Billy Busch, ‘Family Reins’ and Anheuser-Busch Legacy

Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen

Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project

Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2024/12/27

Billy Busch, founder of the Busch Family Brewing & Distilling Company, is an heir to the iconic Anheuser-Busch legacy, synonymous with American enterprise and the pursuit of the American dream. Raised on the family’s sprawling estate, Billy’s childhood was one of privilege and tradition, shaped by his father’s rigorous standards for leadership. A graduate of St. Louis University and a former professional polo player, Billy achieved the pinnacle of the sport by winning the U.S. Open Polo Championship. He starred alongside his wife, Christi, a film producer, on the MTV reality series The BuschFamily Brewed, offering a glimpse into their family life. Together, they reside on a 700-acre estate in St. Louis, Missouri, continuing the Busch family tradition of entrepreneurship, storytelling, and community legacy. Busch shares lessons learned from his family’s multi-generational business. He reflects on his great-grandfather Adolphus Busch, whose ambition, innovation, and quality focus revolutionized the brewing industry through pasteurization and the refrigerated railroad car, establishing Budweiser as The King of Beers. Billy also highlights his father’s expansion efforts and brilliant marketing with Busch Gardens. Now, he continues the family tradition with his brewery and distillery, emphasizing innovation and hospitality. An avid equestrian, Billy enjoys life on his 700-acre estate, blending hunting, farming, and family time. He is the author of Family Reins: The Extraordinary Rise and Epic Fall of an American Dynasty.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: Today, we’re here with Billy Busch, the founder of the Busch Family Brewing and Distilling Company and an heir to the iconic Anheuser-Busch legacy.

As a multi-generational family deeply involved in American entrepreneurship, enterprise, and business, what is the biggest family lesson about sustaining a legacy in American business?

Billy Busch: Oh, there are a few key takeaways. What I learned from my great-grandfather, Adolphus Busch, was his ambition to prove himself and create something great here in America. He immigrated from Germany to the United States in 1857 to build a better life and live the American dream.

Adolphus was the 21st of 22 children. His father was a successful businessman, but with such a large family, my great-grandfather knew little inheritance would be left. So, he decided to make his way. That’s why he immigrated to the United States, settling in St. Louis, Missouri, along the Mississippi River, where significant commerce and business activity existed. This choice made sense because he had grown up along the Rhine River in Germany and understood river-based trade and transportation.

When Adolphus arrived in St. Louis, he was optimistic and determined to succeed. He eventually met Lilly Anheuser, the daughter of Eberhard Anheuser, who owned the struggling Bavarian Brewery on the Mississippi River. Seeing potential in Adolphus, Eberhard offered him the opportunity to join the brewery and help turn it around. My great-grandfather accepted the challenge.

Adolphus Busch was an incredibly driven, gregarious, and innovative entrepreneur. He worked tirelessly to grow the business, and his marketing skills were unmatched. In 1876, he developed the recipe for Budweiser, which would become the brewery’s flagship product and earn the title The King of Beers.

His innovations largely drove Adolphus’s success. He was the first brewer in America to pasteurize beer, a breakthrough that extended the beer’s shelf life, allowing it to stay fresh for longer periods. This innovation enabled him to transport beer to far-off markets, something unheard of then.

But there’s more. Adolphus also recognized the importance of keeping beer cold to maintain its quality. He pioneered using the refrigerated railroad car, allowing him to transport beer over long distances while keeping it fresh.

Between pasteurization and refrigeration, my great-grandfather revolutionized the brewing industry. Before these innovations, breweries operated primarily on a local scale because transporting beer was difficult. Adolphus’s vision and ingenuity turned a small, struggling brewery into a national powerhouse. They helped establish Anheuser-Busch as an iconic American brand.

So the lesson I learned—well, I’ve learned two great lessons from him regarding innovation. If you’re going to start a business today, you have to be very innovative. You have to develop ideas that make you unique and carry you forward. It takes you from the norm and puts you in a position that helps your business grow. That’s what my great-grandfather was able to do.

Of course, he had a great product. Quality has always been so important, and that sense of quality has lasted through the generations. My father, who I watched grow the business, was the third generation and the fourth leader of Anheuser-Busch. He became the CEO and president of Anheuser-Busch in 1946 when his older brother passed away prematurely.

At that time, there was only one brewery in the United States, located in St. Louis, Missouri. My father built nine additional breweries across the country. He also established Busch Gardens theme parks around those breweries. That was a brilliant marketing strategy because families could visit the brewery, see the animals, and enjoy the experience. When their kids grew up and were old enough to drink, they remembered those great times at Busch Gardens and SeaWorld—back when we owned SeaWorld. Those experiences built a strong connection to the product and helped the brand grow.

