Budweiser Extra (B to the E)

B-to-the-E (BE). Budweiser to the Extreme. Budweiser Extra. I never thought I would see this day come, but here it is. Budweiser with fruit flavorings. Yet it's true. I promise. B to the E is, according to Anheuser-Busch, beer with something extra, or so the can says. It's beer with caffeine, ginseng, and guarana.

Beer with caffeine? Indeed it is. This isn't the first beer with caffeine, of course. Other brewers, like Redhook, have produced caffeinated beers. But B to the E seems to flaunt it a bit more. Part energy drink, part beer, B-to-the-E (BE) has an extra alcohol kick, too, at just under 7% by volume.

Anheuser-Busch has this to say about B to the E:

B-to-the-E (BE), Budweiser's newest entry in a long line of innovative beers by Anheuser-Busch, is a distinctive new product for contemporary adults who are looking for the latest beverage to keep up with their highly social and fast-paced lifestyles.

Really, B-to-the-E (BE) is modeled after the habit some young adults have adopted of mixing alcohol with energy drinks. And you have to wonder how active a lifestyle can be when your energy drink has alcohol in it. Alcohol is a relaxant, caffeine a stimulant. Drink enough of these and you'll just end up being a wide-awake drunk. And who needs that?

B-to-the-E (BE) will cost you more, too. At my local Kroger store I paid $4.99 for a four-pack of 10-ounce cans. That's about the same you would pay for a six-pack of regular Bud. And I'm not sure whom this is being marketed to. Will craft beer lovers buy it? Maybe once. How about dyed in the wool Bud drinkers? Maybe once.

B-to-the-E (BE) pours to a pale golden color with a thick, foamy head formation. From first appearances, it looks just like a Budwesier, and if you offered a glass to a friend they would be hard pressed indeed to tell any difference.

Ah, but then you get a whiff of the nose. It's fruity, suggesting raspberry and pear. Is this a Budweiser a Belgian lambic? You'll have to take a sip to tell. The palate is fruity, with more of the raspberry-like notes quickly coming to bear along with a little black cherry. But wait. There's more.

There is a distinct flavor of Budweiser lager here with its distinctive light body peeking out. Then too, that familiar acetaldehyde green-apple flavor that is suggested in Budweiser is here, too, but a lot stronger. A distinct creaminess complements the beer nicely, and the finish is definitely sweet with no discernible hops.

As a fruit beer, this isn't bad. But there are many better ones out there. Certainly, B-to-the-E (BE) has more flavor than Budweiser, but I don't think it will be much more than a flash in the pan. The caffeine is the deal killer for me. I don't want caffeine in my fruit beer. That leaves me with three more cans of the stuff, and a quandary. Do I drink them when I get up in the morning, or before I go to bed at night?



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