Tag Archives: Budweiser

The Rice is Right

A few weeks ago I received an email from Lindsay Campbell, a journalist for the magazine Modern Farmer. Lindsay was writing a story about rice-based beers, specifically Japanese style lagers, that had been trending in craft breweries in recent years. From reading my blog, Lindsay knew that I have visited a lot of breweries across the United States and so she was wondering if I had sampled any rice lagers and what my opinion was of them as a style. I told Lindsay that I had never sampled any rice lagers made by an American craft brewery. I did have plenty of experience with rice lagers, thanks to four trips to Japan, plus visits to China, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan. Some of the better known Japanese Rice Lagers include Asahi Super Dry, Kirin Classic Lager, and Sapporo Original Draft Beer. The best selling beer in the world is a Rice Lager – Snow Beer, brewed by China Resources Breweries Limited. And, of course, there is Bud Light which prominently displays its ingredients – hops, barley, water, and rice – on its packaging. Indeed, rice has been a part of the Budweiser recipe since 1876. Impressively, Anheuser Busch is the largest end user of rice in the United States. In 2018, Anheuser Busch purchased more than $120 million of rice; all of it from farms in the United States. Incidentally, worldwide twice as much Snow Beer as Budweiser is consumed annually. Within the United States, four regions are responsible for producing almost all the rice grown. These are:

  • Arkansas Grand Prairie
  • Mississippi Delta, (parts of Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, and Louisiana);
  • Gulf Coast (Texas and Southwest Louisiana); and
  • Sacramento Valley of California.
Snow Beer, a Rice Lager from China Resources Breweries Limited is the best selling beer in the world

Rice is a key ingredient in Bud Light

Geographic Distribution of Rice Production in the United States


A Field of Rice in Texas

On a global scale, rice is an important crop. It plays a critical role in feeding the world’s population, and is a primary staple for more than half the people living on Earth. China and India are the world’s leading rice producers, with the United States not making the top ten.

Rice Lagers are generally on the lower end of the ABV spectrum, with most coming in at around 5%. They are a highly highly drinkable, light bodied, beer with a crisp, dry, finish. The rice can also provide the beer with a slight sweetness. They are a perfect warm weather beer, that not only pairs well with Asian cuisine, but also with summer favorites such as burgers. In many respects, Rice Lagers can serve as gateway beers and are a nice introduction to craft beers for someone whose palate is used to macro-Lagers. Rice Lager also has the advantage that it is gluten free.

In the craft brewing world, rice is what is considered an adjunct. An adjunct is anything outside of the beer’s four traditional ingredients of malt, hops, water, and yeast. Rice, as an ingredient in beer, has a bad reputation among some craft beer drinkers due to its association with macro brews such as Budweiser and Bud Light. In her 2006 book Ambitious Brew, Maureen Ogle made the statement that “craft brewers treat rice almost as if it’s rat poison.” A little tongue-in-cheek perhaps, but you get the idea that rice might have a reputation problem. In a 2009 video titled “I am a Craft Brewer” several dozen craft brewers from across the county extol the virtues of craft beer and the people that make it. At one point in the video a craft brewer disparagingly notes that corporate breweries put rice in their beer. This is followed a few seconds later by anothet craft brewer proudly stating that “I don’t put rice in my beer”.

For some years now, however, some craft breweries have been putting rice in their beer – it has not been every brewery and those that do are doing so very selectively. So we see headlines like Craft Brewers Rethink Rice in Beer and The Rice Renaissance. Breweries that are utilizing rice as an ingredient in their beer appear to be in places that were at the forefront of the craft beer revolution back in the 1980s – places in states such as California, Colorado, and Washington. Could it be that the initial innovators are still leading innovation today? Fieldwork Brewing in Berkeley, CA brew a Citra Rice Lager that they have named Sushi Beer. Bottle Logic Brewing in Anaheim, CA brew a Japanese Rice Lager called Hanamachi. And it’s not all Rice Lagers that craft breweries are producing. As far back as 2007, Great Divide Brewing Co. in Denver, CO released Samurai, an unfiltered rice and barley ale. Great Divide is still brewing Samurai today, and includes it in its year-round portfolio of beers. Some breweries are using locally grown rice to produce their rice beer. Crying Eagle Brewing Company in Lake Charles, LA used Louisiana-grown rice in its Louisiana Lager.

