Greetings,

In the news today there is a report on the St. Louis Today web site (http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/stories.nsf/0/83D7D33AC2D20BFC862574130006DB00?OpenDocument ) that, in October 2008 a new Budweiser American Ale will be introduced.

I am not surprised. This is a company that can brew a special beer for any one of its distributors who can sell the product. That was demonstrated with the Pacific Coast brand and Spinnaker on the east coast. Once upon a time in Idaho, along with two dozen other journalists and beer-press folks, I had a chance to spend a morning tasting over two dozen different beers brewed by the A-B folks as they set about introducing the "Classic" line of Michelob products. As I remember it, the "Pale Ale" was the first offering.

And now, Budweiser is going to slap its brand on an ale! Well it's about time. The brand itself has seen significant market share and sales losses over the past few years. The "craft" segment of the market has, during the same time, shown double digit increases in profits and production; and so I am not surprised that the good folks at A-B see the writing on the wall and seem to want to meet the challenge of a changing market and fix what ales them. As one who fondly remembers something delicious once called Ballentine Pale India Ale when it was brewed in Cranston, RI. That was fine inexpensive ale, worth seeking out. I only hope that they find a flavor profile that will make the product worthy of the name "Ale."

Cheers!

Peter LaFrance

( http://www.beerbasics.com/ )

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