It made Budweiser the household American beer. Quality, great marketing, and innovation were the key ingredients.

I also discuss this in my book Family Reins: The Extraordinary Rise and Epic Fall of an American Dynasty. My uncle, Adolphus Busch III—my dad’s brother—was a patriot and a patriarch. He led the brewery through World War II, during which time 90% of the marketing and advertising went to supporting America’s efforts in the war.

He even shut down all distribution on the West Coast to move munitions and military supplies more efficiently. His loyalty to the country was unmatched. In those campaigns, 90% of the marketing supported America, and only 10% promoted Anheuser-Busch and Budweiser.

But what happened? Lo and behold, it worked out beautifully. People began to associate Budweiser with America itself. It became America’s beer. That’s how Budweiser earned the title The King of Beers.

I learned so much from those stories. My father was focused on building the brewery during his era. From 1946 to 1975, he grew production from 3 million barrels to about 40 million.

It was all about Anheuser-Busch. It was about living and breathing the brand. My father even opened our family farm—where I grew up—to the public. People could come, drink a Budweiser, and enjoy themselves.

We lived it. Day in and day out, we lived in Anheuser-Busch. And that’s what it takes to build something great, like my family did.

And I’m proud it went for five generations when most companies only last three generations in a family.

Jacobsen: The big thing you mentioned at the start of the conversation was that there would be little inheritance in a family of over 20 kids. So, the foresight to go out and make your name or create your legacy becomes essential. Are you doing that with the distillery moving forward?

Busch: Yes. I grew up watching my father and seeing the principles he used to help grow the business. I learned a lot about the brewing industry. I was involved in the marketing side of the business, as well as the entertainment side. I grew up at Grant’s Farm, maintaining and keeping it beautiful for the public.

I also worked in the distribution side of the business, selling beer to retailers in Texas and Florida. Although I never worked directly at the brewery, brewing was in my blood. I have always loved the business and wanted to continue it.

I also wanted to continue the legacy of what my forefathers started. Of course, that legacy was Anheuser-Busch. Unfortunately, the company was sold in 2008 to a foreign company, InBev, and is no longer in family hands.

So, I wanted to keep that legacy alive. I started the Busch Family Brewing and Distilling Company, and now we’re making beer. We produce several different styles of beer and whiskeys. We sell it right here on our farm and invite people to visit. They can enjoy the beautiful property and the farm atmosphere, sample our beers, and eat great food.

It’s a place for families and people of all ages because we have animals there—similar to what you’d find at Busch Gardens—which reflects how I grew up. It’s just a natural extension of my family’s tradition, and it makes perfect sense for me to do this.

I truly enjoy it. I love the hospitality aspect of the brewing business, and I’m also deeply involved in the brewing and manufacturing processes, which I find incredibly rewarding. We’re also expanding our distribution locally here in the St. Louis area.

Jacobsen: Many businesspeople look for ways to blow off some steam. Working 80 hours a week—while it may be a passion—is not always the most fun thing to do. You had a career and even won a championship in one of the major tournaments, didn’t you? How did you get involved in polo, and why choose it? It’s both a way to blow off steam and, at the same time, not because it’s so competitive.

Busch: You’re right. It’s a competitive sport. But my father was a big equestrian. He had horses of all kinds—hunters, jumpers, and driving horses.

Of course, he was the brains behind the Clydesdale eight-horse hitch back in 1933 when they first introduced the Clydesdales. That hitch was a gift from my dad and his brother to their father, thanking him for keeping Anheuser-Busch alive during the 13 years of Prohibition when alcohol couldn’t be sold in the United States. They used the hitch to drive the first case of beer to the White House, presenting it to President Franklin D. Roosevelt after Prohibition was repealed.

As you can see, my family has always been involved with horses. I grew up on a farm, and I’ve been riding my entire life. My dad played polo when he was younger and with some of the best American polo players in the world. My older brother got into it, and I followed in his footsteps.

I love polo because it’s such a fast, exhilarating game. You’re on a horse going 35 miles an hour. I love contact sports—you’re always bumping, pushing, and trying to get to the ball. It gets physical at times, which suits me perfectly because I played football in high school and some in college.

Since I already knew how to ride, polo just made sense. And, yes, we won some of the major tournaments throughout the country. Specifically, my brother and I won the U.S. Open in 1991, the grandfather of all polo tournaments in the United States, with two pros.

It was a wonderful accomplishment. Winning the U.S. Open is incredibly difficult, and I realize that more and more now as I look back. Polo has always been tough, and it’s only become harder. I’m so grateful we had the opportunity to win that tournament in 1991.

