As the blog slowly turns from beer into a venting space for my computer woes, we’ll just try to carry on this week, even though it seems the system won’t arrive for yet another week, due to a backordered part. Ah, well. It could be worse.

Are you open for the holiday?
Yes, we are open. Thursday 12-9pm (one hour longer for you to stock up) and Friday 12-5pm for those last minute items. For those of you going to the beach, please know we will be secretly hating you all weekend. Just kidding.

A-B rejects InBev’s advances and gets b*tch-slapped
They rejected the buyout, but InBev is now directing action towards the stockholders by suggesting they remove some of the board members from 2006. Did someone say hostile? They are indeed being hostile.

Beer Pong is bad for you
Purdue students reveal that beer pong can cause Mono due to all the bacteria that ends up on the ping-pong ball. In other news: Beer pong possibly started at Lehigh University. For those keeping track, that’s a sister university of ours back in Pennsylvania.

Self-service
A California store owner constructed a drive-thru with the help of an intoxicated 74-year-old woman who needed Budweiser really, really bad.

Ashvegas gets props as an upcoming beer city
The most recent issue of national mag, All About Beer, features none other than… Asheville! But for some reason we have not received our copies yet. We’re working on it. (The article is not online.) Rumor is that a humble storefront called Bruisin’ Ales gets a mention, but that’s conjecture at this point.

Beer restaurant in China
As further proof of beer’s world takeover, a Quindao restaurant has opened with a beer theme. “The city has a beer themed restaurant where every dish and dessert is made with beer. Customers also sit around beer barrel-shaped tables while waiters wear clothes look like beer bottles.” I’d say dressing like a beer bottle is quite the dose of “flair.” [Chinadaily.com]

New craft beer store in the Twin Cities
Is it a trend? Until now only three dedicated beer stores were in existence (that we know of). Well, folks, The Four Firkins, in St. Louis Park, Minn., is having its grand opening this Saturday. They have Surly there. You can’t help but be jealous of that. [StarTribune.com]

Recession won’t affect beer
Whew! Well, that’s good news. The Nielson Company just released a report at the Consumer 360 Conference in Arizona. “The most recession-proof items are seafood, dry pasta, candy, beer and pasta sauces.” [azcentral.com]

Happy weekend, everyone!

It actually happened. We told you all that money wasn’t getting thrown around for nothing. InBev has indeed made an unsolicited all-cash bid for Anheuser-Busch. While we often knock A-B, the fact is, the brewery is an American institution. It sure means a lot to folks in St. Louis (and beyond), and surely panic is spreading throughout A-B’s hometown in Missouri, in which they employee 6,000 people. From MSNBC.com:

The maker of Budweiser beer disclosed late Wednesday that InBev SA, whose brands include Beck’s and Stella Artois, delivered an unsolicited all-cash bid of $65 a share. It’s unclear whether senior Anheuser-Busch executives think the deal makes sense, but shareholders may be drawn to the offer that represents a sizable premium over the company’s closing price of $58.35 Wednesday. …

… Web sites have sprung up opposing the deal on patriotic grounds, arguing that such an iconic U.S. firm shouldn’t be handed over to foreign ownership. Republican Gov. Matt Blunt said Wednesday he opposes the deal, and directed the Missouri Department of Economic Development to see if there was a way to stop it.

“I am strongly opposed to the sale of Anheuser-Busch, and today’s offer to purchase the company is deeply troubling to me,” Blunt said in a statement.

InBev was formed in 2004 when Belgium’s Interbrew merged with South America’s biggest brewer, AmBev. Since then, the company has cut jobs in several European countries even as its sales were boosted by strong demand in Latin American countries.

Worries about job cuts at Anheuser-Busch could be justified. InBev has a reputation for squeezing costs out of the companies it acquires, said Benj Steinman, editor of the Beer Marketer’s Insights trade publication. Because of its size - and control of nearly half the U.S. beer market - Anheuser-Busch could be a ripe target for cost-cutting.

Forbes jumps in with this quick affirmation, though:

InBev said it would position Budweiser as the combined company’s flagship brand and the name of the merger company would “evoke Anheuser-Busch’s heritage.” InBev said it did not expect to close any U.S. breweries.

Wall Street Journal
CNNMoney
Bloomberg
Forbes
Guardian UK

Image: adclassics.com

Set the Tivo. From press release on BeerAdvocate:

Sam Calagione, President and Founder of Delaware’s own Dogfish Head, will be representing America’s best-selling adult beverage on national television this Thursday. The sales of craft beer continue to rise and the international beer and food pairing trend is gaining momentum as evidenced by this high-profile taste-off. Calagione has chosen to pair New Belgium’s Mothership Wit with the Gruyere Reserve cheese and a half-decade-old Dogfish Head World Wide Stout with the Askinosie artisanal Chocolate.

Craft breweries are proving that great beer has all of the flavor, complexity, and food-compatibility of the world’s finest wines and deserves it’s place at the dinner table. The world’s finest beers are more affordable than the world’s finest wines, which is why the craft segment continues to thrive even in these challenging economic times. Dogfish Head’s sales are up 41% thus far this year and the brewery focuses on stronger, more flavor, more exotic beers as their purpose statement “off-centered ales for off-centered people” alludes to. Beer is also more accessible than wine. Wine is made in a few isolated regions in the U.S. but the average American lives within 10 miles of their local brewery. So get out there and support the amazing, diverse, local, independent, small breweries that have reinvigorated the American beer landscape. For more info on Dogfish Head beers and Sam’s books go to dogfish.com.

Don’t miss Sam Calagione and Marnie Old, authors of He Said Beer, She Said Wine, on NBC’s “The Today Show” this Thursday, 6/12 in the 10 o’clock hour! 

Can’t be by your television on Thursday? Visit http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/12065856/  following the broadcast to see a complete video clip of the segment.

Asheville Pizza & Brewing send brew to Bonnaroo
Looking Glass Gold Rocket 77 Rocket Girl is heading to the big Bonnaroo festival in Tennessee this year. That is some pretty sweet news.

The Wedge opening
Seems like the Wedge was a hit with their opening last Friday. Asheville Beer Blog is there to scoop the beer release schedule. Open Thursday-Friday, 4-9pm.

A-B hires Goldman Sachs
In what looks to be a power move in preparation for the takeover of A-B by Belgian brew giant, InBev, A-B has hired Goldman Sachs and Citigroup to prepare. We doubt this much money would be flying around if the deal weren’t a serious option at this point. Read this story, too: InBev: From upstart to global beer bully.

Prince William can’t drop anchor
And according to tradition, he now owes his mates a “crate of beer.”

Long live the Queen
The Foster’s Group is set to release a “luxury lager” in honor of HM Queen Elizabeth II coronation anniversary called the Crown Ambassador Reserve. Only 5000 bottles are being made in 750ml bottles at 9.2% abv.

What’s a pint cost in Uzbekistan?
We found this little site called pintprice.com, where you can plan for travel—especially your beer costs. Nifty!

[photo: weeklydavespeak.com]