Anheuser-Busch Welcomes Holiday Season with Limited-Edition Beers

31/10/06 Continuing its rich tradition of brewing special batches of beer for the holidays, Anheuser-Busch welcomes winter with a trio of unique, flavorful brews -- Michelob Celebrate Vanilla Oak, Michelob Celebrate Chocolate and Budweiser Brew Masters' Private Reserve. Available today through the end of the year, each seasonal beer was created with savoring and sharing in mind.

"Whether it's the subtle hint of vanilla, notes of chocolate or the aroma of hops, this year's seasonal beers offer a variety of choices for special occasions this season," said Kristi Zantop, brewmaster, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. "Brewing with winter-inspired ingredients like cocoa and vanilla lets us create beers that are the perfect accompaniment to holiday meals, parties or sitting in front of the fire."
 
The right beer, in appropriate glassware, is a sophisticated, elegant addition to any event large or small:
 
-- Michelob Celebrate Chocolate is Anheuser-Busch's newest seasonal creation. Brewed with caramel malts, roasted malts and matured on real cocoa beans, this beer has a deep, dark chocolate color and aroma. Celebrate Chocolate is best enjoyed in a snifter, which brings the rich chocolate aroma toward the nose. Contains 8.5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV).

-- Michelob Celebrate Vanilla Oak features distinct vanilla, caramel and aged oak flavors for a full-bodied, well-balanced taste and warm aroma. Celebrate Vanilla Oak is brewed using two-row barley, caramel malts, carapils malts as well as imported hops.  It is aged on whole vanilla beans and bourbon barrel oak.  Ideally served with dessert or as an after-dinner drink, Celebrate Vanilla Oak is also enjoyed in a snifter, allowing the beer's aromas to be intensified.  Contains 10 percent (ABV).

-- Budweiser Brew Masters' Private Reserve is a smooth, all-malt lager with a distinguishable honey color and robust taste.  Steeped with history, Brew Masters' Private Reserve is based on a time-honored Budweiser brewmaster holiday tradition of collecting the richest part of the brew as it is tapped to the brew kettles to toast the holiday season. This richer, more flavorful reserve -- prized for its unusual smoothness despite its robust alcohol content -- was always a favorite and something our brewers and friends looked forward to year after year. This beer can be enjoyed in a traditional pilsner-style or wide-mouthed glass that funnels the beer's hoppy aroma directly to the nose. Contains 8.5 percent (ABV).

"Ensuring there will be no shortage of choices when drinking, dining or toasting this year, we're excited to make Celebrate Chocolate available alongside last year's popular Celebrate Vanilla Oak and Brew Masters' Private Reserve," said Bruce Eames, innovation manager, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. "Their sleek packaging also makes them great gifts for beer aficionados, both seasoned and new."

Michelob Celebrate Vanilla Oak and Michelob Celebrate Chocolate are available in elegant 24-ounce glass bottles that are intended for sharing. They're also perfect for gift-giving and are available as a set, which includes two imported 13.5-ounce Ritzenhoff Crystal snifters and a 24-ounce bottle of each flavor. Budweiser Brew Masters' Private Reserve is available in a 46.5-ounce magnum and a 32-ounce bottle, both with swing top closures.