Anheuser-Busch Brews Beer Drink with Caffeine
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. -- Anheuser-Busch is about to add caffeine, guarana and ginseng to its latest beer product, dubbed "B-to-the-E," with the "E" denoting something "extra" and shown as an exponent of B, reported the Associated Press.
The new beer is described as "lightly sweet and tart," with aromas of blackberry, raspberry and cherry. It will be brewed solely at the company's Houston location and packaged in a 10-ounce can.
"We've come up with a beer that has a taste with a 'wow' factor at the finish," said Nathaniel Davis, brew master for the St. Louis-based company. Aiming to stay competitive among contemporary adults, Anheuser-Busch will roll out the new product -- pending government approval -- next month. The beer will be available in bars and clubs as well as grocery and convenience stores, Anheuser-Busch officials said, adding the beer will be priced "slightly higher" than Budweiser. At least one local bartender sees the new product as an attempt by Anheuser-Busch to tap into the 20-something market and the popularity of high-energy drinks such as Red Bull.
Anheuser-Busch is trumpeting itself as the first major brewer to infuse beer with caffeine, ginseng and guarana, a caffeine-bearing herb used in a popular Brazilian soft drink.
Redhook Ale Brewery in Woodinville, Wash., already brews a "double black stout" that contains Starbucks Coffee, according to the beer resource Web site, beeradvocate.com.
Anheuser-Busch said each can of the B-to-the-E beverage would pack 22.5 carbs, along with 6.6 percent alcohol by volume, 54 milligrams of caffeine and 203 calories. By comparison, Anheuser-Busch's Bacardi Silver Low-Carb Black Cherry has 2.6 grams of carbs and 96 calories per 12-ounce serving.
"The majority of beer drinkers and the people we're trying to approach with this product are not concerned with carbs all the time," Bob Lachky, Anheuser-Busch's vice president of brand management, told reporters during a conference call. "There's plenty of room in the beer industry for innovation not tied to carbs."
The new beer is described as "lightly sweet and tart," with aromas of blackberry, raspberry and cherry. It will be brewed solely at the company's Houston location and packaged in a 10-ounce can.
"We've come up with a beer that has a taste with a 'wow' factor at the finish," said Nathaniel Davis, brew master for the St. Louis-based company. Aiming to stay competitive among contemporary adults, Anheuser-Busch will roll out the new product -- pending government approval -- next month. The beer will be available in bars and clubs as well as grocery and convenience stores, Anheuser-Busch officials said, adding the beer will be priced "slightly higher" than Budweiser. At least one local bartender sees the new product as an attempt by Anheuser-Busch to tap into the 20-something market and the popularity of high-energy drinks such as Red Bull.
Anheuser-Busch is trumpeting itself as the first major brewer to infuse beer with caffeine, ginseng and guarana, a caffeine-bearing herb used in a popular Brazilian soft drink.
Redhook Ale Brewery in Woodinville, Wash., already brews a "double black stout" that contains Starbucks Coffee, according to the beer resource Web site, beeradvocate.com.
Anheuser-Busch said each can of the B-to-the-E beverage would pack 22.5 carbs, along with 6.6 percent alcohol by volume, 54 milligrams of caffeine and 203 calories. By comparison, Anheuser-Busch's Bacardi Silver Low-Carb Black Cherry has 2.6 grams of carbs and 96 calories per 12-ounce serving.
"The majority of beer drinkers and the people we're trying to approach with this product are not concerned with carbs all the time," Bob Lachky, Anheuser-Busch's vice president of brand management, told reporters during a conference call. "There's plenty of room in the beer industry for innovation not tied to carbs."