Samurai Rice Ale from Great Divide Brewing Co., in Denver, CO

Hanamachi is a Japanese Rice Lager Brewed by Bottle Logic Brewing in Anaheim, CA

Crying Eagle Brewing Company use Louisiana-grown rice in its Louisiana Lager

The piece that I was interviewed for in The Modern Farmer was titled The Rice Renaissance. It is a title that suggests that rice is making something of a comeback in American brewing. On the one hand, you could argue that it has never really fell out of favor with American brewers. Rice has been a key ingredient in the Budweiser recipe since 1876. However, the article is really about the use of rice in craft brewing. Despite the negative reputation surrounding rice as an ingredient in beer, there are some craft brewers who are experimenting with it. This should come as no surprise. Craft brewers are highly creative and, one might argue, sufficiently secure in their own skin to utilize an ingredient that others might shun. The website Beeradvocate.com lists only 245 distinct entries in the category “Lager – Japanese Rice” – not a large number. Many, not surprisingly, are brewed by Japanese breweries. So, “renaissance” is perhaps too strong a word, but if you see a rice beer on the menu at a brewery be sure to check it out.

Imagined in India

I just returned from four days in Goa, India. I went there to attend the 12th World Congress of the Regional Science Association International (RSAI). This was my first visit to India. It’s a big country, of course, no matter which measure you use. Its population is 1.3 billion (only China has more). It is 1.2 million square miles (3.2 million square kilometers), making it the seventh largest country in terms of land area. With a nominal GDP of $2.85 trillion, it is the world’s seventh largest economy.

In land area, Goa is India’s smallest state. It is located in the southwest of the country, with the Arabian Sea forming its western border. Despite its small size, it has the highest GDP per capita of any Indian state, while ranking fifth in terms of literacy rates. Being on the Arabian Sea, Goa has some stunning beaches. My hotel, the Park Hyatt Resort and Spa, had direct beach access. Add to that an open air beachside restaurant and bar, and I had the ideal spot to enjoy some Indian beers.

The beachside restaurant/bar at the Park Hyatt was the perfect spot to enjoy some Indian beer

Per capita beer consumption in India is relatively low – 5.1 liters per capita. This compares with per capita beer consumption of 74.9 liters in the United States. Indian per capita consumption even compares unfavorably with its regional neighbors – across Asia, average annual per capita beer consumption is 20.9 liters. Having said that, the Indian beer market is posituined for growth; an average annual growth of 6.9% is forecast for the 2018-2022 period.

Per Capita Beer Consumption in Liters in Selected Asian Countries. Source: BMI

Not surprisingly, beer sales in India are dominated by large multinational brewers – United Breweries (44.1% market share in 2016), AB InBev (24.6%), and Carlsberg (16.9%)  control close to eighty five percent of the Indian beer market. Heineken own a forty-four percent share in United Breweries and, at the time of writing, are poised to increase their share to fifty-eight percent.

Budweiser is becoming increasingly popular among Indian beer drinkers. Budweiser first appeared in the Indian market in 2007. Today, it has a five percent market share; up from one percent in 2011. Budweiser is aggressively marketed as a premium lager, targeted at India’s urban Millennials. AB InBev’s 2016 acquisition of SABMiller will help it expand Budweiser’s reach in India. In acquiring SABMiller, AB InBev acquired ownership of  the extensive brewery and distribution network SABMiller established in India. With the mature markets in North America and Europe offering little prospect for growth, multinationals such as AB InBev and Heineken turn their attention to developing markets such as India.

In addition to Budweiser, Indians are acquiring a taste for craft beer. Unlike the United States, however, where IPAs are the most popular style of craft beer, the Indian craft beer consumers prefers lighter, less bitter styles; wheat based ales, particularly German-style Hefeweizens and Belgian Wits, are especially popular. One of the craft beers that is making big headlines in India is Bira 91. The brand was launched in 2015, by Indian entrepreneur Ankur Jain. Jain had become familiar with craft beer while living in New York for ten years. When he returned to his native New Delhi, he started Bira 91. Unable to find a brewery in India which could meet his exacting brewing  standards, Jain contracted production to a brewery in Belgium. Because the beer was not brewed in India, the label on the bottle read “Imagined in India”. Such was the success of  Bira 91 that, by 2016, it was being brewed in India. In 2017, Bira 91 opened a second brewery in India, and a third is planned for 2018. Jain is ambitious and in addition to Bira 91’s Indian breweries, he hopes to open one in the United States. The ‘91’ in the name refers to the international dialing code for India. I enjoyed both Bira 91’s Blonde Lager and White Ale several times during my stay in Goa.

