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Beer Bye-Bye

I am not a beer drinker.

Never have been.

Have no plans to start.

Nonetheless, I found this fascinating....

Beer is not selling the way it used to. U.S. sales of the beverage declined in four of the past five years. Between 2007 and 2012, beer sales fell by 2.3%, or more than 4.8 million barrels.  According to data provided by Beer Marketer's Insights, American sales of nine major brands, including the once top-selling Budweiser, declined by more than 25% over the past five years. Michelob Light's U.S. sales declined by nearly 70%.

Again, I am definitely not anywhere close to being identifyable as a beer connoisseur.  But, even for someone like me, the names of beers that appear on this "declining sales" list is amazing.  I was expecting to see Kroger brand (in those funky yellow cans) or names like Skunky Beer.  Instead, I see the names of some of the biggest brews in America.... the ones that are all over Super Bowl commercials.

Take a look.....

9. Labatt Blue
> Sales loss (2007-2012): 28.3%
> Brewer: Anheuser-Busch Inbev S.A./N.V. (NYSE: BUD)
> Barrels sold (2012): 650,000
8. Budweiser
> Sales loss (2007-2012): 28.8%
> Brewer: Anheuser-Busch Inbev
> Barrels sold (2012): 16,800,000
7. Heineken Premium Light
> Sales loss (2007-2012): 36.7%
> Brewer: Heineken International
> Barrels sold (2012): 440,000
6. Milwaukee's Best Light
> Sales loss (2007-2012): 39.7%
> Brewer: MillerCoors
> Barrels sold (2012): 1,110,000
5. Old Milwaukee
> Sales loss (2007-2012): 54.0%
> Brewer: Pabst Brewing Company
> Barrels sold (2012): 400,000
4. Miller Genuine Draft
> Sales loss (2007-2012): 56.4%
> Brewer: MillerCoors
> Barrels sold (2012): 1,390,000
3. Milwaukee's Best Premium
> Sales loss (2007-2012): 58.5%
> Brewer: MillerCoors
> Barrels sold (2012): 650,000
2. Budweiser Select
> Sales loss (2007-2012): 61.5%
> Brewer: Anheuser-Busch Inbev
> Barrels sold (2012): 625,000
1. Michelob Light
> Sales loss (2007-2012): 69.6%
> Brewer: Anheuser-Busch Inbev
> Barrels sold (2012): 350,000

Isn't this data incredible?

Michelob down 70%.
Milwaukee's Best down 60%.
Old Milwaukee.
MGD.
Budweiser !



The only one on this list that I've never heard of is #9:  Labatt Blue.  Huh?  Never seen a Super Bowl commercial for this one.

The news story I read indicated the reason for these decines centered around the growing popularity of craft beers and wines.

Wines.... leading to Whines.... coming from brewmasters of the major breweries all across America.

Out for now.....

Matt



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