Two biggest beer companies in talks to merge

[shenmue]

BBC story here

From the article:

The prospect of a tie-up between the world's two largest brewers is looming after Anheuser-Busch InBev said it had made a takeover move for SABMiller.

The combined value of the two firms is likely to be at least $230bn (£150bn) based on Tuesday's share price.

[think]

1. So Belgium would own most of our major beer brands.....

[Cal Carpenter]

2. No, *InBev* would own the beer brands

Inbev is a massive, transnational company that deals in dozens of countries. Those beer brands are also transnational, not 'ours' in any meaningful way.

Unless InBev has been nationalized and I missed the news, Belgium wouldn't own anything... just like 'we' never owned these beer brands. They are owned by massive for-profit corporations. You may own a little stock in one or the other of them, but that's about it.

This economic system has little to do with national borders.

[think]

3. True. Inbev is a transnational corporation with it's headquarters located in Leuven Belgium.

[exboyfil]

4. I can't see U.S. antitrust appproving this

80% market control when JV with MolsonCoors is considered.

I'm glad I don't drink beer.

[alcibiades_mystery]

5. I haven't had a Bud or Miller in years, and I love beer

Beer choice on the market is as high as I've ever seen.

[Salviati]

6. Bud and Miller have their place...

... you've got to boil your brats in something!

[MohRokTah]

8. I would NEVER boil brats in Bud

Brats are only as good as the beer you boil them in.

[Erose999]

16. Yuengling is good for brat boiling and cooking. I used to like Bud, until they put a plant in my

hometown. The stale beer smell driving past there is pretty terrible.

[Mosby]

21. It's not available in the western US. nt

[Snobblevitch]

23. I would never boil brats, in anything.

I will sometimes simmer them, but never boil.

We did a taste test of simmering brats in beer and simmering brats in water. Nobody could tell the difference.

[muriel_volestrangler]

24. What about the taste of the brats?

[T_i_B]

7. As a dedicated CAMRA beer geek...

I tend to avoid beer from both those companies anyway. And if I go for American beer it's inevitably from the likes of Brooklyn & Odell.

[KatyMan]

22. I sure wish we had proper beer here

I'd love me some Harvey's or Shepherd Neame....

[T_i_B]

30. That style of beer has become unfashionable over here....

...owing to the popularity of beers inspired by the US craft beer scene, usually made with copious quantities of US hops.

I like both styles when done well.

[Initech]

9. Why not? They all taste the same anyways!

Go ahead, prove me wrong!

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

12. I will prove you wrong!

Just be patient, it'll take a while for me to sample all those brands ...

[Initech]

18. Tell me that a Budweiser doesn't taste different from a Coors from a PBR.

Why don't we both try it together?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

19. Those three are a good start ... nt

[1939]

26. Best Beer

[frylock]

10. Think globally, drink locally..

support your local brewer.

10 Crafty Beers Made By Big Beer Companies

I was disappointed to learn that Kona was a crafty beer owned by Anheuser-Busch.

[Eleanors38]

11. Locals multiplying like rabbits in Central Texas. I usually go with Real Ale.

[frylock]

15. It's crazy down here in San Diego..

there are at least 7 brewers within 5 miles of my house, and another 15 or so within 5 miles of my office. Not that I'm complaining! I'm partial to Alpine Beer, which was recently bought by Green Flash, which I think along with Stone and Ballast Point are now distributed nationally.

[hifiguy]

13. I drink Grain Belt, Summit and Surly

All Minnesota-owned and Minnesota-brewed.

Big Beer = bleh.

ETA - it is blindingly obvious that antitrust enforcement is deader than King Tut.

[frylock]

17. I tried some Surly at the last Stone Anniversary Party..

good stuff. I also ride a Surly, which is a Minnesota-based bicycle company. You guys are alright!

[Snobblevitch]

29. I really like Grainbelt Nordeast.

When was a kid (before I started drinking beer) Schells Beer had a reputation of being a cheap beer (the way Cold Spring actually is, who drinks that swill?). At one point in the mid 70s, they had to cut down a bunch of black walnut trees on their property and sell the lumber just to make payroll.

Another interesting historical note... There was significant damage done to New Ulm during the Sioux Uprising of 1862. Schell's was left alone because the Schell family always gave food to the Indians who came to their place looking for food.

[T_i_B]

31. Add Meantime Brewery to that list

Meantime played an important role in the development of the UK craft beer scene, and SABMiller decided this year that they want in on the action.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32747973

[Rex]

14. So what? The cable tv companies are merging, the phone companies are merging

and nobody cares about that? I don't think America cares about monopolies like it once did.

[NRaleighLiberal]

20. So if two companies who make some really bad beer merge, do they end up with

an incredibly bad beer?

Make mine a Rogue...or Bells...or Founders, please!

[dembotoz]

25. oh noes will not drink the horsey pee

[Amishman]

27. Unless they buy Stone, Yuengling, or Victory... I don't care

[mike_c]

28. how do those horse piss manufacturers stay in business?

Ugh. Life is WAY too short to drink crappy beer.