Residents react to lawsuits alleging Anheuser Busch watered down beer

PORT SALERNO, Fla. - Joe Gowran defines himself as a social drinker.

"I go for the regular Budweiser," he admits.

The Port Salerno resident said having a cold one at the end of the day, is an honest man's reward.

"What are you gonna do, you know?" he laughed, with a shrug.

So Gowran was shocked to learn that the company which manufactures his favorite beer, Anheuser Busch InBev, might not be so honest. 

The beer-manufacturing giant is facing $5 million class-action lawsuits for allegedly watering down Budweiser, Michelob and other brands.

"I think they're probably trying to save money, is the reason why they do it, and that's not honest," said Gowran.

Fran Andrewlevich is a brewmaster at the Tequesta Brewing Company.

"The brew day is about eight hours to get the barley, the hops, the water and the yeast all together," said Andrewlevich, of the intense process of making craft beers. "It goes into a filter, and then it goes into holding tanks."

Andrewlevich said truth in advertising is the only way to keep customers coming back for brews.

There's nothing to hide here," said Andrewlevich. "You can walk into the brewery, and take a look at it."

Anheuser-Busch InBev denies the lawsuit's claims. The company's vice president of brewing issued a statement that said the company's beers are in full compliance with alcohol labeling laws.

For Gowran, he says it's less about what's on the label, as it is about integrity.

"It's not really a big deal about what the percentage of alcohol is in the beer that I'm drinking," said Gowran. "It's the honesty in the advertising."