Jacobsen: When I worked on a horse farm, the manager competed at the Nations Cup level in show jumping. Her aunt had even ridden for Team Canada in show jumping twice. I did a series of interviews as part of an ongoing book project on that world, and one thing I came across was how horses have become a precious commodity. Horse prices have skyrocketed as more people accumulate wealth, particularly in Western Europe and the United States. A decent Olympic show jumper now costs around €5 million. How have you seen the equestrian world—particularly in polo—change since 1991?

Busch: Well, let’s say you’re 100% right. The prices have gone up tremendously, even in the polo world. A good polo horse today costs you an easy $150,000.

And if you’re playing at the high-goal level—the highest level of polo—you need 8 to 10 horses per game. That’s just for one player. It’s a huge investment.

Today, you’re looking at well over $1 million for the horses alone. Things were very different when my brother and I won the U.S. Open 1991. First of all, we were the only two sponsors on our team. We were what’s called patrons—essentially sponsors—not professional players. We weren’t getting paid to play; we were paying the pros to play for us.

We were fortunate to have some sponsorship from Anheuser-Busch back then. We played for the Bud Light team, which helped offset some costs. But in those days, a good horse cost about $30,000. Today, that same horse costs around $150,000.

Hiring a professional player back then cost about $100,000. Today, you can only hire a top-level pro for $2 million. When my brother and I won the tournament in 1991, we spent around $150,000 to compete and win.

Of course, a little luck was involved—and I’ll take luck any day. Other teams spent much more than we did, but we succeeded with far fewer resources. Because we were playing as patrons, we didn’t have to hire as many pros. My brother and I were also able to split some of the horses we owned, which further reduced the costs.

Today, if you want to win the U.S. Open, you’re considering spending well over $10 million.

Jacobsen: That’s incredible. So, this brings me to two questions. First, what has been the attraction for billionaires—at least the ones I’ve met—to become so interested in horses, especially since horses stopped being our primary mode of transportation more than 125 years ago?

Busch: That’s a great question. Here’s the thing—people with wealth often gravitate toward land. They’ll buy farms or ranches; you naturally have horses when you have land like that. You can’t have a farm or ranch without them, can you?

And there’s no better way to explore and experience your land than by riding a horse. You can see and appreciate so much more of the property on horseback. It’s a completely different experience.

The relationship between a horse and its rider is also second to none. Horses are powerful, intelligent animals, and people develop a connection with them quickly. That bond is something truly special.

Jacobsen: And what about you? What do you do in your time on a 700-acre estate? You’re coming from such a major family legacy.

Busch: Well, life on the farm is always busy and rewarding. I spend much time working on our brewery and distillery business. I love having people on the farm, where they can experience the land, enjoy some great food, and sample our beers and whiskeys. It’s about hospitality and sharing the legacy.

Outside the business, I ride horses, care for the property, and enjoy everything the land offers. There’s always something to do when living on a large piece of land like that. Whether it’s maintaining the property, taking care of the animals, or just riding around and enjoying the beauty of the place—it keeps me grounded.

They can carry you all day long, and it’s just amazing what horses can do. They can go over rough terrain, through creeks, and thick woods—you can get through anything with them, even more so than on a motorcycle, a four-wheeler, or one of these side-by-sides they have today. For people who can afford them, horses are much fun, and people truly enjoy them. They also keep you grounded in a way.

As for what I do on our 700 acres, I love it. We’ve always been big hunters in our family. My son, Billy Jr., is really into hunting apparel. He has his line of hunting gear called Geist Gear. It’s a German word that means ghost, so you’re like a ghost in the woods wearing his gear. He’s got everything you can imagine: coats, hats, gloves, waders, boots—gear for every kind of hunter’s got you covered whether you’re hunting deer, turkey, ducks, or anything else.

If you want to check it out sometime, Scott, go to geistgear.com. It’s good stuff.

We’re big hunters. We love being out on the farm. We hunt ducks, deer, turkey, and dove—all the kinds of animals you find here in the Midwest. We’re also big conservationists and outdoorsmen. My father was the same way.

I still ride horses; we ride quite a bit as a family. With all seven of our kids, my wife Christy and I occasionally get them on horses and ride across the farm together.

Another thing I love to do is hitch up a four-in-hand team of Belgian horses and a couple of Clydesdales. It’s a pair of Belgians, and a pair of Clydesdales hitched to a wagon we got from the Amish in Ohio. The wagon holds about 14 people, and we’ll drive it around the farm. It’s a great way to get together, have fun, and spend quality time as a family.

Jacobsen: Excellent. Billy, thank you so much for the opportunity and for your time.

Busch: Yes, I appreciate it. It’s my pleasure, Scott. Thank you for having me on.

Jacobsen: Okay, we’ll be in touch. Thank you.

Busch: Okay, Scott. Thank you.

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