NationStates Jolt Archive

Bwahahahaha!
Germany's beer lovers can already taste defeat
From Roger Boyes in Berlin

IT IS brown-gold and alcoholic but, then, in the scathing verdict of German beer fans, so is paint thinner.

The Germans are furious that Budweiser will be the official tipple for the World Cup, which starts next month. The American lager has secured a near-monopoly of beer sales inside World Cup stadiums and within a 500m radius of the grounds, supplanting more than 1,270 domestic breweries.

And what most upsets the fans is that Budweiser — advertised as the “King of Beers” in the US — fails to meet the ancient German standards for purity, which stipulate that beer can be brewed only from malt, hops and water. Budweiser uses rice in its production process and therefore does not qualify as a beer in the German sense.

Budweiser’s World Cup status is a slap in the face for a country that attaches such importance to beer production. When Germany was a patchwork of principalities and duchies, a sponsored brewery was seen as the stamp of in- dependence. German pride at hosting the tournament is being dented by the fierce marketing of the American beer.

“Most pubs don’t even stock it,” groaned Walter König, of the Bavarian Breweries’ Association. “Bavarian beer should be available in a Bavarian stadium — Munich — for the first kick-off. But what can we do? Budweiser paid $40 million for the concession even before Germany had been chosen to host the tournament.”

Franz Maget, a Bavarian Social Democrat, has entered the fray, calling Budweiser “the worst beer in the world”.

This is more than a slanging match between brewers — it has become a kind of guerrilla warfare for trademark lawyers. One German beer, Bitburger, will now be allowed some sales space in the stadiums. Since the Czech brewery Budweiser Budvar, which makes a stronger brew, contests the right of the Americans to use the name Budweiser in Germany, only the name “Bud” can be displayed outside stadiums.

But “Bud” sounds much like “Bit”, the name used by the German Bitburger brewery. Budweiser’s owners, Anheuser-Busch, have therefore had to allow some sales of Bit alongside Bud.

Meanwhile, another German brewery has managed to slip past the gaze of the Fifa lawyers and has registered “Goal” as the official name of its beer. “Best drunk from the bottle,” says the advertising slogan, “because any Goal is celebrated best with a bottle in the hand.”

The stakes are high: two million thirsty German fans and one million foreigners will be gathering in the stadiums for the 64 matches, as well as in the 300 public viewing areas. And during a game the average World Cup fan drinks half a litre of beer.

Two tickets for David and Victoria Beckham’s pre-World Cup party were attracting bids of more than £100,000 yesterday after being put up for auction on eBay by the NSPCC. The couple, whose guests tomorrow will include Sir Elton John and Sven-Gören Eriksson, donated the tickets.
The Times Online (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-2188537,00.html)

Damn I feel sorry for you guys now, maybe you can find other uses for Bud besides drinking it?

Rumors are that German leaders are meeting to discuss plans for a "final solution" to the brewish problem...

:D couldn't resist.

Franz Maget, a Bavarian Social Democrat, has entered the fray, calling Budweiser “the worst beer in the world”.
he must never have tried Natural Light or Birckhouse Malt Liquor.

And during a game the average World Cup fan drinks half a litre of beer.
What? That's less than a pint in nearly two hours! Just over a pint a half is what they should be drinking - 3 beers in a match.

And Budweiser should be banned from sale everywhere.

Bwahahahaha!

The Times Online (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-2188537,00.html)

Damn I feel sorry for you guys now, maybe you can find other uses for Bud besides drinking it?

Personally, I think that any Alocoholics Anonymous meetings should be held in the stadiums as I'm pretty sure not one German I've ever met has drunk the american Budweiser so the stadiums will be the dryest places in Germany for the world cup... bar the England games caus our thugs will drink any rap they can lay their hands on... A few touched the original Czech stuff, as that actually tastes of beer.


Personally I think its a fuckin crime that they can sell that crap in a stadium in a country famous for its good beer. That said, thats what happens when you need to fund a tournament like this.

he must never have tried Natural Light or Birckhouse Malt Liquor.

