Budweiser Black Crown isn’t another ploy from “the King of Beers” to rally the fratty faithful with higher alcohol content (though its 6% ABV is technically higher) or pointless packaging gimmicks (It turns red when you’re hammered!). Instead, it’s the result of a year-long skunky works initiative, dubbed “Project 12” in which the company asked its 12 national brewmasters to formulate their own unique version of Bud. Those 12 were then whittled down to six — which were then brewed and subjected to sample testing by 25,000 consumers to pick the eventual winner.
Black Crown, described as a golden amber lager, is made with all of the buzzword trappings of a premium brew, including “a blend of two-row caramel malt and four types of domestic hops… finished on a bed of Beechwood chips”. It also incorporates “proprietary yeast directly descended from the original Budweiser yeast strain used by Adolphus Busch in 1876”. The result is what many advanced tasters on Beer Advocate say is a fruitier, sweeter lager with more body, color and a noticeable hop character compared to good ole’ Bud heavy. We’ve also heard others bluntly state it’s just a better-tasting Bud. You can make your own opinions starting today, though: it launches at stores nation-wide now, conveniently in time for the Superbowl.