FYI: Boycott Anheuser-Busch list

Jim Westrich westrich at miser.umass.edu
Tue Jun 29 08:24:11 PDT 1999


I am on a lifelong boycott of Anheuser-Busch products for reasons unrelated to their recent labor issues. My reason is simply the vile and murderous heir August Busch IV (whom I attended SLU with). This more than any other news story came to represent class privelege at its ugliest in my mind and I vow never to forget.

I won't go into all the issues but reading Fortune Magazine's poor attempt at propping up his "image" should give you enough of a sickly feeling to understand. (http://www.pathfinder.com/fortune/1997/970113/bus.html)

They leave out important details like the initial coroner's report on the "waitress" (she was actually an "exotic dancer" which does not change anything in my mind but at the time was used by the press to diminish her) said she bled to death *after* her injuries in the accident. This meant ABIV's leaving the scene and attempting to "hide" was actually the cause of her death. At the time the "losing" of key evidence was played triumphantly in the St. Louis press with a wink and a nod. Also, his defense in his reckless driving through St. Louis and his deliberate attempt to run over two cops ("as a celebrity I have to be able to defend myself against kidnapping") was the lowest form of cynicism. I was never able to tell if it was the lifelong pro-AB brainwashing or some outright jury tampering that made them acquit.

Also, A-B has been a nasty slumlord in the historic Soulard residential neighborhood surrounding the St.Louis brewery for nearly 20 years (buying properties, never improving them, and when the residents get fed up bulldoze them for "future expansion").

Here is the list of all A-B products (correct as of about a year ago): ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------

*Beer*

Brewed by A-B

Bud

Bud Light

Bud Ice

Bud Ice Light

Busch

Busch Light

Busch Ice

Natural Light

Natural Ice

Michelob

Michelob Light

Michelob Dry

Michelob Classic Dark (note the following "specialty" beers have the word Michelob in small print and the beer type in large print)

Michelob Amber Bock

Michelob HefeWeizen

Michelob Pale Ale

Michelob Honey Lager

Michelob Winter Brew Spiced Ale

American Orginals: Black & Tan Porter

American Orginals: American Hop Ale

American Orginals: Faust Golden Ale

ZeigenBock Lager

Red Wolf

Licensed to be brewed by A-B for the United States

Kirin (note: Kirin also brews A-B products in Japan for Japanese consumption)

Kirin Ichiban

Kirin Dry

Bought outright by A-B

Red Hook Ale

Breweries/brands owned in part by A-B

Modelo brewery (Mexico, 37%)

Wuhan brewery (China, 85%, maker of Budweiser and Steinbrau for Chinese consumption)

Tsing-Tao (China, 5%)

Companies in brewing agreements with A-B

LaBatt's (Canada, LaBatts brews Budweiser products for Canadian consumption)

Oriental Brewing Company (S. Korea, OBC brews Budweiser products for Korean consumption)

Guiness (Ireland, Guiness brews Budweiser products for Irish consumption)

S.p.A. Birra Peroni Industriale (Italy, Peronin brews Budweiser and distributes Michelob for Italian consumption)

Sociedad Anonima Damm (Spain, SAD brews Budweiser products for Spanish consumption)

Brasseries Kronenbourg (France, Kronenbourg brews A-B products for a variety of European countries)

Feldschlosschen Holding AG (Switzerland, sales and marketing for Swiss consumption)

*Not Beer*

Eagle brand snacks (now defunct I believe)

Gourmet House rice



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