Budweiser May Seem Watery, But It Tests At Full Strength, Lab Says
Update at 7:35 p.m. ET: Beer Is At Full Strength, Tests Say
Samples of Budweiser and other Anheuser-Busch InBev beers were found to be in line with their advertised alcohol content, according to lab tests conducted at NPR's request. We've rewritten portions of this post to reflect that new information.
Anheuser-Busch is accused of misleading beer drinkers about the alcohol content of Budweiser and other products, in a series of class-action lawsuits filed in federal court.
"We're alleging that Anheuser-Busch systematically waters down its products," says Josh Boxer, lead attorney for the plaintiffs.
The brewer says the case has no merit.
Like many mainstream U.S. beers, Budweiser has long been accused of tasting watery and low-powered in comparison with strong and flavorful American craft and European traditional brews. But the lawsuit's main contention is not that a crime against taste has been committed.
The plaintiffs allege intentional "mislabeling" of at least 10 beers' alcohol content, after the brewer added water to boost the amount of beer produced from raw materials. They are seeking compensation for consumers.
"How would you feel if you paid premium prices for premium gas and were told that in fact, they were giving you the low-grade gas?" Boxer asks.
The lawsuit doesn't cite independent tests of the beers in question. Boxer says his information comes from former Anheuser-Busch employees.
Peter Kraemer, Anheuser-Busch InBev's vice president of brewing and supply, calls the claims "completely false," in an email to Bloomberg News. "Our beers are in full compliance with all alcohol labeling laws," Kraemer says.
Tests conducted on Budweiser, Bud Light Lime, and Michelob Ultra this week by San Diego's White Labs found that "the alcohol percentages inside the cans were the same as what was stated on the can," says analytical laboratory specialist Kara Taylor.
"Some of them were spot-on. Others deviated, plus or minus, within a hundredth of a percentage" — well within federal limits, she says.