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Editorial
Brewers get heartburn from corn backlash
Monday, February 4, 2019
Giant brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev said today it “fully supports” corn growers and will continue to invest in the industry.
“Bud Light’s Super Bowl commercials are only meant to point out a key difference in Bud Light from some other light beers,” it said in a statement.
Some marketing genius decided to jump on the anti-high fructose corn syrup bandwagon for the brewer’s Super Bowl ads, by pointing out other light beers used corn while its did not.
The implication is that beer is some sort of health food, rather than a collection of grains, yeast and hops, boiled and left in a pot to ferment to produce alcohol — the real reason anyone would dare drink it.
“@BudLight America’s corn farmers are disappointed in you. Our office is right down the road! We would love to discuss with you the many benefits of corn! Thanks @MillerLight and @CoorsLite for supporting our industry.”
Farmer Kevin Ross posted a video of himself pouring a can of beer down a sink, saying: “Bud Light, you’re not standing with corn farmers. We’re not standing with you.”
Such critics need to read labels carefully if they do decide to switch brands to make sure their beer dollars don’t go to into the same pocket. Many beers bearing other names are actually produced by Anheuser-Busch InBev.
Still, they may have enjoyed the Super Bowl commercial where the medieval Bud Light jousting tournament was consumed by the fire breathed by a Game of Thrones dragon.