Inside Anheuser-Busch’s "Microbrewing" Skunkworks

Like any good parable, the "David and Goliath" self-mythology of the American craft brewing industry in the '80s and '90s was illuminating, compelling — and maybe a bit reductive, too. In Episodes 33 and 34, we examined this us-versus-them dynamic from the perspective of one of the “thems,” Keith Villa, who created the Blue Moon Brewing Company from within the Coors colossus in 1995. Today, we’re coming at it once again through the eyes of New Realm Brewing Co. cofounder and brewmaster Mitch Steele, who did a substantial stretch, semi-concurrent to Villa’s at Coors, at Big Beer’s biggest and baddest "Goliath" of all: Missouri’s pre-InBev Anheuser-Busch. After starting his career in a California brewpub, Mitch eventually wound up in St. Louis towards the end of the 20th century on a skunkworks-style R&D team tasked with brewing up answers to those pesky “microbrews” that would somehow satisfy distributors in the mighty red network, the American drinking public, and August Busch the Third himself — no mean feat. Would creative extensions on the premium Michelob line do the trick? What about a new brand named for A-B’s hop farm in northern Idaho? You’ll have to listen on to find out. Don't forget to like, review, and subscribe!

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