It seems that the lawmakers have won out, and Anheuser Busch is removing their infamous alcoholic energy drinks off the market. Tilt and Bud Extra are being pulled from the shelves, as part of a legal settlement with the New York Attorney General's office.
Why were these drinks such a problem? The Attorney General's office in New York says Anheuser has been marketing them to minors. In addition, Bud needs to pay over $2 million in fines to Arizona, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, New Mexico, New York and Ohio, stating that those states investigated the company's practices. In the brewer's words:
“Although Bud Extra and Tilt met all regulatory requirements, had much less caffeine than a Starbuck’s coffee, and had received all necessary federal and state agency approvals, we are reformulating these products in response to the AG’s concerns. We have ceased production of the original caffeinated versions of Bud Extra and Tilt. It may take several weeks for the original versions to sell out at retail accounts, and then the reformulated products will be available for purchase at retail. Both Bud Extra and Tilt will continue to be available in different alcohol-by-volume varieties, depending upon state laws."
Forgetting the sponsorship of almost all car races, endurance races and sporting events, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo stated that "Drinking is not a sport, a race, or an endurance test. Adding alcohol to energy drinks sends exactly the wrong message about responsible drinking, most especially to young people."
"We have determined that competing in the prepackaged caffeinated alcohol beverage sector may detract from our reputation as the global industry leader in promoting responsibility among adults who drink and discouraging underage drinking," Francine Katz, vice president of communications and consumer affairs for Anheuser, said in a statement. The reformulation is going to include the removal of caffeine from their formula, although they stated it might take several weeks for liquor stores to run out.
The attorney general said they were investigating as many as 15 other companies that make alcopops. The biggest drinks on the market next were Joose, Rize and Sparks, manufactured by Miller Brewing. Regardless if these were sold in liquor stores and sold in liquor cases next to packs of beer, the State still assumed that since the company gave away music downloads and had "extreme" marketing, the underage market could not stay away.
Comments
I think that getting rid of Bud Extra sucks. It's not the rest of the worlds fault that minors are drinking these. They are great and I wish I could find them so I could have stocked up on them. Today is a sad day. Stupid lawmakers find something else to do.
I live in ohio me and my friends really enjoyed the bud extra the way it was made,not only did we just learn about it but the whole city and state was just starting to acknowledge the bud extra with the caffiene jensing and jaurana extract.PAY THE FINE FOLLOW THE REGULATIONS RAISE THE PRICE AND YOU WILL GET YOUR TWO MILLION BACK WITH INTEREST,BUT PLEASE BRING BACK THE OLD BUD EXTRA,OR EMAIL ME THE INGREDIENTS.PLEASE THANK YOU!!!
I AGREE WITH MS. PAREZ THAT IS THE ONLY BEVERAGE THAT WE DRINK BRING BACK THE BUD EXTRA!!!!!!!
Please bring the Bud Extra back the way they were before. Theres Sparks and other beers with caffiene and there not banning them...I just love these and now they took the good stuff out and they taste like poop...
bud extra has to be one of the best beers budweiser has ever created and when i found out they stoped selling it around me i was confused, angry, and extemely disapointed.it was a hit in the beer industry and would make a whole lot more money if they just brought it back. speaking on behalf of the beer and energy drink lovers around the world STOP BEING STUPID AND JUST BRING IT BACK!!!!!!
I loved Bud Extra too. I bought the stores by me out of it. Why
can they sell all kinds of other NASTY energy drink. PLEASE bring
it back, I would still buy it even if I had to order it.
this is really scary that any marketing that can be considered "extreme" and free music downloads automatically mean a company is "targeting minors." I'm so sick of the "it's for the chiiiil'ren!" attitude that I could puke. Let's try parenting our children, instead. OMFG!
so disappointed I am going thru withdrawals
Its been years now since I enjoyed a good bud extra glow,but if it did anything for me it was that I quit drinking completely now because I could just never find any other suitable replacement for bud extra. I was shocked initially and for the first few weeks I traveled to nearby states to raid all the bud extra they had stocking up but it finally ran out completely and I went through a long bout of either withdrawals or depression.I still think about the good ol days of the E drinking from time to time. Boy what I wouldn't give to come across a couple cases of the original blend right now!! I agree with everyone else here and just wish they would understand that that repulsive liquid they replaced it with just isn't cutting it,but until then I shall remain sober an bummed out. Someday right?
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