uh, oh.....

[shawn2]

A while ago we mentioned how Coke CCE was now distributing Ale-8. Well we got a new shipment today and I noticed right off the bat that the bottles, while the same were now painted glass instead of the usual Ale-8 plastic label. Then I noticed something else-- On the side it now says"Bottled under the authority of: Ale-8-One of America, Inc., Winchester, Kentucky 40391 by a member of the CCE Bottling Group, Atlanta, GA." Is this a bad omen? Or what?

[RunWithDaLilGuy]

jesus christ.

[Tim Kelly]

What, pray tell, is Ale-8? Is it like 7-Up?

[fusion]

As long as the CCE plant is keeping the same quality standards that Ale-8-1 did, that isn't a bad omen.

Now, if the bottles change to "A product of the Coca-Cola Company" and the UPC code changes to 49000 XXXXX, that would be something to be worried about.

Coke bought out another regional ale, Northern Neck. They also got Carver's in that deal.

Northern Neck Ginger Ale

[sodasommelier]

Well, there goes Carver's...

Tim, Ale-8-1 is kind of like a super mild ginger ale with lots of caffeine. It's pretty good stuff...

[Shatter]

As long as the CCE plant is keeping the same quality standards that Ale-8-1 did, that isn't a bad omen.

Coke? Keeping quality standards? Aren't these the same guys that are going to put Mad River into plastic? And how much do you want to bet that they'll also go with HFCS instead of sugar at the same time? I don't think that Ale-8-1's quality will slip immediately, Coke's favorite thing to do to brands it gobbles up is to mismanage it for a few years, start doing little things here and there to save money (like plastic bottles and HFCS), and eventually kill the brand from neglect after everything that made the drink a classic has been stripped away. I'd truly like to think that everything will be alright, but i'm too much of a pessimist to believe that Coke will do anything but tank Ale-8-1.

[RunWithDaLilGuy]

i saw ale 8-1 in 20oz plastic way before coke bought em out.

[Tim Kelly]

Originally posted by sodasommelier:
Well, there goes Carver's...

Tim, Ale-8-1 is kind of like a super mild ginger ale with lots of caffeine. It's pretty good stuff...

My daughter would love that! Of course, she'd never sleep again...
I read through the Ale-8-1 website yesterday, but I don't remember: Are they going to make it available in NY?

[Tim Kelly]

Originally posted by Shatter:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr /> As long as the CCE plant is keeping the same quality standards that Ale-8-1 did, that isn't a bad omen.

Coke? Keeping quality standards? Aren't these the same guys that are going to put Mad River into plastic?</font>[/QUOTE]I think I mentioned this on the "Save Surge" message board, but when I went to CT for a huge plastic Surge container, I bought two different flavors of Mad River and thought they were really good. I'd definitely buy them again if they show up in NY (and yes, they were in glass bottles!). [img]smile.gif[/img]

[fusion]

I would tend to think that the decision to switch MR from glass to plastic was Coke's deal, not CCE's. I do wonder if the will go with HFCS, like you said. I haven't seen the new plastic, so I'm not sure. I do know they are bringing the MR Lemonade back.

Since CCE isn't doing 100% of ale-8-1, I don't see how they could destroy the brand. I thought just one division of the company was distributing it at this time.