Anheuser-Busch's Spring Heat Spiced Wheat Brings The Warmth Of Spring Early To Beer Drinkers

ST. LOUIS (Feb. 27, 2006) - For adults ready to celebrate the end of the winter chill and toast the arrival of spring, Anheuser-Busch is introducing its newest seasonal offering - Spring Heat Spiced Wheat. Available today through May, this specialty ale is ideal for beer enthusiasts seeking a flavorful beer that quenches the thirst and pleases the eye.

Spring Heat Spiced Wheat is an unfiltered Belgian-style wheat ale, which is naturally cloudy. Brewed with orange, lemon and lime peels; the spice of coriander; two-row barley and wheat malts; as well as a blend of domestic Cascade and Willamette hops and imported Hallertau hops, this beer is memorably aromatic and has a smooth, complex taste.

"With its light golden color and citrus flavor, Spring Heat Spiced Wheat embodies what's best about spring - an exciting time for something new. We're pleased to add a wheat ale to our seasonal draught program because it's really the ideal complement to the season," said Florian Kuplent, brewmaster, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. "Whether having dinner with friends or hanging out at your favorite bar, this beer will fit nicely into a variety of occasions this spring."

Spring Heat Spiced Wheat is best enjoyed when served in a tall glass with a wide opening, allowing the beer's aroma to funnel straight to the nose. This golden wheat ale is also a great accompaniment to casual and fine dining.

"Beer pairs beautifully with food, and Spring Heat Spiced Wheat goes exceptionally well with fresh salads, chicken dishes and Asian cuisine," said Kuplent. "Garnishing the rim of the glass with an orange peel or cilantro leaf is also a fun way to enhance the meal."

Sold exclusively on draught in on-premise accounts, contemporary adults who visit bars, taverns, pubs and restaurants this spring will be greeted by the beer's eye-catching tap marker - a brightly colored, sunglasses-wearing orange that sports a spiked-wheat hairstyle.

Brewed at Anheuser-Busch's Fort Collins, Colo., brewery, Spring Heat Spiced Wheat contains 5.2 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) and is the third specialty beer in Anheuser-Busch's series of successful seasonal draughts, following Jack's Pumpkin Spice Ale and Winter's Bourbon Cask Ale.

Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch is the leading American brewer holding 50 percent of the U.S. beer market. The company brews the world's largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Anheuser-Busch also holds a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico's leading brewer, and a 27 percent share in Tsingtao, the No. 1 brewer in China. The company is one of the largest theme park operators in the United States, is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and is America's top recycler of aluminum cans.