Problems Ordering Budweiser American Ale
September 22, 2008 12:01 pm Beer MusingsIn Friday’s Round-Up, reader Ryan Russell posted an interesting anecdote describing a possible struggle with trying to find out if he can get the new Budweiser American Ale:
So with this new “Budweiser Ale”, how do we order it in public? Based on my interaction with many, many, MANY local bartenders and waiters (gender neutral), I believe that if you asked, “What kind of Budweiser do you have?” The answer will start with, “Well we have Budweiser, Bud light, Bud Lime…”
“Yes. I know you have A-B products, but which Budweiser?”
“We have the one and only Budweiser.”
“Is it Budweiser Lager or Budweiser Ale?”
“It’s called Budweiser!”
“Which one do you have?”
“Which one what?”
“Which Budweiser?”
“I don’t understand”
“Is it Budweiser Ale or Lager”
“It’s Budweiser, I don’t know whatcher sayingby ale or lager. We have Budweiser beer.”
As humorous as this is, I don’t think Ryan is very far off from the truth, I could see this very conversation happening in many a bar across the St. Louis area. Or how many bars will get this new beer in without informing their staff about it being a different beer and accidentally giving it to a customer thinking it’s the lager with a new label? I guess the solution would be to order the “New Budweiser”, bu you’d have to wonder how quickly that name gets associated with something like New Coke. That’s not really a association you’d be very happy about if you’re Anheuser-Busch.
Tags: anheuser-busch, budweiser american ale, new beer, round-up
cubby_swans :
Date: September 22, 2008 @ 1:15 pm
I could definitely see asking for a Budweiser Ale and getting served a bottle of Bud as it’s been called for 70 years. But I was at a hole in the wall redneck bar this weekend and simply asked “Do you have the new Budweiser American Ale?” And they said “nope”, and I responded with “I’ll have a Bud Fat, then.” No problems or confusion involved.
Ryan Russell :
Date: September 23, 2008 @ 4:42 am
Reading it again it looks like a bad “Who’s On First” parody.
Note to self: Don’t Drink and Blog.
Jim Teacher :
Date: November 2, 2008 @ 6:41 am
I was wondering this as well. We finally got this here in Jersey, but it shouldn’t be much of a problem ordering at the bar that I know has it–they have numerous different draft choices and should be able to handle the distinction. “Bud Ale.” Think that’d work?