Who owns KING COBRA MALT LIQUOR?

KING COBRA MALT LIQUOR is owned by

ANHEUSER-BUSCH INBEV

King Cobra was introduced by Anheuser-Busch in 1984. It was the second major malt liquor play for Anheuser-Busch, after they had previously launched Budweiser Malt Liquor in 1972. That brand failed to generate a significant following, despite its motto: “the first Malt Liquor good enough to be called Budweiser.” In 1984, King Cobra replaced it.

Malt liquor was quickly becoming an important category of beer for major breweries, as brands like Colt 45 and Olde English began to focus on the urban poor by highlighting the higher alcohol content of the style. These brands were replacing the previous market leader in the segment, Country Club, which had previously focused on a more middle class clientele before eventually following suit.

King Cobra entered the fray with a major advertising campaign with Fred “The Hammer” Williamson, the legendary former football player in the American Football League who had by that point pivoted to acting in Blaxploitation films like Black Caesar. This was again following with a trend – Black celebrities like Rufus Thomas, Richard Roundtree, and The Comodores had represented Schlitz, while Redd Foxx had stumped for Colt 45. Most famously, Star Wars actor Billy Dee Williams would later represent Colt 45 with the catch phrase “It works every time.”

King Cobra was eventually joined in the Anheuser-Busch portfolio 1996 by Hurricane High Gravity Malt Liquor, which now is the company’s primary malt liquor. By the following year, King Cobra had stopped advertising entirely. In 2008, Anheuser-Busch was purchased by InBev to become Anheuser-Busch InBev. The Belgian multi-national conglomerate still sells the beer primarily in single cans and bottles in convenience stores, bodegas, and liquor stores throughout the United States.

Popular Beers by this Brand

• Malt Liquor

Like what we’re doing here? Donate to help keep the site alive!