Brace yourself: Beer prices are going up

Does bad weather correlate with less drinking? Well, perhaps it does with certain kinds of drinking. Unseasonably cold weather in Brazil, Europe, and the U.S. is being blamed as one of the reasons sales are down in early 2013 for Bud Light, Miller Lite, Heineken, and other mass-produced brews favored at picnics and tailgates. As more drinkers turn to craft beer, spirits, and wine, they’ve been snubbing the ubiquitous brews that have been featured in TV ads for decades.

Next up in Budweiser’s efforts to lose its stale image is the Anheuser-Busch launch of two slick new upscale brews—which are supposed to appeal to drinkers who usually opt for flavorful craft beers or hip liquor brands. The King of Beers seems to be scared it could be losing its crown. Sales by volume of Budweiser dipped 6% to 7% last year, continuing a slump that’s nearly three decades old. For that matter, sales of mass-market beers have been decreasing in general, while consumers regularly have been increasing their intake of craft beers, as well as wine and spirits.

Next up in Budweiser’s efforts to lose its stale image is the Anheuser-Busch launch of two slick new upscale brews—which are supposed to appeal to drinkers who usually opt for flavorful craft beers or hip liquor brands. The King of Beers seems to be scared it could be losing its crown. Sales by volume of Budweiser dipped 6% to 7% last year, continuing a slump that’s nearly three decades old. For that matter, sales of mass-market beers have been decreasing in general, while consumers regularly have been increasing their intake of craft beers, as well as wine and spirits.

How’s this for a sales pitch: With Budweiser’s new can design, you’ll get less beer, and you’ll get to pay more per ounce. You’ll also get to support the aluminum industry. Anheuser-Busch is messing with the classic 12-ounce can. Starting in May, Bud will be available in a new “bowtie”-shaped can, which is angled inward in the center, mimicking the vertical Budweiser logo created in 2011. Each of the new cans contains 137 calories of beer, 8.5 fewer calories than the usual can of Bud. And how is Anheuser-Busch lowering the per-beer calorie count?

How’s this for a sales pitch: With Budweiser’s new can design, you’ll get less beer, and you’ll get to pay more per ounce. You’ll also get to support the aluminum industry. Anheuser-Busch is messing with the classic 12-ounce can. Starting in May, Bud will be available in a new “bowtie”-shaped can, which is angled inward in the center, mimicking the vertical Budweiser logo created in 2011. Each of the new cans contains 137 calories of beer, 8.5 fewer calories than the usual can of Bud. And how is Anheuser-Busch lowering the per-beer calorie count?

Mavericks, Hot Documents, And Beer

Mavericks, Hot Documents, And Beer

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Justice Department has filed a lawsuit seeking to stop Anheuser-Busch InBev SA from buying the half of Mexican brewer Grupo Modelo that it does not already own, saying the US$20.1-billion deal would lessen competition in the U.S. beer market. Trading in Constellation Brands, which would have become sole owner of the company that distributes Modelo’s Corona beer in the United States if the transaction had been approved, was halted after it dropped 23.8%.