Something New Brewing in 2010: ‘SELECT 55’ Available For Sampling on Free Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour

ST. LOUIS – The lightest beer in the world, SELECT 55, will launch nationally later this year but is available now for sampling by adult guests at the Anheuser-Busch brewery tour and visitor’s centers in five U.S. cities.

Adult guests on the free A-B brewery tour have a chance to sample SELECT 55 at the breweries in Fort Collins, Colo.; St. Louis, Mo.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Fairfield, Calif.; and Merrimack, N.H.

“SELECT 55 answers a growing demand among a segment of adult beer drinkers who seek lower-calorie options,” said Pat McGauley, vice president of Innovation, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. “Following its rousing success in test markets, we’re pleased to make SELECT 55 available nationwide Feb. 1.”

SELECT 55 has been in test markets since last August, starting initially in 14 cities. The beer launched in Florida in December and will be available in St. Louis on Jan. 11. A smooth, light golden lager with only 55 calories and 1.9g carbohydrates per 12-ounce serving, SELECT 55 offers a crisp, clean flavor with fewer calories than any other beer currently available, McGauley said.

The beer is brewed in St. Louis, Mo.; Williamsburg, Va.; and Los Angeles.

Guests 21 years of age or older to the tour center can sample Anheuser-Busch products in the Hospitality Room. Visitors can choose from a variety of brews, including seasonal brands such as Winter’s Bourbon Cask Ale and new products such as Bud Light Golden Wheat.

“Anheuser-Busch brewery tours in these cities are complimentary, and guests discover how the world’s best-selling beers are crafted using the highest quality ingredients and packaged in state-of-the-art facilities,” said Sue O’Leary, senior manager for Brewery Tours and Gifts at Anheuser-Busch. “Last year the tours attracted more than 600,000 visitors.”

SELECT 55 will be available nationally in 12-ounce clear glass bottles in 6- 12- and 24-packs, and 12-ounce aluminum cans in 12- and 18-packs. Product images can be downloaded here.

For more information on the brewery tours, including hours and directions, please visit http://www.budweisertours.com. For more information on SELECT 55, visit anheuser-busch.com or budweiserselect55.com.

Based in St. Louis, Anheuser‑Busch is the leading American brewer, holding a 49.2 percent share of U.S. beer sales. The company brews the world’s largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Anheuser‑Busch also owns a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico’s leading brewer. Anheuser-Busch ranked No. among beverage companies in FORTUNE Magazine’s Most Admired Global Companies list in 2009. Anheuser Busch is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and one of the world’s largest recyclers of aluminum cans. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the leading global brewer, and continues to operate under the Anheuser-Busch name and logo. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com.