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Going nationwide last July, Miller Chill quickly became ubiquitous at stores. This summer, Anheuser-Busch tried targeting the flourishing lime-flavored beer market as well, launching Bud Light Lime in April with $35 million in advertising. Since then, the macro-brew's been bragging about its success crediting the roll-out for an increase in 2nd quarter profits and summer market share.Enough jabber-jargon... Do I want to drink it??
Personally, my taste buds sour at the mere thought of giving a Bud Light spin-off the full taster's treatment, but just for kicks, let's do BLL proper!
BLL's packaging alerts me it's a "premium light beer with 100% natural lime flavor." Also prominently displayed: "contains alcohol." Sold. After cleansing my palate of a Fudgsicle (hey, it's hot out!), I pour a small amount of BLL into a taster glass. The nose is very typical of Bud Light (subtle malt, ricey) and shows distinct notes of -- ta da! -- lime.
The flavor does not offend as much as I had expected.
Initially, the lime accentuates some of the Budweiser essence by masking the "watered down" taste that plagues Bud Light (not that Budweiser is a bastion of flavor). Something leads me to believe there's more going on here than just Bud Light and lime. Implication: simply putting fresh lime in a Bud Light would probably yield a different taste (tomorrow's experiment!). But it is important to note that the lime flavor is not too sweet or overpowering, as one would often expect from a fruit beer attempting to appeal to the masses. There is still beer to be found here.
So who is this beer for? It's not fit for beer snobs especially with more complex summer fruit infusions flooding the beer market. Likewise, hardcore suds drinkers probably wouldn't be caught dead with this "fruity" beverage over their regular 12 ounce. But it's taste is not meant to convert the cider crowd. And Corona drinkers bask in paying a premium for a bland Mexican import, so I don't think they are looking to save money on limes. That leaves... well...
THE FINAL SIP: Though Bud Light Lime is drinkable (by macro-beer standards) and surprisingly good for a summer cool down (especially if served ice cold), a "premium" selection it is not. I can't recommend it for anything but a whimsical change of pace. The lime beer "trend" feels more like a trendy corporate money grab and will probably pass faster than you can say Bud Dry. So if you can't get enough BLL, stock up now -- there's probably another flavor around the corner (do I hear pomegranate?!)
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8-06-2008 @1:21PM Gobo said... "That leaves... well..."
The largely Hispanic market to which this beer is targeted, actually.
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8-06-2008 @1:53PM brukdiana said... I think this is the kind of beer that girls will enjoy. I know I did!
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8-06-2008 @1:53PM Mike Pomranz said... Point taken, Gobo. I did neglect to mention the Hispanic market in my assessment.
However, Bud Light Lime constitutes a national product launch and as Reuters' Kamau High wrote "While Bud Light Lime takes its cue from Mexican culture, much of its $35 million launch will be directed at fans of indie rock, electronica and dance music." (This angle is also reflected in BLL's original press release.)
My take: any inroads A-B can make into the Hispanic market still probably won't be enough to sustain this product. But time will tell!
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8-06-2008 @2:44PM zerocle said... I personally like this beer alot, its like a cheaper, and imo better version of corona. If I want a mexican beer its bohemian all the way. Its a great beer to sit out at the pool with, its a great beer to sip watching a movie, over all I love it.
And Gobo, Im not hispanic, so guess im drinking out of the box...
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8-06-2008 @2:45PM kevjohn said... I don't know about the Hispanic market, but I know the frat boys here love the stuff. They get to have their flavor-challenged 'fancy' beer for less than Corona prices, and still get to wear their obsolete Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Budweiser gear.
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8-06-2008 @3:24PM Pyrofish said... I thought the Budlight Chelada was aimed at the Hispanic market? Budlight Lime is simply aimed at wanna-be beer drinkers who think Corona is a "Fancy" beer. I can say that, since I used to think that way ;-) My taste buds were opened to real beer last year and I've never turned back. Now I gotta get back to my Chimay Grande Reserve :-P
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8-06-2008 @7:01PM Red Icculus said... It tastes like a malternative than a real beer. Strangely, Bud has admitted that BLL contains no Bud Light. I much prefer Miller Chill.
I also do beer and garden things at http://red-icculus.com
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8-07-2008 @2:12AM Noz said... Life's too short to have crap beer.
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8-07-2008 @11:10AM goomba said... I am an avid beer drinker, and homebrewer and my taste ranges from coors light and high life to fantome and St. Bernard. Not a fan of Corona, i would take Dos Equis any day over it, and tried one of my friends bud light limes when we were fishing one evening. I actually liked it and it was perfect for sitting out on a boat on a hot summer afternoon just relaxing. overall a pretty good summer beer, definitly the best lime beer out there.
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8-07-2008 @11:36AM Tony said... a friend of mine does music events and stuff. one of the sponsors is BLL but only for latin-themed events
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8-14-2008 @9:31PM jade said... Beer is disgusting.
Bud Light Lime is tasty.
Conclude what you will.
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8-16-2008 @10:16PM Hector Santos said... im an avid beer drinker, but drinking bll has changed my tastebuds. i cant get enough of this..my only fear is that it will soon come to pass, and it would be discontinued..
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