 | |
| Type | American lager |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Anheuser–Busch |
| Origin | United States |
| Introduced | 1876; 149 years ago (1876) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Alcohol by volume | 5%, U.S., Netherlands, Thailand, India, Canada, Colombia, Japan 4.5% Bottle, Australia 4.5% U.K., Ireland, Australia 3.6% China |
| Website | budweiser |
| Carcinogenicity:IARC group 1 | |
Budweiser (/ˈbʌdwaɪzər/) is anAmerican-stylepale lager, a brand of Belgian companyAB InBev.[1] Introduced in 1876 by Carl Conrad & Co. ofSt. Louis, Missouri,[2] Budweiser is one of the largest sellingbeers in the United States. Budweiser is afiltered beer, available ondraft and in bottles and cans, made with up to 30% rice in addition tohops andbarleymalt.[3]
There is an ongoing series oftrademark disputes betweenAnheuser-Busch and the Czech companyBudweiser Budvar Brewery over the use of the name. Usually, either Anheuser-Busch or Budweiser Budvar is granted the exclusive use of theBudweiser name in a given market. The Anheuser-Busch lager is available in over 80 countries, but is marketed as "Bud" in areas where Budvar has use of the Budweiser name.
The nameBudweiser is aGerman derivative adjective, meaning "of Budweis". Beer has been brewed in Budweis, Bohemia (nowČeské Budějovice, Czech Republic) since it was founded in 1265.[4] In 1876,Adolphus Busch and his friend Carl Conrad developed a "Bohemian-style" lager in theUnited States, inspired after a trip to Bohemia, and produced it in their brewery inSt. Louis, Missouri.
Anheuser–Busch has been involved in multiple trademark disputes with the Budweiser Budvar Brewery of České Budějovice over the trademark rights to the name "Budweiser".
In theEuropean Union, exceptIreland,Sweden,Finland andSpain, the American beer may only be marketed asBud, as the Budweiser trademark name is owned solely by the Czech beer maker Budweiser Budvar.[5][6] In some countries, such as theUnited Kingdom, both the Budvar and Anheuser–Busch lagers are available under the Budweiser name, though their logos differ.[7]
The Budweiser fromBudějovice has been called "The Beer of Kings" since the 16th century. Adolphus Busch adapted this slogan to "The King of Beers."[8][9] This history notwithstanding, Anheuser Busch owns the trademark to these slogans in the United States.[10]
In 1969 AB introduced theSuperman-esque advertising character of Bud Man.[11] Bud Man served as one of the inspiration behind several characters includingThe Simpsons'sDuffman.
From 1987 to 1989, Bud Light ran an advertising campaign centered around canine mascotSpuds MacKenzie.[12]
In 2010, the Bud Light brand paid $1 billion for a six-year licensing agreement with theNFL.[13] Budweiser pays $20 million annually forMLB licensing rights.[13]
Budweiser has produced a number of TV advertisements, such as theBudweiser Frogs,[14][15] lizards impersonating the Budweiser frogs,[16] a campaign built around the phrase "Whassup?",[17] and a team ofClydesdale horses commonly known as theBudweiser Clydesdales.[18]
Budweiser also advertises inmotorsports, fromBernie Little'sMiss Budweiser hydroplane boat[19] to sponsorship of the Budweiser King Top Fuel Dragster driven by Brandon Bernstein.[20] Anheuser-Busch has sponsored theCART championship.[21] It is the "Official Beer ofNHRA"[22] and it was the "Official Beer ofNASCAR" from 1998 to 2007.[23] It has sponsored motorsport events such as theDaytona Speedweeks,[24]Budweiser Shootout,Budweiser Duel,Budweiser Pole Award,Budweiser 500,Budweiser 400,Budweiser 300,Budweiser 250,Budweiser 200, andCarolina Pride / Budweiser 200. However, starting in 2016, the focus of A-B's NASCAR sponsorship became its Busch brand.[25]
Budweiser has sponsored NASCAR teams such asJunior Johnson,Hendrick Motorsports,DEI, andStewart–Haas Racing. Sponsored drivers includeDale Earnhardt Jr. (1999–2007),Kasey Kahne (2008–2010), andKevin Harvick (2011–2015).[26] InIndyCar, Budweiser sponsoredMario Andretti (1983–1984),Bobby Rahal (1985–1988),[27]Scott Pruett (1989–1992),Roberto Guerrero (1993),Scott Goodyear (1994),Paul Tracy (1995),Christian Fittipaldi (1996–1997), andRichie Hearn (1998–1999).
