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Let's be friends? Not exactly. Are these beers unwitting? Do they reveal themselves
when tasted side by side at the same table? Photos by Charlie Papazian
The headline reads, Budweiser takes on MillerCoors' Blue Moon in craft beer brew-haha. The story gives a blow by blow account of an alleged war between MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch Inbev (ABI). Is it all chaff and no germ or is there a grain of truth that lies within?
A war? A beer war no less? That’s nothing new between these two goliaths that control over 80% of the American beer market. Is it really a war. Let’s look at the battlefield.
Two months ago Anheuser-Busch Inbev recently unleashed a new beer called Bud Light Golden Wheat (see their “WTF” comments at blwheat.com). Beer pundits thrive on wars and think it’s head to head competition with MillerCoors’ produced Blue Moon, another wheat beer.
I don’t think so. Here’s why.
These are two very distinctly different beers. That’s just the beginning. More on a taste comparison later.
These two beers are indeed essays on a stylistic theme originating in Belgium. Wheat beer (in Belgium they would call it Wit Bier or Witbier) spiced with coriander seed, orange peel with added wheat and oats to an otherwise mostly barley malt brew.
But let’s look at beer industry folks call “positioning” of the beers. Anheuser-Busch Inbev is clearly indicating its ownership of this beer, branded as an extension of their Bud Light line of beers (Bud Light regular, Bud Light Lime and probably more to come). They even recognize it’s not a craft beer but a “more flavorful light beer.”
Blue Moon positions itself differently, very differently. It represents itself as a style of beer originating in Belgium, “Belgian White; Belgian-style Wheat Ale” is clearly labeled on both the bottle and carrier package. Unlike Anheuser-Busch Inbev’s Bud Light Golden Wheat, Blue Moon does not recognize the heritage and pride of the company that produces it. Originally a Coors produced beer, it’s now joint ventured with Miller it is brewed by MillerCoors as already mentioned but it identifies itself as “The Blue Moon Brewing Company.” If that is not different positioning and different appeal, then what is? There’s more.
Walking into a good size local beer store I found what I expected. Bud Light Golden Wheat was on the cold shelf at eye level right alongside the family of Anheuser-Busch Inbev Budweiser brands. Easily found where you might expect it. Eye level is the most desired positioning of a brand. (If you’re looking for the gems and the small, local brands that usually don’t get priority or can’t afford to position themselves at eye level, start your beer search at the bottom shelves)
Blue Moon on the other hand I couldn’t find. I had to ask a clerk where it was. It was not with Coors family of beers. It was right alongside an assortment of American micro and craft brewed beers. One store had it at eye level another beer store a mile away had Blue moon on the bottom shelf.
The differences continue. Blue Moon by MillerCoors, introduced in 1995, has always been a brand that grew by word of mouth, tricking the beer drinker into believing it was made by a small “craft brewer” and with very little, if any, marketing dollars.
On the other hand, Anheuser-Busch Inbev has used their extraordinary wealth of financial and distribution resources to literally flood and shove Bud Light Golden Wheat onto the shelves. With multiple-multimillion dollar marketing campaign they have managed to blitz beer drinkers with an awareness that Bud Light Golden Wheat exists. They pushed the beer onto the shelves and onto taps at bars and restaurants in two months time. Not even knowing if the beer drinker would suck it up.
Anheuser-Busch Inbev seemingly managed to match sales of Blue Moon. What took Blue Moon over a decade to accomplish, BL Golden Wheat has done in 2 months. The Chicagobusiness.com story claims, “Just two months after its debut, the new wheat beer has nearly matched Blue Moon's monthly sales”
But still, sales figures are misleading. Just like an unfiltered hazy wheat beer, a clear picture of what’s really happening isn’t fairly portrayed. Blue Moon by MillerCoors is on the shelves because it has a history of sales growth. Bud Light Golden Wheat has “sales” because it filled a pipeline created by a “push” by Anheuser-Busch Inbev’s distribution muscle.
Maybe there is a war brewing between the two brands, if so it would be a result of MillerCoors Blue Moon coming out of the closet and doing something they haven’t done since the brand’s introduction 14 years ago – mass marketing a brand of beer that is distinctly positioned as a beer to compete with small and independent brewery mojo.
Who would win the war, if there is one? That depends on the beer drinker. These two beers are very different.
Next: A taste comparison Part 2 of 2
Comments
I guess the message here is: who needs taste when you got boatloads of money for marketing? I prefer Coors' more subtle and time-tested approach.
This is cool. I have a series of blind taste-tests lined up in various styles including Witbiers, to compare macros to their craft brethren (is that even acceptable to call them brethren?)
This is quite interesting to me, as I posted an article two days before the Chicago Business article on Golden Wheat's capitalizing on the wheat beer "trend." These two "competing" beers are in a whole different league from one another, though, as AB-Inbev's similar "craft" offering is ShockTop, not BL Golden Wheat.
Yes, but is BLGW listed as an "Import" on many restaurant menus, like Blue Moon (and, for that matter, Killian's) because it "looks" Belgian? That's the biggest laugh of all.
Haha, yes, valid point, though hopefully restaurants and bars will be intelligent enough to list it under domestic offerings since it is, after all, Bud Light. I actually just went to a Mexican restaurant last night and commented to my fiancee how Killians was listed under the imports and St. Pauli Girl was listed under domestics.
On the plus side blgw is introducing a classic style to a huge demographic that wouldn't otherwise have tried a wheat beer. Nascar fans can feel secure that they are drinking bud light, not some pansy european beer. On the otherhand I doubt there are many blue moon drinkers breathing a sigh of relief that there is finally a wheat beer that tastes more like budweiser. So I'd say not so much a war. Also I'm kinda baffled by the sediment in blgw, I know it's there to make it more authentic, but since it's essentially bud light I can't help but wonder how it gets there.
I think you're missing a lot of the point, though. One of Blue Moon's biggest selling points is it appeals to people who don't traditionally like or drink beer. It has a sweeter, milder flavor and so I know several people (especially women) who buy it specifically because it's the only beer they like.
BL:GW may have gotten into the market differently, but it's squarely aimed at the same demographic. There are plenty of beer drinkers who just order Bud Light because they like it fine and it's what they know...What's to say their girlfriends won't want to order Golden Wheat? Craft fans aren't loyal to Blue Moon because we know it's not a craft beer, and Golden Wheat is priced like a domestic at the store (Blue Moon is commonly $10 for a 6 pack around these parts) and tastes pretty much like a watered down Blue Moon IMO.
What's not to like for the Average Joe Blue Moon buyer? Smart move on Bud's part, and I think the beer will continue to succeed.
Just to give it a chance, I tried a 6-pack of the Bud wheat beer wanna-be. Learned that it tastes best when used as water substitute in cooking chili. Should think about drinking a blue moon while cooking the chili.
No comparison. Bud's trying to cash in on the micro brew phenom offering a low cal solution that just won't cut into that market. Even my dogs won't drink it. Really, I tried. They prefer IPA's. Sorry Bud.
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