Why Budweiser is a great beer.

Stay with me on this but I admire Budweiser. Not because they make a good beer (they don’t) not because they are worth $46.4 billion (I wouldn’t pay that for a good beer) and not because “we know of no beer that takes as long or costs as much to make as Budweiser” (have they opened there eyes recently). No the reason I admire Budweiser is the born on date. Yes it is a gimmick, but what a good one it was. I mean how many times have you bought a craft beer only to open it up and for it to be passed its prime. With me it happens a fair amount as I always seek out interesting new beers. Sometimes it is no big deal for I can just take it back to the shop and get a new one. But often when I pick up beer while traveling that is not an option. So I am left with too much bad beer.

Now if all beer had born on dates I would be able to make more informed choices on beer purchases. I could decide that a 12% imperial stout could survive a year in the store while a heffeweizen might suffer after being on a shelf for 6 months or this pale ale in the window for two weeks might be past its prime.

Is it too much to ask that all beer have a born on date? I don’t think so. But my thoughts have rarely changed the world and will probably have little impact on the craft brew industry. But at least I can drown my sorrows in mostly good beer.

~ by alelagerlambic on June 16, 2008.