UPDATE: CUB has cleared up the confusion regarding changes to VB – click here for more information
Victoria Bitter has revealed its intention to change the iconic beer … and fans are freaking out.
The mysterious announcement was made via a short film on the Victoria Bitter Facebook page. The company has yet to specific what it’s changing, although the bottle in the video says “Victoria Better” instead of “Victoria Bitter”.
The brand’s Marketing Director, Chris Maxwell, said: “We haven’t changed the beer for a number of years, and for good reason. We’re very conscious of the public outcry when we last tweaked Victoria Bitter, and we’ve spent a significant amount of time testing our latest update internally and with some of our loyal drinkers.
“We know that change is never easy, but we’re confident that we’ve got this right and that the change we’re making to Victoria Bitter is for the better.”
In 2012, Victoria Bitter announced it was bringing back the “full flavour, full strength beer at 4.9%” after a backlash over CUB reducing the alcohol content of the beer to 4.6%.
A VB spokesman said at the time: “We have had an absolutely phenomenal response so far on Twitter, Facebook … our phones have been ringing off the hook.”
Sales went into a decline when the recipe changed, so the company decided to boost the ABV again.
Among the comments on VB’s Facebook page today:
“I’m as nervous as a goose in a doona factory on this one boys and girls.”
“I’m more scared than Clive Palmer’s belt buckle …”
“Leave it alone don’t change it . I’ve been drinking it for 45 yrs. It’s the best beer around.”
“Only thing that needs to change is the price the rest of it is perfect.”
VB took out two trophies at the 2019 Australian Drinks Awards for Fan Favourite Classic Beer and Most Distinctive Classic Beer.
As one survey respondent succinctly summed it up: “VB is a down-to-earth legend.”
It also recently released a touching Father’s Day video that won accolades.
