MOVIE MOJO: Small brewers battle ‘evil empire’ in ‘Beer Wars’ film

In “Beer Wars,” the new film by Anat Baron, the director is never able to persuade Anheuser-Busch heir August Busch IV to sit for an interview. But Baron does try talking to one of the famed Budweiser Clydesdales.

“Beer Wars” will premiere nationwide on Thursday, including in eight theaters around metro Atlanta, with an event Baron has dubbed “Beer Wars Live.” After the film is simulcast via satellite, there will be a live discussion moderated by economist-actor Ben Stein, featuring several brewery founders, including Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head, Rhonda Kallman of New Century and Greg Koch of Stone.

Though “Beer Wars” is Baron’s first documentary feature, she brings a unique perspective to the subject, with a background as both a beverage business executive and a Hollywood producer. And while “Beer Wars” might seem to be targeted at beer drinkers (something Baron is not), it’s ultimately a David and Goliath story about big beer companies vs. smaller beer companies and the current economic climate.

“This is a film about America today,” Baron said by telephone from her Los Angeles office. Here’s more of what she had to say:

Q: You don’t drink the stuff, so what the heck made you decide to make a film about beer?

A: I’m allergic to alcohol, which I guess makes me the least likely person to make this film, and probably the most impartial. I ran a company called Mike’s Hard Lemonade. I never tried the product, so I couldn’t tell you what it tasted like. But I certainly got my own taste of the beer industry, and after leaving the business, I just couldn’t forget about it.

Q: The title is rather provocative; is it also fairly descriptive of the film?

A: The title came to me first because when I was in the beer industry everybody referred to Anheuser-Busch as “the evil empire.” Also because there are battles that go on every single day in trying to get your beer to market, whether you’re a big player or a small player. And I think there’s a kind of war going on between big and small. It goes on with beer and goes on with other products.

Q: Everyone is looking at businesses of all kinds in light of the current economic situation. What are your thoughts on the beer business in that context?

A: Of course, the biggest surprise in 2008 was that Anheuser-Busch, the granddaddy of American beer, is now owned by InBev, a Belgian company. I actually changed the ending of the film to reflect that. Barack Obama keeps saying that the only way out of this [recession] is through entrepreneurship and innovation. What’s great about small craft breweries is that they’re very locally based and they employ local people. So the question is how can we help these guys grow? The other thing is that everybody is thinking twice about who they give their money to. Do I want to buy Blue Moon, which is actually made by Miller-Coors? Or do I want to buy the same style of beer from my local brewery? The choice comes down to a very personal decision you make every time you open your wallet.