The Anheuser-Busch Buyout: A Contrarian Take

Interesting, provocative essay by Edward McClelland over at Salon. He argues no one should feel bad about InBev buying out Anheuser-Busch because AB's growth to American behemoth was largely based on it stamping out other American breweries, largely due to its marketing prowess. Worth a read. Here's a brief excerpt:

From its very inception, Budweiser was a triumph of marketing over quality. Adolphus Busch, the dynasty's founder, called his beer "dot schlop" and drank wine instead. During taste tests, St. Louis drinkers spat it back over the bar. But if the Busches didn't believe in their product, they believed in their business plan. Adolphus bought licenses for tavern keepers and paid their rent. In exchange, they served Budweiser. On one of his frequent visits to Europe, he learned about pasteurization. That, and a fleet of refrigerated railcars, kept the beer fresh on cross-country shipments, allowing Bud to break out of St. Louis.

- Ian Froeb