The Harder They Fall

Edward McClelland notes the decline of Anheuser-Busch.

But Budweiser's position as America's beer -- the alcoholic version of McDonald's, Disney World and Wal-Mart -- has made it difficult to reach the modern drunk. Traditional-beer sales have been stagnant since the 1990s. The baby boomers graduated from their prime drinking years, and new local beers arose to replace the hometown lagers Bud had helped pour down the drain. In 1980, America had eight craft breweries. A quarter-century later, there are over 1,300.

George Will praises beer in general.

It is closer to the truth to say: No beer, no civilization.

As an aside, the largest American-owned brewery is now Samuel Adams.