10 Fun Facts About Budweiser

The business was built from the ground up by German immigrants.

Adolphus Busch emigrated to St. Louis, Missouri from Germany in the 1850s. He immediately got into the brewing supply business and started collaborating with the Anheuser brewery. He married the owner’s daughter, Lily Anheuser, and began working for Anheuser. By 1880, Busch was the president of the company, now called Anheuser-Busch.

It was the original mass-market light beer in America.

America had a heavy English heritage in its early days, and our beer-drinking preferences mirrored those of the United Kingdom. Anheuser-Busch borrowed from Bohemian beer traditions, though, and sold light lagers.

Anheuser-Busch has a history of taking advantage of scientific innovation.

The brewery built its own refrigerated rail network to keep the fragile lagers fresh as they traveled across the country. The company was also the first to pasteurize beer, allowing it to become the first national beer brand.

Beer and big sport

Beer Budweiser is inextricably linked with almost all important events in the world of sports. So, Bud acted as the official sponsor of the NASCAR and NFL teams, and also sponsored the Beijing Olympics in 2008, the World Cup in 2010, the Vancouver Olympics of the same year and more.

Prohibition couldn’t stop the brand.

Anheuser-Busch was one of the few breweries that managed to stay open during the 10-plus years of Prohibition. To keep the business running, the brewery pumped out non-alcoholic products.

The infamous rice in the ingredient list has always been there.

Budweiser claims to use the same five ingredients that Adolphus Busch used when he started the brewery: water, barley, yeast, hops, and rice.

Bud Light has been more popular than Budweiser since 2001.

The only thing Americans love consuming in mass quantity more than lager is light lager. Bud Light was introduced in 1988 and overtook Budweiser in sales in 2001.

It can’t be sold as Budweiser in parts of Europe.

A brewery in the Czech Republic called Budejovicky Budvar has a claim on the name Budweiser for its beer, Budvar Budweiser. Instead, what Americans call Budweiser is simply called Bud.

Wassup?!

Humor has always been present in Budweiser beer ads. It is thanks to atypical and funny commercials that beer of this brand has gained such great popularity. So, for advertising “Whassup ?!” Anheuser-Busch even won the Grand Prix at the forty-eighth annual Cannes International Advertising Festival. This advertisement was rewritten on cassettes and CDs, and the funny phrase was instantly picked up by hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom were not even beer drinkers.

It’s part of a large Belgium multinational.

In 2008, Anheuser-Busch sold outside the family for the first time. It was acquired by a Belgian group to create Anheuser-Busch InBev. That group has been contentious among craft brewers as it bought up 10 independent breweries. The Brewers Association, the largest craft brewing lobbying group, has declared war on AB InBev and Budweiser.

Visit To The Blue Rock Restobar After Almost 2 Years

As stated a couple of days ago, I have been making plans to go out and enjoy myself with a couple of pints. About 3 times I have planned in recent weeks and wasn’t even sure until yesterday morning that I would go out. But go out I did as after I woke up and was feeling good. Yet I still took it easy and waited till 11 am before making up my mind. I also thought that a friend would join me as he called me at 9:20 am. Alone I would go.

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At 12 am, after coffee and tea and some breakfast long done, I took a shave and a shower and got ready. I booked an Uber and made my way to Olive Downtown in Kadaanthara, which has a really nice bar called the Blue Rock Restobar. I really love this place but I must say that on this day it was a bit warm as if the ac had issues. I asked for some iced water before I could peruse the food & drink menu. Sipping my water I looked at the beers selection and decided on Budweiser.

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For snacks I decided after a long look to start with the ole favourite of French fries. Their French fries were plentiful and good. Nothing like the awesome ones I get at Couchyn but good enough. Before I could finish the fries, my first beer was done, so I quickly ordered another. However a couple of bearded assholes were too loud and kinda ruining the mood at this point. Loud and boorish!

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Fries done and halfway through the second Bud, I asked the hostess to get me some honey glazed sesame pork which was delicious. By this time the two loud mouthed boors had paid and then left as nosily as they were in here. As the door swung closed behind them, I was so happy. So I ordered another beer, yet another Bud.

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I had to leave some of the beer unfinished but it was ok. I finished the pork and took my final sips of beer, used the toilet for the second time and then paid my bill. I went down and booked my Ola back to my home and came and took a little nap, satisfied and satiated.

