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Home > Blogs > Uncorked > Archives > 2009 > August > 26 > Entry
Dayton chosen to test-market ‘world’s lightest beer’
The Dayton-Cincinnati region has been chosen by Anheuser-Busch as a test market for Select 55, a newly unveiled brew that its maker calls “the world’s lightest beer.”
Some of us beer drinkers wouldn’t necessarily consider that a selling point, but perhaps that’s a blog entry for another day. Anheuser-Busch says its new beer “answers a growing demand among a segment of adult drinkers who are seeking lower-calorie alcohol beverages to complement their busy lifestyles.” And Select 55, its maker says, “offers an unparalleled clean, crisp flavor with fewer calories than any other beer currently available.”
The new beer — brewed at Anheuser-Busch’s St. Louis brewery — contains 55 calories and 1.9 grams of carbohydrates per 12-ounce serving, and is 2.4 percent alcohol. Bud Light, by comparison, has twice as many calories (110), more than three times more carbs (6.6 grams) and nearly twice as much alcohol (4.2 percent), according to figures provided by Anheuser-Busch. A 12-ounce can of the brewer’s flagship beer, Budweiser, contains 145 calories and is 5 percent alcohol.
The Dayton-Cincy region is one of 15 test markets in the country, and the only one in Ohio, according to the brewery’s news release. Anheuser-Busch said it chose markets where there is a strong consumer demand and interest in light beers.
Bob Seegmueller, beer manager at Arrow Wine & Spirits Far Hills Avenue store in Kettering, said he started selling Select 55 a couple weeks ago, and the early reviews have been positive.
“So far, most people who have tried it have liked it,” Seegmueller said. Fans of full-bodied beers have been less enthusiastic, but fans of lighter-style beers such as Michelob Ultra and MGD Lite 64 have come back for more Select 55, he said.
Six-packs of Select 55 cost $5.29; 12-packs cost $9.99. Seegmueller initially ordered only six-packs to stock, but is now ordering 12-packs because, he said, “The beer is starting to sell.”
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Comments
By Claire
August 28, 2009 11:07 AM | Link to this
I’ll bet Coors is jealous.
By Dayton Dude
August 27, 2009 3:07 PM | Link to this
What is the point? Most people drink beer to unwind or get a buzz. So now you are going to pay just as much as for a Bud Light or regular Bud, you get half the taste and have to choke it down and it takes twice as much to get the same buzz! Perhaps this is for alcoholics - you run out of money before you can ruin your liver. I am beginning to question peoples’ taste in this region anyway so perhaps it is appropriate that this area is a test market.
By M
August 27, 2009 10:20 AM | Link to this
Hey I thought this blog was about wine…at least that what I thought when I read the blog’s title, “Uncorked: Wine advice, tastings, events and commentary”. There rarely is any wine advice. How about writing about wine sometime, Mark? I know you taste a few during the week. You have a good palate. How about sharing some of your tasting perspective with the rest of us.
By Dawg Dan
August 27, 2009 9:24 AM | Link to this
Less alcohol, less carbs, less calories, less taste, more water ……. should cost half as much as Bud or Bud Light. That’s about what it’s worth.
By Mindi
August 26, 2009 11:51 AM | Link to this
It’s nice they made it available for people watching their carbs & calories, 55 cal’s, 1.9 carb’s. Taste was better than I expected. What do you expect?
By Beer critic
August 26, 2009 11:43 AM | Link to this
What a worthless product. Why would I want to drink a beer that has even LESS flavor than Bud light? I’d rather drink a water than to choke down this piece of crap. Why don’t they focus their efforts on something tasty that I’d look forward to drinking?
By Kevin J
August 26, 2009 11:14 AM | Link to this
Correction from my earlier email. Campari is not French, it’s Italian. Wild Turkey was owned by Pernod which is French. Pernod sold Wild Turkey to Campari. Sorry, got my Companies and Countries mixed up…
By flipper
August 26, 2009 11:12 AM | Link to this
Free samples are where?
By Ted
August 26, 2009 10:18 AM | Link to this
So, being a test market for the “world’s lightest beer” is like winning a contest for world’s smelliest city….I have to agree with Leslie, all these low cal beers taste like beer flavored water…
By Ted
August 26, 2009 10:17 AM | Link to this
So, being a test market for the “world’s lightest beer” is like winning a contest for world’s smelliest city….I have to agree with Leslie, all these low cal beers taste like beer flavored water…
By Kevin J
August 26, 2009 10:13 AM | Link to this
Typically all Lite Beers are just regular beer cut with water. So ‘55’ is just more water. Most of your major Breweries are foreign owned. Miller is owned by South African Brewing Co. And Coors is now joined with Miller. Did you know that Wild Turkey Bourbon is foreign owned by Campari(French)?
By HomeBrew
August 26, 2009 9:46 AM | Link to this
It’s got to be like sex in a canoe…….that’s F-ing close to water.
By americanworker
August 26, 2009 9:26 AM | Link to this
So you would rather buy from an American company that moves its’ factory overseas or to Mexico than from a foreign company who actually employs American workers?
By red
August 26, 2009 9:24 AM | Link to this
Has anyone looked at the percentage of alcohol in Select 55 compared to other light beers, less calories means less alcohol, the beer manufacturers never tell you that in a commercial.
By n50
August 26, 2009 9:23 AM | Link to this
Someone needs to brew Schoenling or Top Hat beer.
By thecook
August 26, 2009 9:22 AM | Link to this
I didn’t know this was a test market either. Tried this beer two weeks ago (Ace breaking news reporting as usual DDN). Lower calories also equals lower alcohol content. The flavor is ok and I find it works well for cooking.
By wil markus
August 26, 2009 9:21 AM | Link to this
The lightest beer in America? Have people in Dayton suffered enough? I say real beer for real rough times!
By I like real beer
August 26, 2009 9:17 AM | Link to this
It has an alcohol content of a mere 2.4%.
By Anon
August 26, 2009 9:09 AM | Link to this
Thirsty, it’s not owned by an American company. Being brewed here doesn’t mean crap when the profits go overseas. Do you consider Honda American made just because they have plants here? It’s still called an import.
By Leslie
August 26, 2009 9:00 AM | Link to this
Tastes like water with a subtle hint of beer. Not my thing. Sam Adams Light is my favorite light beer. Good flavor and not too many calories.
By @ballgame
August 26, 2009 8:48 AM | Link to this
@ballgame Good luck finding beers that are American made? If you wanna drink macro swill try Coors, next think of any of the thousand Micro’s available in this country: most of those are American made.
By Thirsty
August 26, 2009 8:47 AM | Link to this
The beer is brewed in St. Louis.
By Arnie
August 26, 2009 8:42 AM | Link to this
I would love to try this,but I had to gave up my Bud once it was no longer a USA company. I do not and will not buy anything not American made.
By ballgame
August 26, 2009 8:07 AM | Link to this
Anon good luck finding beers that are american made.
By Anon
August 26, 2009 8:02 AM | Link to this
Does it taste like water or beer? I know my family wouldn’t buy it either way since it’s not an American company anymore.
By bud55drinker
August 26, 2009 7:58 AM | Link to this
I have tried this…I didn’t know Dayton was just a test market… I hope it sticks!! This is my new favorite beer!!