Despite now being brewed in India, Bira 91 bottles still carry the “Imagined in India” label

Imported and craft beer are proving popular among India’s growing middle class, particularly those who have traveled internationally. As Indian consumers are exposed to international tastes and trends, they return home and aspire to mimick some of the consumer behaviors they have witnessed.

In addition to the Bira 91, mentioned above, I sampled a number of other beers while in India. I arrived at hotel at 3am. After registering, I had anticipated on going straight to my room, Before I could do so, however, one of the hotel staff members offered me a complimentary welcome beer. I am sure that, after being in airports and on planes for the best part of twenty-four hours, he probably realized that a cold beer was just what I wanted. Surprisingly, the beer he offered me was not a standard Indian lager, such as Kingfisher, but was a Witbier called Jungle Wheat. Jungle Wheat is one of four beers brewed by Simba Beer. Simba is owned by Sona Beverages. Sony Beverages was established in 2006, as a franchisee of SAB Miller. Its brewery is located in the city of Durg, in east-central India. So whether my Jungle Wheat is a craft beer or, because of its connection with SAB Miller, is one of those “crafty” beers I’ll leave that for you to debate. All I will say is that, after a long journey, it tasted damn good.

Jungle Wheat from Simba Beer

Another beer I tried was Goa King’s Pilsner. Up until, 2015 Goa King’s beers (then just called King’s) were only available in Goa. It’s geographic exclusivity was part of its appeal. In 2015, the King’s brand was acquired by Vikiing  Ventures. In addition to changing its name, the new owner expanded distibution of Goa King’s, thus makimg available in cities such as Mumbai and New Dehli.

India’s most popular beer brand is Kingfisher. When I told friends that I would be visiting India, many made mention of Kingfisher. Brewed by United Breweries, Kingfisher has been losing market share recently. Still, it is the country’s most ubiquitous beer brand. Kingfisher premium lager, of which I had quite a few while in Goa, is a standard lager, which proved quite refreshing under the hot Indian sun.

So that was my first visit to India. I was only there for four days and only saw one tiny corner of this vast country. But I saw enough, and was sufficiently captivated by the friendliness of the people I met, that I hope that I have an opportunity to return some day.

My visit also marked something of a milestone in my world travels; as it was the fortieth country/territory that I have visited in my lifetime. Later this  year, I will add two other countries to that list – Switzerland and Liechtenstein. I look forward to seeing what beers those two have to offer.

Further Reading:

Knoth, Michael and Jonas Björn Borrit. 2014. The Indian beer market: The next “China” or a hyped market with little future growth? Scandinavian Brewers’ Review, Volume 72, Number 2, pp. 10-14.

Three Things I’ve Learned Drinking Craft Beer

Growing up in Scotland I was (and still am) an avid football fan. That’s the football played with a round ball, or soccer as it is referred to in the United States. My passion for the sport has not waned over the last four and a half decades. And thanks to the wonders of the internet I am able to watch livestream coverage of games played by my favorite football team back in Scotland, Glasgow Celtic. And I can also follow all the news and gossip by connecting to the webpages of Scottish newspapers such as the Daily Record or The Scotsman. A common feature that has recently made an appearance in these, and other, newspapers is the “Three Things We Learned” column (sometimes it’s five things). Typically these columns will focus on the weekend’s fixtures or a particular match-up and will detail three (or five) things that a particular journalist feels were learned from the set of fixtures or from a particular fixture. As I was reading one of these columns the other week it got me thinking about craft beer and the things that I have learned as a craft beer drinker. So here goes – in no particular order – three things I’ve learned drinking craft beer?

Brewery Staff Are A Friendly Lot

Lansing Brewing Company in Lansing, MI – one of the craft breweries with a friendly and knowledge staff

I have visited dozens of craft breweries, not just in the United States but also  in a number of other countries including Austria, Australia, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Sweden. A common characteristic of almost every single craft brewery in which I have spent any time is the friendliness, passion, and knowledge of the staff. I like to visit craft breweries when they are quieter – late afternoon is one of my favorite times. I do so partly because I do not particularly like noisy bars. Also, those quieter periods are the perfect time to engage the bar staff in conversation. The bar staff in a craft brewery tend to be very knowledgeable and passionate about the product they are selling. They can also tell you about the brewery itself – the background of the owners, the size of the brewing system used, and the history of the building in which the brewery is housed. And it is a knowledge that they love to share. So I have spent many pleasant hours in craft breweries sitting on a bar stool chatting with bar tenders, asking questions and listening intently. And in the process I have learned so much about the craft beer industry. Not only do the bar staff know about the craft brewery at which they work but they also know about the other craft breweries in town; so my final question to them is often to ask their recommendation for the next craft brewery I should visit.

