America’s Top 10 Favorite Beers

According to the recently released 2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend Rankings, there is a new batch of brews with stronger brand equity, customer connections and buzz.

24/7 Wall St. examined the report, identifying the 10 beers with the strongest brands.

We included dollar sales, change in dollar sales from one year ago and case sales. We also included the average price per case over the latest 52-week period in the United

States provided by SymphonyIRI Group, a Chicago-based market research firm. The group looked at sales at supermarkets, drugstores, gas/convenience stores and mass market retailers, but excluding Walmart, club stores and liquor stores.

The beer brands with the greatest strength are largely more expensive brews. Nine of the 10 are among the most expensive beers out of the country’s 20 best-selling beers. American consumers also are spending more on these beers. Dollar sales of every beer on the list has increased from one year prior.

The beers with the most powerful brands are just as varied as beer drinkers’ tastes. They differ greatly in style and originate from five different countries. They also have a range of founding dates, extending from 1759 to 1995. This illustrates that an established brand does not necessarily mean a strong brand.

#10: Corona Extra

 

• Dollar sales: $995,750,100


• Change in dollar sales from a year ago: +8.81%


• Case sales: 33,653,220


• Avg. price per case: $29.59

Corona has been Mexico’s best-selling beer since 1935. It was not until 1979 that the beer was imported to the U.S. Corona sells for a higher average price per case than many domestic beers, at $29.59, yet it is still very popular among American consumers. In the 52 weeks ended April 15, 2012, Corona Extra was among the best-selling beers by quantity, and it ranked even higher for dollar sales. According to Grupo Modelo, Corona is “undoubtedly” the best-selling Mexican beer in the world.Via: investorplace.com

#9: HeinekenDollar sales: $592,768,800

• Change in dollar sales from a year ago: +4.86%


• Case sales: 19,681,860


• Avg. price per case: $30.12

Heineken has been brewed in Amsterdam since 1873. It was introduced in the United States in 1933, after Prohibition was lifted. Today, the beer is one of the country’s most popular, and its brand is one of the strongest. Heineken is one of the more expensive brands in the U.S., selling for an average of more than $30 per case. This price has helped the company make almost $600 million in the 52 weeks ending April 15. Via: investorplace.com

#8: Beck’s

 

• Dollar sales: $73,672,420


• Change in dollar sales from a year ago: +2.67%


• Case sales: 2,656,154


• Avg. price per case: $27.74

Beck’s sales are significantly lower than fellow European brew Heineken’s. Beck’s dollar sales were about one-eighth that of Heineken in the 52 weeks ending April 15. Its case sales were slightly more than one-eighth the number of cases Heineken sold over that same period. Despite these relatively low sales, the Beck’s brand is stronger than Heineken’s in the eyes of Americans. Via: investorplace.com

#7: Modelo Especial

 

• Dollar sales: $355,914,800


• Change in dollar sales from a year ago: +22.63%


• Case sales: 13,948,820


• Avg. price per case: $25.52

Modelo Especial was not available in the U.S. until 1990, more than 20 years after the introduction of fellow Mexican beer Corona. No doubt, Corona Extra’s sales of $1 billion in the 52 weeks ending April 15 are much higher than Modelo Especial’s $356 million, but Modelo is quickly growing in popularity. Already it has a stronger brand, and compared to one year ago, sales have increased more than 22% — among the largest increases for any brand.Via: investorplace.com

#6: Samuel Adams Lager

 

• Dollar sales: $240,251,900


• Change in dollar sales from a year ago: +6.02%


• Case sales: 7,710,278


• Avg. price per case: $31.16

Boston Beer Company (NYSE:SAM), the maker of Samuel Adams, is tied with Yuengling as the largest American-owned brewer, ranked by barrels shipped in 2011. The company is considered an American craft brewer — defined as relatively small, independent and traditional — by the Brewers Association. Samuel Adams Lager is fairly expensive, with an average price tag of more than $31 per case. Compared to other popular beers, Samuel Adams ranks significantly higher in dollar sales compared to case sales. Via: investorplace.com

#5: Guinness Stout

 

• Dollar sales: $93,183,030


• Change in dollar sales from a year ago: +16.46%


• Case sales: 2,617,600


• Avg. price per case: $35.60

Guinness, which started in 1759 in Dublin, is the oldest brewer on this list. Yet it is still gaining popularity in the U.S. Over the past year, the beer’s maker, Diageo (NYSE:DEO), sold 2.6 million cases of Guinness Stout in the country, an increase of more than 16% from the year prior. The beer is also the most expensive among popular brands, costing an average $35.60 per case. Via: investorplace.com

#4: Newcastle Brown Ale

 

