"King of Beers" rules the rollout race

01/28/2005

New debutante on the block: Budweiser Select.

Hot on the heels of its Jan. 27 nationwide release of B(E) -- a beer infused with caffeine, guarana and ginseng -- Anheuser-Busch announced Jan. 28 that another new beer is soon to appear. Budweiser Select, a "new kind of beer" that is brewed for a "crisp taste with no aftertaste," will be introduced with a TV ad during the Feb. 6 Super Bowl broadcast on Fox. A-B officials say the new brew will be available nationwide Feb. 21, in a full package line.

"The consumer response to Budweiser Select has been great. Beer drinkers in the test markets are excited about the brand, so we decided to roll it out nationally much earlier than planned," said Don Meyer, director of Budweiser Select marketing. "With approximately 100 million viewers watching the Super Bowl, we can't think of a better opportunity to introduce Budweiser Select."

With its elegant graphics and pinch-neck bottle, Budweiser Select is positioned as "an upscale beer for all drinking occasions." The brew has 3.1 grams of carbohydrates, 99 calories and 4.3 percent alcohol by volume per 12 oz. serving. It is brewed at seven of Anheuser-Busch's 12 breweries including Columbus, Ohio; Houston, Jacksonville, Fla.; Los Angeles; Newark, N.J., Williamsburg, Va.; and Fort Collins, Colo.

An A-B press release describes the product's brewing process as follows: "Budweiser Select was developed using two-row and roasted specialty malts for a rich color. The brand spends approximately twice as long as regular beers in the brewhouse. The brewhouse is where grains are milled, mixed with water, and mashed. A blend of aromatic domestic and imported hops provides the perfect balance and flavor."