The End of an Era: America's First King of Beers is Bought by Belgian Owned InBev

Just a few days ago, the biggest question being asked by every man, woman and newscaster in St. Louis was, "Will Anheuser Busch be bought by InBev? Now that the beer has hit the fan, my question goes deeper: Will St. Louis, a city known for its socioeconomic divide be able to come together for last call?

The unthinkable has happened, and the Anheuser Busch buyout is the hottest topic of conversation in St. Louis. The sale of Anheuser-Busch to InBev SA, a Belgian based international conglomerate has St. Louisans of all races, backgrounds and income levels scrambling. The roots of Anheuser-Busch run deep in the St. Louis community, and the moment that a potential sale was announced, everything connected to beer in this town threatened to explode like a hot keg. A-B, a major employer and leading corporate citizen of the metro community, is so entwined and connected to St. Louis' history and culture that the takeover has left a dead, shocked silence hovering over the troubled Midwestern city.

Why so glum? Well, besides the obvious, A-B IS St. Louis. Many, many St. Louisans have invested hugely in their hometown brewery, once a staunch American icon, and currently the largest brewery in the US. To say that most are clearly stunned at the sale is a cruelly malnourished understatement. As former Executive Director for the St. Louis area's hotel association, I've been glued and tuned to local and national news reports trying to keep tabs on the shocking sale of this beverage giant. According to wire reports, the buyout at $70 a share represents the "biggest, boldest acquisition in the beer industry and one of the largest purchases of a U.S. company by a foreign suitor." As you may know, the board of directors at both companies unanimously approved the $53 million dollar take over from InBev, and the new company, to be named Anheuser-Busch InBev will be the largest brewer in the world, and only awaits approval from shareholders. The plan is to close the deal by year end.

For a century, Anheuser Busch, or BUD, as it's known on the New York Stock Exchange, has been a terrific stock to buy, hold or inherit. Owned by the Busch family for five generations, it is by far the largest brewer in the US, with a whopping 48% market share. But it's not the stockholders that I'm thinking of at this point, it's the employees, and the big little city they embrace as home.

In a city clearly struggling to build and maintain a marketable identity for tourism, A-B's sale is a real chop in the trachea. "Well", our resolve tells us. We have the Clydesdales (but not our beer), we have Grants Farm (the Busch estate open to the public, but not our beer), we have the Cardinals (but, dammit, NOT OUR BEER). Losing A-B not only means losing an American titan to foreign investors, but also a major political facillitator to state offices in Missouri. St. Louis' painfully absent identity is so linked to A-B, that one can barely buy a Miller beer or Coors light in the downtown area.

Change is one of the things that we can count on in this life, and in the case of Anheuser-Busch, change may be for the better. With reputed mismanagement riddled throughout its corporate culture and underperformance in a limited market, the fall of A-B, the end of an American era, may indeed be for the better. The St. Louis community and its business leaders can seize this opportunity to cease antiquated policies, toxic traditions and the ancient, bullish strongholds that define many of the city's companies and associations. St. Louis can take this time to develop a solid identity based upon progress; on keeping its residents employed and its children (the future!) safe while keeping local businesses in business. Certainly, a weakened dollar had a hand in facilitating the A-B takeover. But as always, challenge brings opportunity, and one thing's for sure, this deal likely benefits both companies in grand fashion with expanding markets and increased sales. The way I see it, this city has suffered a major blow, and from the ashes can grow. I'll be watching with the rest of the country in the coming weeks and months, and praying for the 6,000 area employees whose lives are in the balance as well as the businesses who seem to be unsure of what beer to sell. Without a doubt, time will tell.

In the meantime, there are great options just outside the A-B box that have always been caught by the true beer lover's radar. A fine St. Louis tap is Schlafly Beer. Schlafly produces a great line of flavorful beverages like their crisp, cold Pale Ale. Then, of course there is also the fantastic Kansas City based Boulevard Brewery producing a hometown favorite, Boulevard Wheat. As for me, an occassional Bud Select will probably quench a game-day thirst just the same. Thanks for the memories, A-B, but here's what I know for sure: Change is what it is, and it is inevitable. So cheers, St. Louis; it's the end of an era, but fear no beer. It is far more important for area residents, businesses and community leaders to come together to focus on what we SHOULD be doing, and to move on with life.