Why rye? Anheuser-Busch gets set to unveil an India Pale Ale
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Now this is interesting. If your eye espies a Michelob sampler 6-pack at a grocery story in the next few months, take a close look. It may contain a rye IPA, or India Pale Ale.
For Anheuser-Busch, the beer’s creator, it’s another example of dabbling in fairly exotic styles under the Michelob umbrella.
A little background. India Pale Ale, the Brewers Association says, “is the prototypical hoppy beer style.” The craft beer group’s website discusses the IPA style in general:
Hops have always been the defining characteristic of this deceptively pale, golden ale. But, IPAs are big beers all around. Hop flavor is inevitably quite high and bitterness quite assertive. In addition, most examples of the style tip the scales at 6 percent alcohol by volume or more-meaning that four IPAs often contain as much alcohol as five average beers.
American craft brewers have used IPAs to push the envelope, “taking them to new limits of hop intensity,” the BA says. “Imperial” and “Double” IPAs are pretty common now, hitting hop lovers in the face with “audacious amounts of bitterness and hop flavor.”
Back in the day, we are told, the hops were necessary to keep the beer from spoiling on the long voyage from merry ‘ol England to India.
We don’t have too many details yet on Anheuser-Busch’s new rye IPA. We do know it is brewed both with barley malt and rye.
We can easily predict that it will be a long way from the company’s other mainstream beers. Even though the company makes its money by shipping massive quanities of Bud Light, Budweiser and Natty Light, Anheuser-Busch has long insisted that its brewers have the creativity and technical expertise to make any style of beer. (For the record, several impartial observers say the company is right.) This rye-infused brew might be another stab at proving it to craft beer lovers, many of whom are still skeptical.
(2 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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Jeremiah McWilliams is a native Virginian who came to the Post-Dispatch in early 2007 to cover beer and other consumer products. He previously covered manufacturing for the Virginian-Pilot newspaper in Norfolk, Va. He is a graduate of Washington and Lee University. 
This article brings a question to mind. Relating to your blog a couple of days ago regarding Busch IV. About a month or so ago, it was rumored, around ABI, that IV was wanting or trying to purchase the Michelob name. He was wanting to own the brand, name & brewing process. It was also rumored that he was negotiating using the building where Mich is brewed. I don’t know much about the STL operation, but I understand Mich is brewed separate from any of the other names. Anyone know anything? Just checking, I used to work for AB, but just recently lost my job as the company is closing our facility. I was one of the lucky ones.
What about the non-compete he (AABIV) supposedly signed? If he has one, for how long (does anyone know)?
IPA is my favorite style of beer. There are a boat load of really good ones currently available on the market, but some of them are pretty pricey, at $9 and up for a six pack. As much as I bash AB for their rice water lagers, I will be happy to try an IPA they make, as Michelob’s craft beers are quite fine, IMO. Some great IPA’s to me, at a low(er) prices, are O’Fallon’s 5-day IPA, Boulevard’s Single Wide IPA, and Sierra Nevada’s Torpedo Extra IPA. If AB-I can come up with quality and flavor that ranks with these at a competitive price, I’ll be happy to buy it.
And one other thought, pertaining to the previous two comments… If Busch IV wanted to buy the Michelob brand name, and AB-I was willing to sell it, then I’m pretty sure any previous non-compete clause would be addressed in the sale. I doubt Busch IV would be dumb enough to buy a beer brand and then all of a sudden not be able to sell it once he owned it.
AB could make any style they want, but they have not done a great job with the opportunities yet. Shock Top is supposed to be a Belgian style Wit, but it’s not all that close in flavor. There Pale Ale looks the part, but again, not even close to Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, and others, such as Schlafly, O’Fallon and Boulevard on a local basis. The all grain Mich is really a fairly nice Pilsener style beer. Yes, AB can, but they don’t seem to have the leeway that smaller brewers have — don’t want to offend their customers tastes.
I would only try this if it were purchased for me. Otherwise why support a company that could poise to make a dent in the Craft brew market.
A-B, InBev, Coors, and similar behemouths ruin the definition of the word beer!
@frack805 - Michelob is brewed in the same facilities as all of the other beers. Each of the A-B breweries has one and only one brewhouse.
St. Louis also has a pilot brewery where new brews, hops and malts are test brewed, but that facility does not have the capacity to produce large quantities for resale. It has only a single 15 barrel kettle (as opposed to multiple 800+ barrel kettles).
Hey frack805
What if Billy Busch is poised to buy Michelob? AND the STL brewery?
AB, prior to the Inbev takeover, was undoubtedly the world leader in consistent brewing technique and quality. A Bud brewed in China tastes exactly like a Bud brewed in St. Louis, MO and that is quite a feat considering the variabilty involved in raw materials and inherent in the brewing process. So, I am sure they have the capabilty of brewing any style of beer they wish. The few Michelob specialty beers I have tasted were all good beer. The thing is, part of the craft beer movements draw is the unique, small batch, locally brewed products. A true craft brewers product is not easily replicated by anyone other than the originator. A beer brewed at O’Fallon, Augusta, or even Boulevard is unique. You will not find these beers half way around the world or in some cases, another state, or location. These brewers have no intention of mass scale, world wide production. I can assure you if ABI took over the craft beer market and eliminated the compition, it would not be long before they would abandon all the niche products that only make up 5% of the beer market. Think of the cost of production for those few products and the meager profit they contribute to the bottom line. And for that reason I will not support such global behemoths as ABI.
Way too many product lines in a commodity business. The reason is simple enough, make more brands than anyone else and bingo, you get more shelve space and the competitor brands are elininated. Not so fast. Maybe 75-80% of these brands are very generic. Variety is good to some degree, but who the heck needs 100 brands to offer the consumer? AB lost me years ago when they sold the Cards. I wouldn’t try any of these beers for free as again, they are just another beer. Next time you go to Outback Steakhouse, try James Boggs or the other Austrailian beer they have in a bottle. Now that is something different.