Beer Pressure

We finicky beer drinkers, us Americans. But as the world has changed, so have American tastes, and some of the old mainstays in sudsy quenching seem to be slipping away from our palates. Here are a few massive declines in consumption from 2006 to 2010 as reported by 247WallSt.com (September 11^th):

Budweiser (Anheuser Busch InBev)

Sales loss: -30%

Milwaukee’s Best Light (MillerCoors Brewing)

Sales loss: -34%

Miller Genuine Draft (MillerCoors Brewing)

Sales loss: -51%

Old Milwaukee (MillerCoors Brewing)

Sales loss: -52%

Milwaukee’s Best (MillerCoors Brewing)

Sales loss: -53%

Bud Select (Anheuser Busch InBev)

Sales loss: -60%

Michelob Light (Anheuser Busch InBev)

Sales loss: -64%

Michelob (Anheuser Busch InBev)

Sales loss: -72%

I’m deeply saddened by the loss, but it’s nothing to brew’d about. CNBC’s Darren Rovell tells us that the fastest-growing beer brands in the United States over the past year are: Keystone Light (17.4%)(MillerCoors Brewing), Busch Light (9.2%)(Anheuser Busch InBev), and Natural “Natty” Light (7.1%)(Anheuser Busch InBev). Hey, it just seems like they are treading water and replacing brands.

Why this blog? Because in our screwed up world, this is one liquidity crisis we can deal with. As nations struggle for new identities, as the planet seeks economic recovery and stability, as pollution rains everywhere, as wars are being waged on almost every continent and as politicians invent new versions of “stupid,” isn’t it nice to know that with enough beer, so many on earth simply don’t care anymore! And it was either this blog or producing a YouTube video with a talking – conversational even – cat! Sometimes, you just gotta get away from the torment of it all!!!

I’m Peter Dekom, and I am definitely not the most interesting man in the world!