Tequila Sunrise : Not Such A Great Ballad But An Awesome Cocktail

It’s easy to mix up at a moment’s notice, and a beautiful, refreshingly fruity cocktail. Of course, there’s also tequila. When you add all that up, it’s no wonder that this is one of the most popular tequila drinks.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces tequila
  • 4 ounces orange juice
  • 1/2 ounce grenadine
  • Orange slice, for garnish
  • Maraschino cherry, for garnish

Steps to Make It

1. In a highball glass filled with ice cubes, pour the tequila and orange juice.

2. Stir well.

3. Slowly pour the grenadine around the inside edge of the glass. It will sink and gradually rise to mix with the other ingredients.

4. Garnish with an orange slice and cherry. Serve and enjoy.

Out For Some Beers, Jumbo Shrimp & Fries

So I rarely go out for drinking anymore or drink at home. Since like late August of 2021 at first because I was on a diet, then my illness and then I just stopped going out altogether. I haven’t also bought any beer or other alcohol since August of 2021. 2021 I only went out to have beer twice – once in February and then in December, the day before Christmas.

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Since then I have a been following a diet. My plan was to stick to the diet and break it like once a month or so and enjoy some of my favourite food and drink. Since I started the diet on January 1st, I haven’t moved out of my diet much – maybe a cookie or two – and I was eager to have some beer. And I also wanted to eat some of my favourite food.

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I initially planned this for Sunday but then I was battling a bad cold I caught on Friday and hence decided to rest Saturday and Sunday and if I was feeling up to it, I would go Monday afternoon (I had taken a personal leave well in advance for something else) and I would go and get some beer. So yesterday I got ready by 12:45 pm and booked a Uber to go to Couchyn. As soon as I got there, I ordered me a Corona Extra and a plate of their jumbo tempura prawns.

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Next up I got a Hoegaarden Whit Beer. Something is different – the last two times I felt that the Hoegaarden was better than the Corona but this time it felt way off. I preferred the Corona over the Belgium beer. Maybe it was a bad bottle or something. And I never add lime or lemon to my Corona. So after that I got another Corona and that would be it as far as the beer was concerned. Instead of getting a meal I opted for another snack.

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Once the prawns were done I was thinking of what to get next. I didn’t want a big meal and I thought about getting some beef or chicken. Instead I went with a large basket of their French fries. Why, because I haven’t had French fries in almost 2 months and had started to miss it. Also, Couchyn & the Grand Hotel makes some excellent fries that puts McDonalds, Burger King etc to shame. Really good ones! Once that and my 3rd beer was done, I booked an Uber and came back home.

Drinking Beers After A Very Long, Long Time

After many, many months – close to 9.5 months, last weekend I had gone to get my hair cut. I am balding, have a bad bald spot on the back of my head and hence my hair doesn’t really grow that much but within the last couple of months my hair had grown so long that it was almost at my shoulder. It was difficult for to manage and drying my hair after a shower was a nightmare. So I went to Ole and got my hair cut short and it feels so much better now.

With that out of the way, it was just a couple of steps near to Couchyn, the lounge bar that is attached to the Grand Hotel. I went it as it was also 9.5 months since I had any drinks. I was only going to have some beer but as I got in, I started to really miss it. I quickly sat down and ordered a Corona and munching on some free hickory sticks, I quickly demolished that. Man, did I ever earn that beer. Now I needed another one and I asked for a Hoegaarden which I really, really love.

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By then my first order of food had arrived. Delicious tempura prawns which is so good on it’s own but dipped in that delicious sweet & spicy Thai Chilli sauce that it comes with – oh my god, how I have missed this taste! So great to drink my beer and eat them prawns while listening to their excellent selection of 70s, 80s & 90s soft rock and folk music. The word chilling in the dictionary should have a clip of me drinking my beer, eating those shrimp and humming & singing softly to myself the lyrics of the songs that were playing.

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A little later I ordered some tandoori chicken, a half plate and a Budweiser. Now the first two beers were 350 ml bottles but the Bud was a full bomber bottle of 650 ml. I thought I could finish that but I couldn’t complete the last bit more than a quarter of the bottle and the last piece of chicken. Well I culd have but I wanted to go back home and if I stayed back then I could have finished them off. So I paid via my credit card, washed my hands and mouth, took a leak in the washroom and then booked an Uber to come back home.

