The 'King of Beers' Unveils Budweiser Black Crown

The new brew was a crowd favorite during its nationwide "Project 12" competition.

January 09, 2013

ST. LOUIS - It started with a bold experiment. A year ago, Budweiser asked its 12 brewmasters to envision their own unique version of one of the world??s most iconic beers. After 12 recipes, six beers brewed for national sampling, and 25,000 opinions, the experiment has resulted in a new golden amber lager based on the voice of the people: Budweiser Black Crown.

The winning recipe from Budweiser??s "Project 12" is now a new brand available for purchase starting on January 21. Budweiser Black Crown will take its place on the national stage less than two weeks later when its first 30-second television advertisement airs during Super Bowl XLVII on February 3.

With a blend of two-row caramel malt and four types of domestic hops, Budweiser Black Crown is finished on a bed of Beechwood chips for a smooth, balanced taste. Incorporating the proprietary yeast directly descended from the original Budweiser yeast strain used by Adolphus Busch in 1876, Budweiser Black Crown retains the key characteristics of Budweiser with its clean taste and high drinkability. Featuring more body, color and hop character than the flagship lager, it also has a slightly higher alcohol content at 6% ABV.

Los Angeles brewmaster Bryan Sullivan created the Budweiser Black Crown recipe, which was the crowd favorite among the more than 25,000 adult drinkers from coast to coast who participated in the brand??s Project 12 sampling initiative. "It didn??t matter where in the United States we asked, this is the beer that consistently drew the best feedback, and overwhelmingly so," said Rob McCarthy, vice president of Budweiser.

"People respond really well to Budweiser Black Crown, which has a little more body and color and a touch more hop character than our flagship Budweiser lager," said Sullivan. "As brewmasters we spend most of our time in the brewhouse. Project 12 gave us a chance to hear firsthand from the people we brew our beers for. Budweiser Black Crown is a great beer and it is a thrill for our whole brewing team to see it launch with a Super Bowl spot."

The beer will be sold nationwide in 12-ounce glass bottles available in six- and 12-packs and in 22-ounce single bottles. It will be available both on-premise (bars and restaurants) and off-premise (grocery stores, supermarkets and convenience stores). The beer??s national advertising campaign also includes outdoor, digital, radio and print. In social media, the new brand will have interactive consumer programs on Facebook and Twitter that are designed to be participatory, similar in spirit to when consumers were asked to help choose the recipe that would ultimately become Budweiser Black Crown.

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