Anheuser-Busch Inbev to Sell Stake in China's Tsingtao

[Coventina]

Source: Wall Street Journal

BRUSSELS -- Anheuser-Busch Inbev NV, the world's biggest beer maker, said Friday it is selling most of its stake in Tsingtao, China's number two brewer, to Japan's Asahi Breweries Ltd.

The deal marks the start of a yard sale to pay for last year's $52 billion acquisition of U.S. icon Anheuser-Busch by Belgium's Inbev. After completing the cash-based transaction, AB Inbev had trouble completing its $45 billion loan package in the midst of the financial crisis. It now has $14 billion in debt to pay off by late next year.

Asahi, the number two brewer in Japan, will pay $667 million for a 20% stake in Tsingtao.

AB Inbev will hold on to a 7% stake in Tsingtao. It's the first of five assets chief executive Carlos Brito has said he might unload. The others are U.S. theme parks like SeaWorld and Busch Gardens and Korean and German breweries, including the one that makes the popular brand Beck's. Mr. has estimated their total worth at $7 billion.



Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123270739716509925.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

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Just as an aside: My husband & brother tell me that Tsingtao is some of the worst beer they've ever tasted.

[Zywiec]

1. I received my $70 per share of Bud stock.

Thank goodness Inbev tendered the buyout offer while the market was still in decent shape.

:toast:

[OnyxCollie]

2. Do your husband and brother drink Bud?

Because anyone who drinks that swill has no authority to comment on Tsingtao.

Tsingtao is a light, slightly sweet beer, similar to Yangjing, Vue, 33 Import, and Kingfisher. The light taste suits it perfectly to really spicy Asian food.

[Coventina]

4. No. Both of them consider Bud to be swill.

My husband is pretty open-minded when it comes to beers.

When we were in SE Asia last year he tried every "local" beer he could across Thailand, Cambodia & Vietnam. His favorite was Cambodia's Angkor beer, but there were a lot he liked. He said Vietnam's beers were not as good as the others, though. He didn't bother to describe their attributes to me, as I'm not a beer drinker and it would be lost on me.

He also likes Japanese beers like Orion. So, it's not like it's an "Asian beer" prejudice that made him say Tsingtao was bad.

In fact, he's pretty disappointed that he's been unable to find Angkor here in the states.

[On the Road]

3. Tsingtao is Nowhere Near the Best Beer in China

It's just been marketed more over here. Harbin and a lot of other brands might sell better in the US given the chance.

[OnyxCollie]

5. Harbin disappointed me.

It was a little bitter for my tastes.

[On the Road]

6. I Think Harbin Was Set Up by Germans

which may account for its being hoppier.

I liked Yanjing a lot, along with some others. The main problem is that Chinese often drink their beer warm, and the lager style tastes much better cold. I had to ask restaurants to put two bottles in the freezer for awhile before serving.

[Brother Buzz]

11. Tsingtao was set up by Germans

My father, the sailor, was station in China late in WW11. He always talked about the Bavarian (German) port his small tugboat visited.

We never knew what he was talking about until the late seventies when were in a nice Chinese restaurant in San Francisco and the waiter suggested we try a new beer. The beer was Tsingtao from Qingdao. Pops said this was where he visited during the war. That's where the German town was.

Turns out the restaurant owners and one of the older cooks were from Qingdao and they got real excited when they learned a customer knew of their town and came out to talk about their city and how the Japanese were finally driven out. A very animated conversation was going on while the waiter delivered more beer.

I grew to like Tsingtao and always think of my late father when I sip the light fine lager.

[IndianaGreen]

14. Tsingtao taste like rocket fuel, and it has quite a kick

I order Tsingtao quite often, unless they got Kirin, a good Japanese beer.

[Habibi]

8. Tell you what, though,

after you've spent the day slogging through the Forbidden City in 90+ degree heat, Tsingtao is a real blessing. Of coure, Bud would probably taste good under those circumstances, too.

[On the Road]

12. Maybe It's Just That the Imported Bottles

get old by the time they are sold over here. All the beers in China tasted a lot more alive.

[JVS]

13. Beer really doesn't travel well.

[CatholicEdHead]

7. I have had it before, it was weak but not the worst Asian beer I have had

The worst I have had is Singha beer from Thailand. That is harsh and the worst Asian beer (but not worst beer overall for me, see Stite Light Lager from Gluck Brewery :puke: .

Tsingtao is close to MGD or Michelob, the stronger versions of the normal "light" beers.

I am sure there are other better beers in China and other parts of Asia (there are some good Japanese ones out there), anyone have any leads on Chinese beers you can get in the greater US?

[Thothmes]

10. San Miguel from the Phillipines is not to bad. IMO

[tkmorris]

9. I don't blame em, that stuff is BAD

I know beer, and Tsingtao is not drinkable.