Or Pabst Blue Ribbon, or Colt 45. There's a whole host of shitty American brews the Germans haven't tasted. German beer is sooooo good, but what we have here is weak-ass >O.

Personally, I think that any Alocoholics Anonymous meetings should be held in the stadiums as I'm pretty sure not one German I've ever met has drunk the american Budweiser so the stadiums will be the dryest places in Germany for the world cup... bar the England games caus our thugs will drink any rap they can lay their hands on... A few touched the original Czech stuff, as that actually tastes of beer.

Maybe that's the plan, if no one gets drunk the hooligans can't ruin the game? :)

What? That's less than a pint in nearly two hours! Just over a pint a half is what they should be drinking - 3 beers in a match.

And Budweiser should be banned from sale everywhere.

Sure about your maths there, m'boy?
I prefer to drink Fosters when I can, but that's cause i'm immature

1 Imperial pint (UK) = 20 UK fluid ounces ≈ 568 mL (0.56826125 litres exactly)
So just under a pint then.

German Beer explained:
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,406529,00.html

from the "Germany Survival Bible":
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,411291,00.html

Maybe that's the plan, if no one gets drunk the hooligans can't ruin the game? :)

the sport ruins the game. Football matches are just an excuse to get hammered and break some faces.

he must never have tried Natural Light or Birckhouse Malt Liquor.or ZEMA!

If only it were Budvar (the Czech beer) and not Budweiser (that US piss) things might look brighter.

I mean, honestly, what the fuck?

Germany is the country of beer drinkers and breweries - and FIFA decides to go foreign piss-beer?

Fuck that! Da trink ich lieber Farbverdünner!

I dont even drink and I think this is shitty.

Bloody capalist shite beer making pigdogs

Buweiser is fucking disgusting. Beer? Pfft.

If only it were Budvar (the Czech beer) and not Budweiser (that US piss) things might look brighter.

I mean, honestly, what the fuck?

Germany is the country of beer drinkers and breweries - and FIFA decides to go foreign piss-beer?

Fuck that! Da trink ich lieber Farbverdünner!

Try and pursuade the Bundestag to ban the sale of Budweiser at sports venues and mandate the sale of German beer (if any beer is to be sold at all).

Wonder what FIFA would do...

I don't drink bier.

Budweiser (the american version) is most definitely the worst beer in the whole world.

Budweiser is the shittiest beer I have ever tasted.

Nothing beats a good Dogfish Head or a Belgian ale.

Try and pursuade the Bundestag to ban the sale of Budweiser at sports venues and mandate the sale of German beer (if any beer is to be sold at all).

Wonder what FIFA would do...
Mmh. I think they already have reached some sort of agreement that other beer will be sold but that that brand can't do any "official" world cup advertisement or something.

Anyhow, it's simply stupid to show up with "beer" in Germany and then wonder why people are offended/angry/not happy with the choice of beer.

I'm all for a strict enforcement of the German purity law of beer brewing, thus automatically banning that crap.

It is soccer. It doesnt rate good beer.

It is soccer. It doesnt rate good beer.
Don't tell me you don't know that Fußball and Bier belong together?

Rumors are that German leaders are meeting to discuss plans for a "final solution" to the brewish problem...

:D couldn't resist.
mwahahahha:D

*hears some machinery*
*Glances at the Munich cattle car station*

God, budweiser is like drinking fucking cotton. Poor germany.

Yeungling ftw.

Bwahahahaha!

The Times Online (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-2188537,00.html)

Damn I feel sorry for you guys now, maybe you can find other uses for Bud besides drinking it?

How in unholy hell did it get past the Reinheitsgebot? (Oh, I see that the Reinheitsgebot is no longer in effect.[1 (http://www.jura.uni-sb.de/BGBl/TEIL1/1993/19931400.1.HTML)] :( (Poor Germany.) I'll have to grab a Bud Var the next time I'm at the lovely local import market.

And during a game the average World Cup fan drinks half a litre of beer.
What? That's less than a pint in nearly two hours! Just over a pint a half is what they should be drinking - 3 beers in a match.

And Budweiser should be banned from sale everywhere.

