E-Malt.com News article: USA, CA & TX: Kräftig beer expands sales to Southern Texas

The William K Busch Brewing Co., based in Brentwood, Los Angeles, said sales of its Kräftig lager and Kräftig light beer begin this week in Southern Texas. Before this expansion, the beer was only sold in Missouri and Illinois, STLtoday.com reported on May 12.

The brewer was founded in 2011 by Billy Busch, a descendant of Anheuser-Busch. Billy Busch, William K Busch Brewing's president and CEO, never worked at A-B, but says he developed Kräftig to create a second chapter in the family's brewing history following the 2008 sale of St. Louis-based A-B to InBev.

Busch doesn't consider Kräftig craft beer, but instead said he considers its competition mainstream beers, such as Budweiser and Miller Lite. Kräftig, the German word for strength, is brewed in accordance with Germany's beer purity law, Reinheitsgebot, which limits ingredients to water, barley yeast and hops.

“Expanding to Texas, the country's second largest state for beer consumption behind California, has the potential to grow William K Busch Brewing Co.'s production five times its current size. In 2014, the brewer produced 10,500 barrels, a 14 percent increase over 2013, and it's on track to produce 13,000 barrels this year,” said Busch.

Kräftig doesn't have its own brewery and is currently produced at the City Brewing Co. in La Crosse, Wis. William K Busch Brewing leases space at the Wisconsin brewery and its brewing is overseen by brewmaster.

“William K Busch Brewing Co. is looking for space in the St. Louis, Missouri, region to one day build its own brewery, but plans to continue brewing in Wisconsin for now,” said Busch.

"The great thing about Texas is the opportunity to get us to the next level and help us build a brewery," said Busch. "It's moving us into that direction of being a national brand someday."


13 May, 2015