Beer drama

No joke: Class action lawsuit charges Bud Light is watered down, but tests say it's . . . real

It's no secret that Bud Light — the preferred beverage of white bros and teenagers teaching themselves to like beer — tastes like a watered-down version of the real thing, but a class action lawsuit claims that Anheuser-Busch InBev has literally been adding extra water to its products for financial gain.

"Our information comes from former employees at Anheuser-Busch, who have informed us that as a matter of corporate practice, all of their products mentioned (in the lawsuit) are watered down," lead lawyer Josh Boxer tells the Associated Press. "It's a simple cost-saving measure, and it's very significant."

Loyal customer Nina Giampaoli has been buying a sixer of Budweiser "every week for the past four years," and she feels "cheated."

Budweiser, Bud Ice, Bud Light Platinum, Bud Light Lime, Michelob, Michelob Ultra, King Cobra, Natural Ice, Busch Ice and Hurricane High Gravity Lager are allegedly among the weakened products. The suit alleges that beer drinkers across the country feel cheated by the diminished return on investment and are requesting recompense to the tune of $5 million per lawsuit.

Loyal customer Nina Giampaoli of Sonoma County, Ca., has been buying a sixer of Budweiser "every week for the past four years," and she feels "cheated" by the dishonesty and the lower alcohol content, according to court papers.

So do brothers Thomas and Gerald Greenberg of Ambler, Pa., who bring home "six cases of the affected Anheuser-Busch products a month" between the two of them — with the intention of getting drunk, no doubt.

"Our beers are in full compliance with all alcohol labeling laws," counters Pete Kraemer, AB InBev's vice president of brewing and supply. "We proudly adhere to the highest standards in brewing our beers, which have made them the best-selling in the U.S. and the world."

NPR — yes, NPR is digging into the Bud Light case — had Budweiser beers tested in a lab and the results showed that the beers' alcohol content is labeled accurately, contrary to the lawsuit's charges.

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two years in the making

Woodlands favorites fire up a fresh new restaurant in River Oaks

Courtesy of Fielding's

Fielding's River Oaks will open on Sunday, December 8.

One of The Woodlands’ most successful hospitality groups will soon make its inner loop debut. Fielding’s River Oaks will open this Sunday, December 8.

Located on the first floor of the Novel River Oaks luxury apartment development, Fielding’s River Oaks builds on the success of Fielding’s Culinary Group’s two popular restaurants — Fielding’s Local Kitchen & Bar and Fielding’s Wood Grill. CEO Cary Attar and executive chef Edel Goncalves will lead the new establishment.

The approximately 6,000-square-foot restaurant will seat about 200 people, divided between a dedicated bar/lounge area, a spacious dining room, and a private dining room. Two patios, including one with cabanas, will add more seats at some point after the opening. As shown in the photos above, the restaurant has been decorated for the holiday season with wreaths, poinsettias, and garlands.

Initially, the restaurant will only open for dinner with a social hour from 3-6 pm daily. Lunch will follow a week after opening on Tuesday, December 17. In January, Fielding’s will add brunch and a daily continental-style breakfast built around coffee and grab-and-go pastries such as croissants that will be made in-house.

At dinner, Goncalves will put his French training to create an eclectic, globally-inspired menu that utilizes the restaurant’s wood-fired grill and oven as well as an extensive program of breads and pastries that are baked in-house. Meals at Fielding’s will begin with bites such as yellowtail crudo, a wagyu sando, or foie gras with curry apple butter. Starters include karaage-style fried quail with Thai peanut sauce, a potato pancake with smoked salmon tartare, risotto with clams, fried okra, and French onion soup.

For entrées, diners have options such as pizzas, pastas — including radiatori with beef cheek bourguignon; spaghetti with cheese, lemon zest, and caviar; and bucatini with piri piri shrimp — or seafood entrees that include salmon, branzino, and cod. Meat lovers will find an Iberico pork chop, dry-aged duck, and steaks from Texas-based 44 Farms such as a filet or dry-aged New York strip.

Lunch will feature many of the options from the dinner menu along with an expanded selection of salads and sandwiches. They include a smash burger, shrimp banh mi, croque monsieur, and crispy chicken sandwich.

Beverage options start with a 1,400-bottle wine inventory, many of which are displayed in temperature-controlled cases at the restaurant’s entrance. As at Fielding’s Local, the restaurant will use a lower markup to entice oenophiles to discover new favorites. Similarly, the cocktail program uses quality spirits paired with freshly squeezed juices. Non-alcoholic cocktails will also be available.

“Fielding’s River Oaks is a concept nearly two years in the making,” Attar said in a statement. “We’re excited for lunch, social hour and dinner service to begin in December, and we’re confident it will add a distinctive layer of upscale offerings to the Houston restaurant scene, just in time for the holiday season.”

Courtesy of Fielding's

Fielding's River Oaks will open on Sunday, December 8.

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