Chinese Beer to Dethrone Bud Light

Chinese brand has been the top brew for three years

(NEWSER) - For the past three years, the biggest-selling beer in the world was a brew you've probably never heard of: China's Snow Beer, reports the Telegraph . And with the Chinese beer market surging by 10% a year, expect Snow to grow even bigger. Though not as well known as Tsingtao, Snow has grown by buying up breweries all over China since it was formed in 1993 in a joint venture between SABMiller and China Resources. Last year, Snow sold 16.5 billion pints, about twice as much as former No. 1 seller Bud Light. More»

New beer comes amid slumping sales for Anheuser-Busch

(NEWSER) - Tastes great, less filling, and more intoxicating? Anheuser-Busch is rolling out what the LA Times calls a "long-germinating beer concept" that it hopes is all that and a bag of chips. Dubbed Bud Light Platinum, the beer will have a robust 6% alcohol by volume, 137 calories, and an eye clearly on the burgeoning craft beer industry. Regular Bud Light has 4.2% ABV and 110 calories, while Bud sports 5% and 145 calories. More»

(NEWSER) - Bud Light is rolling out cans in the colors of the nation's big colleges just in time for football season—and that has some schools fuming, the Wall Street Journal reports. Colleges worried about binge drinking think they'll be seen as sponsors of the “Fan Cans” campaign, which boasts 27 different color schemes and begins this month. “Show your true colors with Bud Light,” says the campaign, adding that the cans are "made for gameday." More»

Market share falling for big US brewers

(NEWSER) - Anheuser-Busch InBev is desperate to turn its sales around. Sure, it's still the biggest beer company in the US, but shipments have fallen for three straight years, thanks to the growing popularity of small, independent craft brewers. But this year Budweiser's got a plan, president of North American operations Luiz Edmond tells the Wall Street Journal : It's going to produce more beers, while leaning on distributors not to carry the competition. Anheuser will introduce 19 new products this year, its biggest rollout since the InBev merger. More»

(NEWSER) - People tend to be picky about beer, so "psychographic" research firm Mindset Media conducted surveys to match brands to personality trends. Here's what researchers found, according to Ad Age :

• Budweiser: Sensible and practical drinkers, but with an anti-authoritarian streak.
• Bud Light: Unlike regular Budweiser fans, these imbibers are risk-takers, but respect authority.
• Michelob Ultra: Marked by a sense of superiority, high-self esteem—basically, a high-powered yuppie.