Newcastle posted a photo across its social media accounts on Monday mocking Budweiser’s new “Bowtie” can. The photo is part of a series called #NoBollocks, mostly geared to tear down traditional big beer marketing.
Introducing the new, #Newcastle bow-tie can. It’s our regular can with the sides pushed in. Innovation! #NoBollocks
The image drew thousands of Facebook likes and hundreds of Twitter retweets and favorites. Not to mention, it sat atop Reddit’s Beer board for an extended period of time.
For the most part, it was a direct hit though one fan took issue on Facebook:
Is that to hide that fact Newcastle is not using Toasted barley to get its golden or deep brown color, however in this case, Newcastle is colored artificially with caramel color?
This caramel coloring is manufactured by heating ammonia and sulfites under high pressure, which creating carcinogenic compounds. If beer companies were required by law to list the ingredients, Newcastle would likely have to have a cancer warning label under California law because it is a carcinogen proven to cause liver tumors, lung tumors, and thyroid tumors in rats and mice.
To which Newcastle responded:
Hey Justin, Thanks for your comments. We have shared your concern with our brewers. We will explore the situation as well as potential alternatives for this ingredient. In the meantime, rest assured that our caramel coloring is well below the California legal standards, which are the toughest in the country. Newcastle is committed to brewing the finest brown ale in the world. Thanks again for sharing your concerns.
You never know what you might run into on social media.
Here we go again with can envy. Boys, it’s about what’s inside that counts. Brown beer made the same way soda pop is made is not really beer. Keep the can wars and leave me real beer, like Bud.
Beer should be simple. Bud is simple, Newcastle is kind of tricky with it’s chemistry coloring, right? Newcastle is run by Heiny which is brewed “over there”, not here in the USA.
If they’re “committed to brewing the finest brown ale in the world” – they’ve got a long road ahead of them!.
The new Bud cans are cute!
I would rather have beer that tastes good made in America than faux colored beer from the UK
Anyone that likes Bud should stop suggesting that they drink beer and admit that they drink toilet water. Superior beer is based on quality craftsmanship not origin. Keep up the good work New Castle, thanks for producing quality beer!
Bud is moose urine. Craftsmanship of beers like Newcastle, Guinness, and so many local brewers forever buries Bud to history as a stupid frat boys drink.
Bud is made with genetically engineered organisms which are in the grains that they brew. GMOs are scary, not enough is known about these organisms. German brewers have banned GMOs from all their beers. I’ve drank both Bud and Newcastle most of my life, but no more.