Photo: VCG

Budweiser Brewing Co has refuted rumors that its employee has been urinating in beer for years in a Thursday statement, calling it a "total fabrication." 

According to the statement published on China's Twitter-like social media Sina Weibo, Budweiser China said the rumor was "malicious slander" that misled consumers seriously, adding the company has reported the matter to relevant departments.

The clarification was applauded by the majority of responding Chinese Weibo users, who supported the company in safeguarding its legal rights. 

The rumor resulted from a satirical online article on May 8 titled "Budweiser employee acknowledges having been pissing into beer tanks for 12 years" on website Foolish Humor.

The article claimed an employee of Budweiser had been urinating in beer produced at the Budweiser Brewery Experience at Fort Collins in the US for 12 years.

Though the website includes a disclaimer that its content is fictional "and does not correspond to reality," the article soon provoked uproar among Twitter users. 

As one of the most popular beer brands originating from the US, Budweiser is focused on the night and catering markets, and has become a bellwether in the beer market in China. 

According to its annual financial report, Budweiser Asia Pacific achieved revenues of almost $6.55 billion in 2019, with $898 million of profits going directly to equity holders, and total sales of 9.317 billion liters.

Global Times