It is not everyday that I go out of my way give one of our competitors a pat on the back, but I want to commend Anheuser-Busch for backing a new law taking effect this year in California that will allow free beer tastings at restaurant and bars. Of course, the necessary limits will be placed on these free samplings but this is a great way for our customers to try new products.

While our wines and spirits have been sampled by consumers for a number of years, I think it simply makes sense that beer has all the same opportunities , especially since all alcohol drinks, when served with a standard size serving (12 oz beer, 5 oz wine, 1 and 1/2 oz spirits), contain the same amount of alcohol. There is no reason beer should be discriminated against. Diageo has a number of great-tasting drinks in the beer category including Guinness, Red Stripe and our flavored malt beverages like Smirnoff Twisted V and Smirnoff Raw Tea.  I’m glad to see that adult consumers in the  State of California can try some of our great brands for the first time in bars and restaurants thanks to this law. …and they can try some of A-B’s great brands too!

I’m all for providing consumers with choice and variety and I’m thrilled that Californians can now experiment a little more with their beers! 

Cheers!

guy

Loyal readers of NoBullBar.com know that CASA has a long history of playing fast and loose with the facts.  And just last week, Susan Foster showed that they’re at it again.

She was quoted in the New York Daily News saying, “’We’re seeing an increase in rates of drinking to get drunk” among teens.

Sounds terrible!  And it would be…if it were true.

Susan based her comments on The National Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services, a federal agency that is a part of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.  The study was conducted from 1991-2005 with a representative sample of 9th trough 12th grade students throughout the United States. 

It found NO CHANGE in episodic heavy drinking from 1991 to 2005.  In fact, they found a DECREASE from 1997 to 2005 in heaving drinking behavior and the trend was consistent when they looked at lifetime alcohol use, current alcohol use and use of alcohol on school property.

Susan, CASA: I encourage you to join us in being part of the SOLUTION.  It’s about time you stop twisting the facts to support your political agenda.

As always, we invite Susan to post her comments on why she distorts these and other facts right here on www.NoBullBar.com

Cheers!

guy