Is this Bud for you?

Budweiser's new can design takes their iconic bowtie emblem and brings it to life as a dimensional can shape. Striking and, they claim, easier to grip. But the unfortunate compromise of said shape is a loss of liquid volume: .7 ounces to be exact. Yes, these cans contain 11.3 ounces of beer compared to the standard 12 of a standard can.

Is Bud the next contestant in the game of colossal brand blunders? Who can forget the great Maker's Mark proof reduction near-death experience, or Tropicana's repackage debacle or New Coke! Could they possibly not understand their drinker enough to know that less beer is not exactly what they're yearning for? Maybe. But maybe not.

Perhaps they understand their target better than anyone. And guys that drink cans of Bud love to burn through can after can, and since a six-pack will most likely cost a little bit less than the 12oz ones, there's now even more reason to reach for another and another? And maybe after holding the same boring 12oz can of Bud for all these years, this is just the welcome change loyal consumers will embrace—literally and figuratively. Will be interesting to see…

Old Overholt: The Best No-Bullshit Brand

They say cool people are so because they don't have to try to be cool, and the same can be said for brands. If ever there was a brand that didn't try, it's Old Overholt.

Maybe it's because its roots are in Broad Ford, Pennsylvania, about 1/2 hour from Pittsburgh (full disclosure: my hometown) where guys that pretend to be cool get their asses kicked by guys who drink boilermakers. Or, maybe because people who drink "the Overcoat" couldn't care less about what others think of them for drinking it.

But really, the brand is most highly regarded in a small, loyal circle of professional drinkers who happen to be experts in the subject of price:value math. It simply is damn good booze for the money!

If you like to sip straight rye and delight in the complex aromas and flavors, you'll want to dig a little deeper into your wallet. But if you want a perfect Manhattan or Old Fashioned, and you plan on having more than one, this is your rye. Straightforward, dry, and at 80 proof just the right amount of heat and presence for the perfect cocktail.

Bulleit, Sazerac and Rittenhouse fans can make compelling arguments for their calls--they're all great Ryes. But they're all much pricier than Overholt (which you can pick up for about $15) and for cocktail use, really not essential.

Let's face it, built in to the higher price of those brands is the cost to cover the marketing of a manufactured "cool" that Overholt doesn't need to pay for.