With all the mergers of big companies, it’s important to remember ones that are…closer to our hearts, that’s right, beer. Today, Anheuser-Busch buys Rolling Rock beer brand, solidifying their stand as the biggest brewer in the world. ”Anheuser-Busch, the largest U.S. brewer, said Friday that it has purchased the Rolling Rock beer brand from Belgium’s InBev for $82 million to expand its portfolio of products. Anheuser-Busch acquired Rolling Rock’s global brand rights and recipes and will begin brewing Rolling Rock and Rock Green Light in August. … Anheuser-Busch’s press release says: “Introduced in 1939 by Latrobe Brewing Co. and acquired by InBev’s Labatt U.S.A. in 1987, Rolling Rock is an historic American lager that is well-known for its distinctive, full-bodied taste and painted green bottle. Rolling Rock has established itself as an authentic, iconic American lager with a loyal following.” … “We have an ideal opportunity to grow this historic brand,” said August Busch IV, president of Anheuser-Busch. “This beer is not like others, and its consumer following is equally distinctive. We live in a diverse world where consumers are hungry for variety. Acquiring Rolling Rock enables us to reach a new audience.” Uh huh, whatever you say. As for this diverse world, know that the major choices are pointing more and more to the Saint Louis brewer, ”Anheuser-Busch’s main brands are Budweiser and Bud Light. The company also owns owns a 50% share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico’s leading brewer and a 27% share in Tsingtao, the No. 1 brewer in China.” When I was younger I liked Rolling Rock, used to think the green bottle was pretty cool with the ‘painted on’ label, but it’s actually pretty bad when compared to micro-brews and good European beers.
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