythmically with his index finger to accentuate his point.
For decades, Anheuser's aim was to develop a beer that would sell across America, one inoffensive enough to appeal to the nation's varied palate.
Now, that goal is out of step with a shift in consumers' tastes. From coffee to fashion to media, niche products are rising, especially ones that consumers can customize, and the great mass brands of the postwar period are under attack. Imported brews and smaller so-called "craft" beers with stronger flavors are more readily available and are selling fast, as are wines and spirits.
And, it looks like the micro-breweries are getting the last laugh:
"I sit back and chuckle at them going after each other," says David Blossman, president of microbrewery Abita Brewing Co. in Abita Springs, La., which makes brands such as Purple Haze and Turbodog. "It's like comparing Bunny Bread to Wonder Bread." Last year, sales at Abita rose 22.4% to $9.3 million.
I don't know about you, but I'll take a human over a machine any day of the week - even if the machine in question is battery-operated and vibrates.
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