Beer Wars (2009)

A contemporary David and Goliath story that takes you inside the cutthroat world of the big business of American beer.

Director:

Anat Baron

Writer:

Anat Baron

Stars:

Norman Adami, Anat Baron, Roberta Baskin

Cast

Credited cast:
Norman Adami	...	Himself - CEO, Miller
Anat Baron	...	Herself
Roberta Baskin	...	Herself - Center for Public Integrity
Jeff Becker	...	Himself - President, Beer Institute
Simon Bergson	...	Himself - Founder, Manhattan Beer Distributors
John Boehner	...	Himself - House Majority Leader, 2006
John Bryant	...	Himself - Odell Brewing
Betty Buck	...	Herself - Buck Distributors
August Busch III	...	Himself - CEO, Anheuser-Busch, 1974-2002 (archive footage)
August Busch IV	...	Himself - CEO, Anheuser-Busch, 2006-2008
August Busch Jr.	...	Himself - CEO, Anheuser-Busch, 1946-1974 (archive footage)
Sam Calagione	...	Himself - Founder, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Peter A. DeFazio	...	Himself - Representative, Oregon
George Hacker	...	Himself - Center for Science in the Public Interest
Steve Hoch	...	Himself - The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

Storyline

A contemporary David and Goliath story that takes you inside the cutthroat world of the big business of American beer.

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Taglines:

Brewed in America.

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Genres:

Documentary

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 April 2009 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ducks In A Row Entertainment Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

Anat Baron: The big three beer companies- they've been selling sameness for years.

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Connections

Features On the Money (2005)

User Reviews

Damaged goods

As a homebrewer for 20+ years, and big movie fan, it's hard to express how excited I was for Beer Wars – and how immensely letdown I was. A bumbling bitter tragedy of execution.

There is such an exciting and amazing story left to be told about the burgeoning culture of craft beer, particularly on the US West Coast. What a missed opportunity – a complete "whiff" as far as I'm concerned.

She chose to create a self-focused resume (a Dog Fish love letter) with the journalistic integrity and perspective of a weasel – an East Coast weasel – an East Coast whiny Liberal weasel. It's hard to imagine someone doing less with such a bountiful wide-open subject. Not to put too fine a point on it, but I actually despise that woman for her disservice to the craft of beer making.

The irony is that every bumbling lunge at the beer industry big 3 is matched shot for shot with envy and jealousy by the groveling new players who want nothing less. The movie is not about beer: it's about the pangs of capitalism. The subject could just as easily have been "Shampoo Wars".

When talking about movies I loath the term "compelling" (which should wholly be reserved for pornos), but this movie is actually anti-compelling – a turn-off – a dud – damaged goods – return to seller. Like a pallet of skunked Sierra Nevada sitting out in the heat by an ignorant and incompetent store manager.

As a blogger pointed out elsewhere: "The one part of the movie that really shows Rhonda as a marketer and not a brewer or lover of beer was when she met with the venture capitalists to get financing. She showed up with a six-pack of Moonshot and gave her pitch based on the marketability of a caffeinated beer. She then leaves the meeting with ALL 6 BOTTLES IN THE SIX PACK! What real brewer and aficionado of beer would try to sell his product without having the potential investors actually taste the beer? This shows me she is all about marketing and does not have a passion for beer and brewing that real craft brewers like Sam have." -Mike Graham

Excellent point.