Cocktail : Sloe Gin Fizz Recipe

Sloes are tiny berries that grow wild in hedgerows around England. Unpleasantly astringent on their own, they are popular in sweetened jams and preserves, and they develop a rich, tart flavor when infused in gin. Naturally, enterprising distillers have been incorporating them into liquor since the 17th century. The spirit takes on the essence and bright color of the berries, and then sugar is typically added to counter the fruit’s tartness. What’s left is not technically gin, but actually a gin-based liqueur. A sloe gin fizz is refreshing and delightfully balances sweet against tart. It begins with Sloe Gin then we add fresh lemon, a little sugar and club soda.

For 1 Drink You Will Need

  • 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) sloe gin
  • 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) gin
  • 1 to 1 1/2 ounce (2 to 3 tablespoons) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon simple syrup or 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 ounces (1/4 cup) club soda
  • Lemon slice for serving
  • Ice

DIRECTIONS

Add sloe gin, regular gin, 1/2 ounce of lemon juice and simple syrup (or sugar) to a cocktail shaker filled half way with ice. Shake vigorously until chilled. Taste then adjust with additional lemon or simple syrup/sugar. Shake. Strain cocktail into a glass filled with ice then top with club soda and garnish with lemon wedge.

What Is Mulled Wine?

Mulled wine, also known as spiced wine, is an alcoholic drink usually made with red wine, along with various mulling spices and sometimes raisins, served hot or warm. It is a traditional drink during winter, especially around Christmas. It is usually served at Christmas markets in Europe, primarily in Germany. There are non-alcoholic versions of it. Vodka-spiked mulled wine can be found in Polish Christmas markets, where mulled wine is commonly used as a mixer.

Best when served hot or warm, this traditional winter drink is the warming beverage we love to cozy up to in the fall and winter. Heated and spiced wine has now evolved throughout time to include different medleys of flavoring, including ginger, pepper, cardamom, and even herbs. this recipe couldn’t be easier to make: Combine a bottle of red with some orange slices, warm spices, honey, and brandy, and let it simmer for 10 minutes. That’s it!

In less than 30 minutes you’ll have the coziest winter drink on your hands. using dry varietals of red wine like Merlot, Malbec, or Cabernet Sauvignon. But really, your favorite bottle, whatever it may be, should work! If you don’t like brandy, or don’t want to buy a bottle, skip it—all the other components will be lending plenty of flavor to every sip.

The Top 10 Most Valuable Beer Brand In 2022

Here are the 10 most valuable beer brands in the world for 2022:

Corona ($7.0 billion)
Heineken ($6.9 billion)
Budweiser ($5.6 billion)
Bud Light ($4.5 billion
Modelo ($3.9 billion)
Snow ($3.6 billion)
Kirin ($3.2 billion)
Miller Lite ($2.9 billion)
Coors Light ($2.9 billion)
Asahi ($2.5 billion)

It’s been a strong year for beer, and there’s more good news to come for craft brewers, with the sector projected to grow 8% between now and 2030. Corona was ranked as the number one most valuable beer brand in the world in 2022. The report notes that the brand took a hit in value during the coronavirus pandemic, attributing some of its problems due to reported correlations consumers were making between the brand’s name and the virus.

Heineken is an extremely close second on the list, with brand value attributed to its sustainability commitments. The brewer also launched Heineken Silver, positioned as a premium, extra refreshing beer. The market has recovered immensely due to the opening of taprooms and the ease of production. This revival has led to significant changes in the market trends.

My Favourite Bars In Cochin

Couchyn at The Grand is a restaurant on Grand Hotel, MG Road Ernakulam in Kochi. It is a preferred destination for several old timers in the city as it is attached to one of the oldest & famous family restaurants in Cochin. A perfect place for wining and dining, drop into enjoy your favorite beverages, cocktails & mocktails. Recommended food pairings are their Trivandrum style chicken, fish fingers, tandoori chicken and French fries.

Blue Rock Resto Bar at Olive Downtown – very cool and awesome location at Kadavanthara. They mix fine dining dishes with fast food and snacks. They have happy hours and offers as well. A tad more expensive than Couchyn. Best pro is that you can get burgers & pizza from the hotel’s cafe downstairs to pair with your beer while you sit in the bar. Recommended is the crispy fried prawns, pork chops & their pizzas.

The Ava Lounge & Bar is hotel Raddison Blu’s bar which is on the 6th floor. Comfy chairs and Couches, thoughtful and polite staff, variety of beer, wine and liquor with a great ambience & service. Decent prices for 5 star hotel however you must go during their happy hours from 11am-4pm. Afghani chicken, tempura prawns and French fries are the only food I have tried from there and I highly recommend them. It tends to get crowded during the evenings and on weekends.