Between 2003 and 2006, Budweiser was a sponsor of theBMW WilliamsFormula One team.
Anheuser-Busch has placed Budweiser as an official partner and sponsor ofMajor League Soccer andLos Angeles Galaxy and was the headline sponsor of theBritish Basketball League in the 1990s. Anheuser-Busch has also placed Budweiser as an official sponsor of thePremier League and the presenting sponsor of theFA Cup.
In the early 20th century, the company commissioned a play-on-words song called "Under the Anheuser Bush," which was recorded by several early phonograph companies.
In 2009, Anheuser-Busch partnered with popular Chinesevideo-sharing siteTudou.com for a user-generated online video contest. The contest encouraged users to submit ideas that included ants for a Bud TV spot set to run in February 2010 duringChinese New Year.[28]
In 2010, Budweiser produced an online reality TV series centered around the2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa calledBud House, following the lives of 32 international soccer fans (one representing each nation in the World Cup) living together in a house in South Africa.[29]
Anheuser-Busch advertises the Budweiser brand heavily, expending $449 million in 2012 in the United States alone.[30] Presenting Budweiser as the most advertised drink brand in America,[30] and accounted for a third of the company's US marketing budget.[31]
On November 5, 2012, Anheuser-Busch askedParamount Pictures to obscure or remove the Budweiser logo from the filmFlight (2012), directed byRobert Zemeckis and starringDenzel Washington.[32]
In an advertisement titled "Brewed the Hard Way" which aired duringSuper Bowl XLIX, Budweiser touted itself as "Proudly A Macro Beer", distinguishing it from smaller productioncraft beers.[33]
In 2016, Beer Park by Budweiser opened on the Las Vegas Strip.[34]
On October 7, 2016, theBudweiser Clydesdales made a special appearance on theDanforth Campus atWashington University in St. Louis ahead of thepresidential debate. A special batch beer named Lilly's Lager was exclusively brewed for the occasion.[35]
In December 2020, Budweiser sent personalized bottles of beer to every goalkeeper whoLionel Messi had scored against.[36]
Budweiser has been distributed in many sizes and variety of containers. Until the early 1950s, Budweiser was primarily distributed in three packages:kegs, 12 U.S. fl oz (355 mL) bottles and 1 US quart (0.95 L) bottles. Cans were first introduced in 1936.[37] In 1955 August Busch Jr.[38] made a strategic move to expand Budweiser's national brand and distributor presence. Along with this expansion came advances in bottling automation, bottling materials and distribution methods. These advances brought new containers and package designs. As of 2011[update] Budweiser is distributed in four large container volumes: half-barrel kegs (15.5 US gal; 58.7 L), quarter-barrel kegs (7.75 US gal; 29.3 L),1⁄6-barrel kegs (5.17 US gal; 19.6 L) and 5.2 US gallons (20 L) "beer balls". Budweiser produces a variety of cans andbottles ranging from 7–40 US fluid ounces (210–1,180 ml). On August 3, 2011, Anheuser-Busch announced its twelfth can design since 1936, one which emphasizes thebowtie.[39]
Packages are sometimes tailored to local customs and traditions. InSt. Mary's County,Maryland, 10 US fl oz (300 ml)fluid ounce cans[40][41] are the preferred package.
