Bud IPA?

Perhaps it is cheaper to buy an established "craft" brewery that already has an IPA in their portfolio than develop their own?

 

Under the Bud name, the end product will have to go through many corporate departments to see how they will eventually sell and market the beer. Each of those departments will impact how it eventually tastes in the end. In the case of the Bud American Ale of a few years ago, the end product became diluted by the process. Here's @Jason in a recent post:

from here:
http://www.beeradvocate.com/communi...-decision-maker-at-inbev.340339/#post-4117544

They seem to be better off having an existing product to sell, with its own established history, and taking it from there.

 

I don't think it really fits with their brand and market. They're trying for mass appeal (bud light) and the crowd that gets turnt up at the club on a Tuesday (platinum). I think they'd rather just do that under different labels and keep their brand consistent.

 

I'd say give it a shot. Can't be worse than the Guinness Nitro IPA.

 

The big issue I see with Bud IPA is that it would be an orphan out of the gate. Bud drinkers don't want an IPA, they want sweet adjuncts. And IPA drinkers aren't going to be buying Bud IPA outside of curiosity. Bud knows (for the most part) where their bread gets buttered.

 

The Bud American Ale wasn't such a bad product IMO. These types of beers or just not in focus as a core brand for AB, so after a short time, they generally die (Bud Light Platinum & Co.). Every once in a while the Marketing Department gives it the old college try....

 

they did bud American ale...which was a decent red pale ale, but it didn't live long

 

ISO: Buddy Topper

 

1. Proper IPA hops are expensive and in short supply
2. Short shelf life and refrigeration requirement of IPAs

 

Why "water down" (no pun intended) the brand that is outselling any craft beer 10 gazillions to 1? Just buy established craft brands and save all that marketing $ etc etc. idea likely does not make business sense.

 

You kind of answer your own question here. Who would be the market? Bud drinkers who want to try something new but are afraid to try brands they don't recognize? Seems prett niche.

 

If they want a good ipa they'll buy the company that makes it. It wouldn't make sense to tie up their brewing facilities when they sell a ton of Bud Light and Budweiser.

 

I think it's 100% branding too. These classic lagers hearken back to an older age. It's the beer your dad, mom, or grandparents first let you take a sip of. This seem to occupy a very distinct and iconic place in the American psyche, and any radical break from this would only go to awaken the consumer to the burgeoning world of craft beer rather than keep their attention firmly rooted in the past.

 

If Bud could create a passable IPA for $20 a case, I'd be interested.

 

One factor is that they know that there will be an anti-Bud bias from many craft beer drinkers who abstain from buying from big companies for "ethical" reasons. That's why they deliberately have their name off of some of their "crafty" brands, so they look like micros or little craft beer breweries.

Also they might not want a faithful Bud drinker to accidentally buy and not like it, whereas those faithful are within safer parameters if they try a Bud dry, or Bud Ice, etc.

 

I would buy a case for the Friday Beer crew at work. More cheap, drinkable beer means more $ left in the budget for good beer!

 

But anyway, Budweiser has the "Macro We Stand" campaign going on right now. They are trying to position themselves against the craft brew industry.