Five Facts About Cognac

1. Cognac is the Champagne of brandy

Cognac is a type of brandy, or distilled wine, made in a delineated region of about 200,000 acres surrounding the town of Cognac, on France’s western coast. All Cognac is brandy, but not all brandy is Cognac. Like how all rhombuses are squares, but not all squares are rhombuses. Or how all grilled cheeses are sandwiches, but not all sandwiches are grilled cheeses. We can keep going but we’ll stop because you probably got it the first time. 

2. There are six distinct Cognac-making regions

Within this “delimited area,” as it’s called by French Cognac authorities, are six zones of production defined by their terroir. From highest-quality (chalky, limestone-rich soil that retains the most moisture and reflects the most sunlight to the grapes) to lowest (soil that is mostly clay or sand), they are: Grande Champagne, Petit Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois, and Bois Ordinaires. Virtually all Cognacs are blended from several eaux-de-vie (distilled spirits of varying ages) from these six regions for the most well-rounded flavor.

3. There are some really strict laws about Cognac

Here are a few: Cognac must be made from one or a combination of just three types of grapes (Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, and Colombard). It must be aged for at least two years. It must be double-distilled in copper pot stills of a particular shape and configuration (Chartenais, after the French district where the process originated). Its grapes must be harvested only in October, and it must be distilled only from November 1st to March 31st. And distillers have to sing La Marseillaise at no louder than a whisper to each individual barrel three times a day (okay we made that up but seriously it would be believable considering everything else).

4. That whole “VS” and “VSOP” thing is actually pretty simple

There are three main classifications for Cognac: VS, or Very Special, has been aged at least two years (Cognacs marked with three stars are also VS); VSOP, or Very Superior Old Pale, has been aged at least four years; XO, or Extra Old, has been aged at least six years (though as of next April, Cognac will need 10 years of aging to qualify as XO).

5. People used to drink Cognac from those big honking glasses to keep it warm

Back when smallpox was a daily topic of conversation at ye olde tavern, The Queen’s No-Central-Heating, it was just cold all the time. Those big bulb glasses are designed to channel heat from the necessarily meaty grip of your hands to the drink, which is best enjoyed at about 70 degrees.

Corona Extra – A Beer For A Hot & Humid Day

As  beer lover who wants to try as many beer brands as I possibly can before the end of my life, living in India is tough as what we get is kinda limited when you compare it with European countries, the UK, the US or Canada. Sometimes we get a few brands and that excites us and after a few months or years suddenly the bars you go to or the liquour & beer stores you go to no longer have them in stock and it seems to have vanished (like Miller, Tuborg & Carlsberg and a few others). Here’s hoping that this one, which I was finally able to get after a long, long while is gonna be available a lot more in my area and that’s Corona.

Corona is a brand of beer produced by Mexican brewery CervecerĂ­a Modelo and owned by Belgian company AB InBev. It is the top-selling brand of imported beer in the United States and is very popular here in some parts of India. It is often served with a wedge of lime or lemon in the neck of the bottle to add tartness and flavor. The recipe for the mash bill includes corn as well as the barley  malt and hops  traditionally used used for making beer. The brand’s most popular variation is Corona Extra, a pale lager. It is one of the top-selling beers worldwide, and Corona Extra has been the top-selling imported drink in the U.S. since 1998.

I cannot tell you how excited and how much I was looking forward to getting to taste one I was two Sundays ago. Having heard that it is available in one of bars that I like going to, I eagerly waited to go and enjoy 1. It really is awesome tasting and will go down well, especially on a hot day. Now that we are in March and it’s only gonna get more hotter and humid, I see the sale of this particular brand go up in Kerala. As long as they can keep this brand available for us, I see good success for Corona Extra. I give this beer a 9 outta 10!

Drinking A Couple Beers After 6 Months & Long Overdue Haircut

Finally, after such a long time I was finally out and about. Post May and the second lockout which lasted for almost a month I haven’t been out for anything other than getting vaccines done in August. Then I had my hospitalization in October and then have only been out for hospital visits and doctor’s appointments. Today was the day that changed. What I needed most was two things and for the first I booked it via a phone call in the morning. A couple of days ago I had also called my cousin Sujith to see if he was game to meet up for a few beers and we arranged to do it today.