• Dollar sales: $84,891,020


• Change in dollar sales from a year ago: +6.48%


• Case sales: 2,673,008


• Avg. price per case: $31.76

Newcastle Brown Ale, which is brewed by Heineken, has rather low sales in the U.S. compared to other popular brands. Yet, it is experiencing significant growth. Newcastle sold 2.67 million cases in the U.S. in the 52 weeks ended April 15, an increase of approximately 7% from the year before. Newcastle is also one of the most expensive popular beer brands, costing an average of $31.76 per case.Via: investorplace.com

#3: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

 

• Dollar sales: $146,656,300


• Change in dollar sales from a year ago: +15.71%


• Case sales: 4,513,378


• Avg. price per case: $32.36

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., based in California, has only been around since 1979. The company’s most popular beer — Sierra Nevada Pale Ale — already has among the strongest brands in the U.S. Dollar sales for the beer increased nearly 16% in the 52 weeks ended April 15, compared to the year before. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is also the second-most expensive brew among popular brands, costing $32.36 per case. Via: investorplace.com

#2: Blue Moon

• Dollar sales: $225,747,800


• Change in dollar sales from a year ago: +26.46%


• Case sales: 7,370,705


• Avg. price per case: $30.63

Launched in 1995, Blue Moon is the youngest brand on this list. Dollar sales of the beer, which is produced by MillerCoors, had the second-largest increase in the 52 weeks ended April 15, compared to the prior year, increasing by approximately 26.5%. Blue Moon is also one of the more expensive popular beers, with each case costing an average of $30.63.Via: investorplace.com

#1: Yuengling Traditional Lager

• Dollar sales: $206,266,200


• Change in dollar sales from a year ago: +36.55%


• Case sales: 9,465,673


• Avg. price per case: $21.79

Yuengling is America’s oldest brewing company in the U.S., having been founded in 1829. It also has the strongest brand. This brand’s strength appears to be helping sales immensely. Yuengling is tied with the Boston Beer Company for being the largest American-owned brewer by measure of barrels shipped in 2011. On top of this, the company is becoming even more popular still. For the 52 weeks that ended April 15, 2012, Yuengling had the largest increase in dollar sales in the U.S. from the year before, growing by more than 36%. Yuengling, however, is significantly less expensive than the other brands on this list.

Via: investorplace.com

America’s Top 10 Favorite Beers

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Top 10 Reasons The Moon Landings Could Be A Hoax

The results of recent surveys have shown that roughly 20% of Americans still believe, to this day, that the U.S. never really did make it to the moon. Conspiracy theorists even came up with the theory that the first ever moon landing was faked by the U.S. government as a way to claim victory in the space race against Russia. Of course they had to come up several reasons to support the claim and the following are just 10 of the many reasons why.

10. The Waving Flag

When the first moon landing was broadcasted on live television, it was obvious how the American flag seemed to be waving and fluttering as astronauts, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong, planted it. This wouldn’t have been such an issue except for the fact that there is no air in the moon’s atmosphere and therefore no wind whatsoever to cause such an effect on the flag.

9. Lack of Impact Crater

The next claim puts forth the notion that there should be a blast crater underneath the lunar module, as a way of its marking its landing, but there were clearly none; no crater was visible both on video footage and photographs of the landings. Even the fine lunar dust covering the moon’s surface didn’t seem to have been displaced.

8. Multiple Light Sources

The moon only has one strong light source and that happens to be the sun which is why it’s common sense that all shadows in videos or photographs of the moon landings should run parallel to each other. This wasn’t the case, however, and shadows appeared to be falling in different directions suggesting that there might have been multiple light sources – like that on a film set instead of the moon.

7. The Van Allen Radiation Belt

The Van Allen radiation belt surrounds the Earth and is held in practically the same place by the Earth’s magnetic field. It is said that astronauts have to pass through this belt to get to the moon. The catch here, however, is that the belt contains high levels of radiation which could have fried the astronauts, with their not-quite-so-advanced protective layers and coatings, as they made their way to the moon.

6. The Unexplained Object

As seen in the above photograph from the Apollo 12 mission, conspiracy theorists were quick to spot a mysterious object in the reflection of the astronaut’s helmet which bore a very similar resemblance to an overhead spotlight common in film studios. But given the poor quality of the photograph, it’s hard to say if the speculation stands to be true or otherwise.

5. Slow-Motion Walking and Hidden Cables 

Another claim that suggests the moon landings are nothing more than a hoax is that slow-motion walking due to the low-gravity conditions on the moon had been mimicked by the astronauts – if you happen to take footage of the moon landings and increase the speed by 2.5x, you’ll see that the astronauts appear to be moving at a speed just like on Earth. The impressive jump height, on the other hand, was attributed to hidden cables and wires.

4. Lack of Stars

This particular argument is pretty convincing since there is after all no clouds on the moon which means stars are extremely visible and much brighter on the moon than through the filter of the Earth’s atmosphere. In photographic and video evidence – even those that were of high quality – no stars could be spotted.