There’s A Craft Beer for Everyone

Something for everyone- Barley’s Brewing Company in Columbus, OH

Samplers are a good way to taste test a variety of craft beers

I have a number of friends who are not beer drinkers. Their preferred libation is wine. However, in going to craft breweries with them, to my joy, all of them have discovered at least one beer that they enjoy. In most cases these beers happen to be stouts or porters, particularly those that contain coffee or chocolate flavoring. In some respects I am not surprised that these friends have found a craft beer that they genuinely like. The Brewers Association recognizes the existence of over 150 different styles of beer. There is  Scottish-style Heavy-Ale, Finnish-style Sahti, Swedish-style Gotlandsdricke, English-style Brown Ale, German-style Kölsch – the list goes on and on. With so much choice there is surely something for everyone, and my, albeit limited, experience suggests that this may well be the case. So the next time you are in a craft brewery and a friend or family member tells you that they do not like beer, challenge them. Purchase a sampler of five or six different beers and have that person try them all. It might also be an idea, in selecting the composition of the sampler, to enlist the help of the friendly and knowledgeable bartender (see above) and have that person chat with the non-beer drinker to see what tastes and flavors appeal to his or her palate. So don’t take no for an answer when you offer to buy your non-beer drinking friend a beer. Their experience of beer up to that point has probably been Budweiser or Coors Light – so this is your opportunity to expand their horizons and introduce them to wonderful and diverse world of craft beer.

It’s Getting Harder to Drink Macro Beer

I rarely drink macro beer – but here I am doing it at a University of Toledo football game

I attended quite a few weddings last summer. All of them had an open bar. At the final wedding of the summer season I arrived at the reception and went up to the bar to see what was on offer – Budweiser and Bud Light. I opted for the Bud Light and went back to my table. After my second sip I realized that I could not drink any more. It simply was not a taste that I enjoyed. I had four or five hours ahead of me that evening and I am sure that I was close to breaking out into a cold sweat at the thought of drinking Budweiser or Bud Light all evening. Several years of drinking a wide range of flavorful craft beers had finally taken its toll. I simply could not tolerate the taste of macro-produced American-style pale lager – even if it was available for free all evening, as it was. A few minutes later I found myself back at the bar to see what they had for purchase. To my horror the bartender told me that they had no beer for purchase – only Budwesier or Bud Light for free. The bartender must have seen the expression of panic on my face because he quickly added that there was another bar in the building, which he assured me had a fine selection of craft beers for sale. I found it and spent the rest of the evening going back and forth between my table and the bar. The beers were around $6-$7 each so instead of drinking free all evening I forked out somewhere in the region of $35 on beer. But that is where I am when it comes to drinking beer. I’d rather pay for a good craft beer than drink a free Budweiser. I do not consider myself a beer snob. I do not look down on people who drink Coors Light. Live and let live –  if someone enjoys the taste of Miller Genuine Draft let them drink it. There are times, albeit very infrequently, when I do not drink craft beer. On those occasions my beer of choice, more often than not, is Pabst Blue Ribbon.

So here’s to beer drinkers everywhere – drink what you enjoy and enjoy what you drink.

Buy Me, I’m Local

I'm Local - a six-pack of Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale from Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, MI
I’m Local – a six-pack of Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale from Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, MI

I was in my local Kroger grocery store last week. Those of you who are Facebook friends with me will know it as Scary Kroger (yes people have been shot in the parking lot). I pretty much follow the same pattern winding my way through the aisles every time I go there. The last aisle I usually wander down is the one with beer in it. I do not buy much beer from Kroger but always like to check out what they have to offer. Last time I was there I noticed that a number of beers had the words “I’m Local” next to or incorporated into the price tag. Kroger have been using these “I’m Local” designations for quite some time but I never paid much attention to them before. So noticing them got me thinking – what does it mean for a beer (or any Continue reading Buy Me, I’m Local

A Tale of Two Budweisers: The King of Beers and the Sport of Kings

Asreides, winner of the first Kentucky Derby
Aristides, winner of the first Kentucky Derby in 1875

Buchanan KY Derby Winner
Buchanan, winner of the 1884 Kentucky Derby

In early 1900, on a farm near St. Louis, a rather ordinary looking Thoroughbred bay colt was born to a mare with the geographically appropriate name, Missouri. The foal’s bloodlines were sprinkled with royalty and throughout his life Continue reading A Tale of Two Budweisers: The King of Beers and the Sport of Kings