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I was long, long overdue for a haircut. Even though I am balding very badly on the top, my hair does grow at the sides and back. My last haircut was…..steady yourselves folks……back in late April or early May! My hair was so long at the back that it was almost shoulder length. It was very difficult to dry my hair after a shower. Also it started getting in the way at times and it was curling at the ends and when I shave it would get in the way. I should have cut my hair back in August or September but then yeah, I wasn’t going out anywhere.

So I had booked my appointment for a haircut at a nice saloon which I have been going since the last 2-3 years. Expensive but it is very nice and comfortable and you don’t have to sweat while waiting for your barber to be free. Besides, I only have to do this once every 4 months or so, therefore a little pampering is ok in my book. I shaved and showered and then got dressed and got into an Uber by 12:40 pm and reached there by 12:55pm. I waited for all of 5 minutes before I was seated and then got my long locks chopped off. Man, it feels good!

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While I was still getting my hair cut, Sujith reached the saloon and waited on one of the seats. Once my haircut was done, I paid and united with my cousin – we hadn’t met since July of 2020. Damn, that is such a long, long time. We walked over to Couchyn, my favourite bar which I hadn’t visited since February 2020, got a table and then checked the menu. Prices are so high these days but yeah once in a while it’s ok to enjoy yourselves. We ordered two Hoegaardens which was delicious and then two Coronos, which I had never had before. We munched on a bunch of French fries – which are way better than any fries from McDonalds, Taco Bell, Burger King, Chicking or KFC. Seriously!

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Ofcourse we chatted up a storm. We talked about what he was doing and his personal life, what I have been doing at work and my lack of a personal life. We talked about the usual stuff – Star Trek shows, Marvel movies & tv shows, other new tv series, girls & women, etc. After that we ordered one more Hoegaarden each and ended up the afternoon with two scoops of ice cream each. He had vanilla and I had chocolate. Everything was great tasting and I really have missed beer. It has been 6 months since I had had a meal out of the home and since months since I had any beer. How I have missed you, beer!

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Then I booked my Uber to come back home and we parted at the entrance. He walked to the Metro nearby and went home. I got into my Uber and had a nice chat with the driver who was also very kind. I came home and watched tv for a bit and took a nap before waking up for coffee.

Cocoatini Cocktail : A Superb Cocktail For Valentine’s Day Dinner

Create the perfect drink for your Valentine’s Day evening can create the right atmosphere for an unforgettable evening and setup your Valentine’s Day dinner …… and after. Easy to mix up, the most romantic cocktails tend to have favorite aphrodisiacs like strawberries or raspberries and other love-inducing fruits, occasionally with a bit of chocolate.

Some of the recipes are ideal before or during the meal, while others offer delicious dessert options. Doing a quick search I found a delicious looking & sounding cocktail that is sure to be a big hit.

Ingredients

  • Hy-Vee chocolate syrup
  • 1 ½ oz. Godiva chocolate liqueur
  • 1 ½ oz. Kahlua
  • 1 ½ oz. Baileys Irish cream
  • 2 oz. brewed espresso
  • 2 oz. Hy-Vee half-and-half

Directions

Garnish a 12-oz. martini glass with chocolate syrup. Combine chocolate liqueur, Kahlua, Irish cream, espresso, half-and-half, and 1/4 cup crushed ice in a cocktail shaker. Cover and shake well. Strain into prepared glass. If desired, garnish with fresh raspberries.

Missing The Nectar Of The Gods

It has been a little over 5 months now since I have had any alcohol and it has been over 6 months since I have had any beer. I had stopped going out for a while and hence when my last supply of beer was over, I moved to rum which I had. Then in September I stopped drinking all alcohol since I went on a diet and then 5 weeks later I had the medical issue and since then I haven’t had anything at all.

Now I feel like drinking a beer and have been missing it for a while now but I haven’t been out too much. Hence I haven’t gone to buy any beer. I have wanted to but in October – no way was I gonna buy anything to drink other than juice. You know keeping it all healthy like with fruits and fruit juice. It was only by December that I started craving some alcohol and beer in particular but I still hesitated to get any. I was planning to go the week after the 25th to perhaps go and buy some but then I did hurt my knee and because of the swelling and the pain, I was sure I wouldn’t be able to get into a car.

Now that it is gone, I am thinking of getting some beer again. Realizing how long it has been since I had some is staggering to think off. I am not a daily drinker at all but I do like my weekly 2 beers along with some good food and relax on a Saturday night. I miss that a lot. I hope to go and buy some in a few day.