In an attempt to re-stimulate interest in their beer after the repeal of Prohibition, Budweiser began canning their beer in 1936. This new packaging led to an increase in sales which lasted until the start ofWorld War II in 1939.[42]
Over the years, Budweiser cans have undergone various design changes in response to market conditions and consumer tastes. Since 1936, 12 major can design changes have occurred, not including the temporary special edition designs.[43]
Budweiser cans have traditionally displayed patriotic American symbols, such as eagles and the colors red, white, and blue. In 2011, there was a branding redesign that eliminated some of the traditional imagery. The new design was largely in response to a large decline in sales threatening Budweiser's status as America's best-selling beer.[44] In order to regain the domestic market share that Budweiser had lost, the company tried to update its appearance by giving the can a more contemporary look. The company hoped that the new design will offset the effects that unemployment had on its sales.[45] Although the more modern design was intended for young male Americans, the new design was also part of an attempt to focus on the international market.[43] Budweiser began selling its beer in Russia in 2010, and is currently expanding its operations in China.[45]
Budweiser is produced usingmalted barley,rice, water,hops andyeast. The brewing happens in seven steps: milling, mashing, straining, brew kettle, primary fermentation, beechwoodlagering and finishing.[46] It is lagered withbeechwood chips in the aging vessel. Because the beechwood chips are boiled insodium bicarbonate (baking soda) for seven hours beforehand, there is little to no flavor contribution from the wood.[47]
The maturation tanks that Anheuser-Busch uses are horizontal, causingflocculation of yeast to occur much more quickly. Anheuser-Busch refers to this process as a secondary fermentation, with the idea being that the chips give the yeast more surface area to rest on. This is combined with akrausening procedure that re-introduces wort into the chip tank, reactivating the fermentation process.
Placing beechwood chips at the bottom of the tank keeps the yeast in suspension longer, giving it more time to reabsorb and process green beer flavors such asacetaldehyde anddiacetyl that Anheuser-Busch believes are off-flavors which detract from overall drinkability.
Budweiser andBud Light are sometimes advertised asvegan beers, in that their ingredients and conditioning do not use animal by-products. Some people object to the inclusion ofgenetically engineered rice[48] and animal products used in the brewing process. In July 2006, Anheuser-Busch brewed a version of Budweiser withorganic rice for sale in Mexico. It has yet to extend this practice to any other countries.
In addition to the regular Budweiser, Anheuser-Busch brews several different beers under the Budweiser brand, including Bud Light, Bud Ice, and Bud Light Lime.
In July 2010,Anheuser-Busch launched Budweiser 66 in the United Kingdom. Budweiser Brew No.66 has 4% alcohol by volume, and is brewed and distributed in the UK byInbev UK Limited.
In 2020, Budweiser introduced Bud Light Seltzer.[49] In August 2020, Bud Light Seltzers added grapefruit, cranberry and pineapple flavors,[50] to its original offerings of black cherry, mango, lemon lime and strawberry.[51] In October 2020, Bud Light Seltzers added Apple Crisp, Peppermint Pattie, and Gingersnap,[52] with the cans sporting "ugly sweater" designs.[53]
In July 2020, Budweiser introduced Bud Zero, its first alcohol-free low-calorie beer.[54] It has zero sugar, zero alcohol, and 50 kilocalories (210 kilojoules) offood energy.[55]
On May 10, 2016,Advertising Age reported that theAlcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau had approved new Budweiser labels to be used on 12 US fl oz (350 mL) cans and bottles from May 23 until theNovember elections.[56][57] The name "Budweiser" was changed to "America". Much of the text on the packaging was replaced with patriotic American slogans, such asE pluribus unum and "Liberty & Justice For All".[56]
Budweiser is licensed, produced and distributed in Canada byLabatt Brewing Company (also owned by AB InBev).[58] Of the 15 Anheuser-Busch breweries outside of the United States, 14 of them are positioned in China. Budweiser is the fourth-leading brand in the Chinese beer market.[59]
In 2010, eyebrows were raised when Bud Light paid a record breaking $1 billion for its six-year deal for NFL rights, roughly twice the amount incumbent, MillerCoors had been paying. Budweiser's rights to the MLB are considerably cheaper at $20m per year.
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