“Big Beer, Big Data, and the Big Implications of AB InBev’s RateBeer Acquisition” by, Cat Wolinski
“AB InBev now has location data of beer users, and can target specific beer types in those geolocations,” Stroud says. “This could directly impact sales.”
Is an imperial stout with vanilla and coconut ranking high in Napa but not in San Diego? “They can take other beers out of areas with lesser rating[s],” Stroud says.
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Back to that vanilla coconut stout: Are Napa reviewers responding better to vanilla extract or vanilla beans? Vanilla from Indonesia, or Madagascar?
As a supporter of independent craft breweries, AB InBev having access to this much data obviously isn’t ideal. That said, it’s really quite fascinating to me and kind of neat that they have the power of data on their side to allow them to tweak recipes and styles in the smallest ways to cater to beer drinkers in specific markets in order to maximize sales and turnover of their faux-craft beer.