Are there artificial colours, artificial flavours, or preservatives in vb beer?

Question

Are there artificial colours, artificial flavours, or preservatives in vb beer?

Answer 1

As far as artificial colors, flavors or preservatives go...I doubt it. But much like the American Macros I imagine that they substitute corn or rice for a portion of the barley in order to cut costs. Miller and Budweiser use genetically altered grains as well to promote flavor consistency and in Miller's case prevent skunking. I haven't yet heard that Foster's Group is practicing this, but I'm not so certain that they wouldn't.  

Answer 2

I would say no. Victoria Bitter (VB) is an older brewer using only modern techniques and not artificial ones. The color is achieved by controlling the grist or grain used.

Some brewers do use articial flavors for fruit and citrus but I have never heard of a VB beer doing so.

Preservatives is a tough call. Some beers have many added chemicals that we will never know about.

Miller and Anheuser Busch may use naturally modified barley but this has nothing to do with controlling skunking in beer.

The skunkiness is caused by UV light acting on hop acid compounds. A cyclic ring structure is opened from the UV energy and becomes a free radical. This free radical is joined by a sulfur compound. The result is a mercaptan chemical that is skunk-like in aroma.