Exactly. The Brits who took over the TV room at my house 4 years ago drank at least 2 litres each over the whole of the pre-game, game and post game - easily measured - local beer comes in 500 ml cans, 8 guys, 6 6-packs, all gone at the end.

Meanwhile, another German brewery has managed to slip past the gaze of the Fifa lawyers and has registered “Goal” as the official name of its beer. “Best drunk from the bottle,” says the advertising slogan, “because any Goal is celebrated best with a bottle in the hand.”


How can you possibly drink enough beer waiting for a goal in soccer?

How in unholy hell did it get past the Reinheitsgebot? (Oh, I see that the Reinheitsgebot is no longer in effect.[1 (http://www.jura.uni-sb.de/BGBl/TEIL1/1993/19931400.1.HTML)] :( (Poor Germany.) I'll have to grab a Bud Var the next time I'm at the lovely local import market.



Exactly. The Brits who took over the TV room at my house 4 years ago drank at least 2 litres each over the whole of the pre-game, game and post game - easily measured - local beer comes in 500 ml cans, 8 guys, 6 6-packs, all gone at the end.

According to your math, each person had 2.25l of beer. Just fyi.

Franz Maget, a Bavarian Social Democrat, has entered the fray, calling Budweiser “the worst beer in the world”.

This is clearly a man who has never (lucky bastard) tasted Fosters, also known as 'dishwater'.

Budweiser, espescially Bud Select, isn't all that bad when it's kept cold. Warm, it's not all that good, but cold, ice cold, it's pretty damn decent.

Budweiser is the shittiest beer I have ever tasted.

Nothing beats a good Dogfish Head or a Belgian ale.
You've clearly never had Natty light...

Budweiser (the american version) is most definitely the worst beer in the whole world.
Trust me, there's worse. And for a college student on a pretty fucking strict budget, cold Bud Select cuts the mustard for drinking.

According to your math, each person had 2.25l of beer. Just fyi.

Hence the "at least". :) (Those who missed the pre-game missed the extra, IIRC. Plus, I know there was more than that drunk. That was just what the guys on the beer run got.)

Poor buggers, having to drink Budweiser. I almost feel sorry for the lucky bastards who have tickets to the matches.

Unten dieses Bier mein Freund. Dieses ist das gute Material.:cool:

“Most pubs don’t even stock it,” groaned Walter König, of the Bavarian Breweries’ Association. “Bavarian beer should be available in a Bavarian stadium — Munich — for the first kick-off. But what can we do? Budweiser paid $40 million for the concession even before Germany had been chosen to host the tournament.”

Seriously...we're talking soccer fans here. They'll drink whats available, and won't care by games end.

Considering that Budweiser didn't intentionally cockblock German brewers (specifically German anyways), I don't see what the fuss is about.

Budweiser, espescially Bud Select, isn't all that bad when it's kept cold. Warm, it's not all that good, but cold, ice cold, it's pretty damn decent.
Perhaps, but it's a fact with beer that the colder it gets the less you can taste it. Why do you think the major brewing companies recommend that lager is served between 0 and 5 degrees C (32-41F)?

Liasia']Sure about your maths there, m'boy?
I prefer to drink Fosters when I can, but that's cause i'm immature

1 Imperial pint (UK) = 20 UK fluid ounces ≈ 568 mL (0.56826125 litres exactly)
So just under a pint then.
Eh? I said "less than a pint". Then continued with "they should be drinking just over a pint a half", which I work out as 1.25 pints in the first half, half a pint at halftime, and 1.25 pints in the second half.

American Budweiser is horrible crap, the worst beer I've ever had - not that it tastes bad, it simply does not taste. Blander than water

The real, Czech Budweiser (Budějovický Budvar) on the other hand is one of the best beers I know

Well, I'd say that Budweiser is simply going to flop horribly. Even though it is the "official beer", this is Germany we're talking about - don't think football fans would be blind to the fact.
Not only that, but they'll allow the Czech Bud and German Bit to sell as well, meaning that the only people who'll drink Budweiser are the Iranians. :D