3. The “C” Rock

The photo of the “C” rock – a rock which appears to have the letter “C” engraved into it – is one of the more famous photos from the moon landings. Because the letter appears to be pretty much symmetrical, many conspiracy theorists believed that it could not have been a product of some natural occurrence and that the rock may very well be a prop with the letter “C” as a marker.

2. The Layered Cross-Hairs

There is nothing unusual about cross-hairs and them appearing in photos of the moon landings because the cameras used by the astronauts made use of these cross-hairs as a guide when it came to scaling and direction. What made it unusual was that in some photos, the cross-hairs appeared behind some of the objects in that scene which suggested that the photos had been edited or retouched after they were taken.

1. The Duplicate Backdrop 

The two photos on the top, even though taken miles apart, clearly have identical backdrops; as shown in the third photograph at the bottom. Hardcore conspiracy theorists believed that NASA may have simply made use of the same background even when filming different scenes of the moon landings.

Source: gizmocrazed.com

Top 10 Reasons The Moon Landings Could Be A Hoax

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Top 10 Futuristic Concept Hotels

Man has always been a natural innovator looking to the future to push boundaries and out-do their predecessors. These 10 futuristic concept hotels are no exception to that rule. Gathering inspiration from, one can only assume, science fiction novels and movies – will these hotels be the five stars of the future?

10. Hotel Full Moon and Hotel Crescent

These two hotels, designed to be counterpoints to one another, are planned to be constructed in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku. These hotels, while claimed to be inspired by the moon, look more like the Death Star from Star Wars than ultra-chic and modern hotels. These hotels are meant to sit in Full Moon Bay, will be joined by three tall residential buildings and a fourth, 43 floor office building.

9. The Poseidon Undersea Resort

Bruce Jones, a ground-breaking submarine designer for the rich and famous, has directed his skills toward the lucrative hotel industry on an island in Fiji. The design will be surrounded by 5,000 acres of lagoon and includes 550 square feet luxury underwater suites. Need more incentive? The resorts website states that, ‘the first 100 guest will have their names permanently inscribed on two monuments one on the island, and one on the floor of the lagoon.’

8. Waterworld

Designed around the Songjiang, China lagoon-like quarry the 400-bed resort and hotel is shaped within the lagoon’s natural elements, with distinctive subterranean public areas and guest rooms. Designed by the Atkin’s Architecture Group, the group and design won last year’s first prize award in an international design competition.

7. The Diamond Ring Hotel

Also known as the Voyager V1, there is very little known about this hotel other than it is a hotel of the future in the shape of a ferris wheel. Indications lead us to believe the hotel will be located in Abu Dhabi and is currently based on preliminary architectural renderings.

6. Hotel Pods

This concept hotel first imagined by Thomson Holidays in a report he released, “2024: A Holiday Odyssey.” The idea of these pod hotels is that they will be foldable pods built on stilts that offer all of the luxurious amenities of a traditional hotel. Most interestingly, guests could design their own rooms by projecting their favorite images on the walls. These pods could be transported to any location in the event of a tourism shift or terrorist attack.

5. Hydropolis

The Hydropolis Underwater Hotel and Resort, designed by Professor Roland Dieterle, is planned to be the world’s first underwater luxury resort. Located 66 ft underwater in the Persian Gulf, there are reported talks with the Disney Corporation to hold an underwater production of the Little Mermaid in the hotel’s lobby. Seems fitting, doesn’t it?

4. The Lunatic Hotel

This hotel is truly futuristic in that it is not projected to be completed until 2050. Steel and water will have to  be launched to the moon for this endeavor, but its designer, Hans-Jurgen Rombaut, claims that the existing minerals and ores on the moon can supply a majority of building materials. The most interesting feature? Guests will supposedly be able to experience low-gravity in specially designed towers.

3. The Apeiron Hotel

While still being designed, the Aperion Hotel would be the second self-awarded 7 star hotel in Dubai. With a jungle theme in the 350 luxury apartment suites, the futuristic hotel includes a private lagoon, beaches, restaurants, cinemas, shopping, an art gallery, spas, and conference facilities.

2. Aeroscraft

A flying hotel equal to two football fields in the air would be able to accommodate 250 passenders and would travel at a speed of 174 miles per hour. The airship would provide tourists with a host of amenities including a casino, restaurants, and staterooms. In short, this hotel would be similar to a cruise liner in the air.

1. The Inflatable Space Hotel

This space hotel has a much sooner expected completion date of 2015. The Commercial Space Station Skywalker is an inflatable hotel to be located – where else? – in space! This hotel comes fully equipped for other future technology like space yachts and moon cruisers, and not to mention an estimated $1 million a night price tag.

These concept hotels may be in design and even some prototypes, however, for now some of these science fiction beauties are likely to stay just that for a while longer, fiction.

Source: gizmocrazed.com

Top 10 Futuristic Concept Hotels

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