Six Pack: Beer Buzz of the Week – US Business News – CNBC

Six things that have consumers buzzing in the world of beer, wine and spirits as we head into the weekend:

1. Bud Preps Special Delivery:

File this under: “If you can beat them, join them.” As sales of craft beer surged over the last few years, despite a decline in the overall beer category, the larger brewers have struggled to find a way to connect with consumers. Now Budweiser says it is testing six “small batch” beers in a summer-long, nationwide sampling effort. Consumers will help Budweiser narrow the six beers down to three for inclusion in a limited-edition sampler pack that will be available for purchase this fall. The program is called “Project 12,” after the twelve Anheuser-Busch brewmasters at Budweiser’s 12 geographically dispersed breweries who originally began the project. Each small-batch beer will be distinguished by the ZIP code where the beer is brewed. The locations that are still in the running for a fall release: Los Angeles; Baldwinsville, N.Y.; Columbus, Ohio; St. Louis; Ft. Collins, Colo.; and Williamsburg, Va. Geographic-themed beers are nothing new to Bud. The company recently filed for trademarks of dozens of airport codes and Goose Island Brewing, an Anheuser-Busch Inbev-owned [BUD 77.87 -1.57 -1.98% ] brewer based in Chicago, has had a longtime hit with its 312 Urban Wheat Ale.

2. Keystone Light Scores With Steve Nash:

It’s the type of viral video that companies try desperately to create. One of the biggest stars in the NBA, Steve Nash, recently traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, is riding in a vehicle on a California highway when he is recognized by a group of young fans riding in another vehicle. One of the passengers in the other vehicle reaches out and hands Nash a Keystone Light. Nash, who has been videotaping the events, turns the camera to himself and says, “The fans have been pretty good so far.” While it may seem too good to be true, the Keystone Light team says it had nothing to do with it, releasing a statement saying: “We have seen the video and have been watching it go viral. While we can take credit for the “Always Smooth” taste of Keystone Light, we had absolutely nothing to do with this.”

3. Who Has the Allen Wrench Bottle Opener?:

Ikea, which generally aims for simplicity in its products putting them together is a different story is taking the same simple approach in a unexpected product: Ikea-branded beer. Available only in the U.K., the company is selling Öl Mörk Lager a dark lager and Öl Ljus Lager a light lager. The brews are sold only at Ikea and priced at £1.75, or about US$2.75, and they presumably pair well with the company’s famous Swedish meatballs. To our readers in the U.K.: Consumer Nation suggests skipping the Ikea brew until after you have put your new furniture together.

via Six Pack: Beer Buzz of the Week – US Business News – CNBC.

Strange Random Beer Quote:

24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? – Stephen Wright

Related articles

• Budweiser To Release Small Batch Beer In Fort Collins (denver.cbslocal.com)
• IKEA Now Brews And Sells Its Own Beer (businessinsider.com)
• ikea makes beer now (brandflakesforbreakfast.com)
• IKEA now brews its own beers, but do they complement Swedish meatballs? (digitaltrends.com)
• Anheuser-Busch set to release new small-batch beers (kmov.com)
• Beer Review: Fuller’s Organic Honey Dew (thegreenists.com)
• Steve Nash is handed a beer on a Los Angeles freeway by some giddy Lakers fans (VIDEO) (sports.yahoo.com)

 

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