Crafting a Better Beer: A-B Sets Michelob Free

There was a time when beer was swill and there was an option that was slightly less swilly, and it was called Michelob. Then, real beer hit the market and Michelob fell back to the level of swill. Now, it looks like Anheuser-Busch is trying to bring an end to that and has established Michelob Brewing Company, an autonomous unit under the A-B umbrella. 

Back when I was in college, and drinking on a college budget, I was a fan of Michelob’s Amber Bock. I used to recommend the purchase of kegs of it rather than Bud or Natural for parties, and actually won out a few times. I haven’t drank many of their new lines of beers recently but have always had a but of interest, simply because Amber Bock treated me so well in those lean times.

The question that comes with this news is what should we expect from Michelob? As a company driven by Anheuser-Busch’s bottom line, should we expect subdued brews meant to appeal to the craft drinker but doing little more than meeting us half way? Or will they take advantage of their autonomy and go down the path blazed by Sam Adams?

Let’s hope it is the latter, as this could be a major shift in how craft beer is distributed in the United States. We obviously don’t want to see the variety of local selections disappear, but it wider distrubution of better beer is always a good thing.

St. Louis Dispatch - Anheuser-Busch crafts new strategy for Michelob