Collaboration is a growing trend in the beer world of late. In the case of AB InBev, it’s not the old adage that two heads are better than one; rather, put a dozen heads together and see what happens. That’s the idea behind Project 12, a nationwide initiative by the Budweiser brand in which its 12 brewmasters were asked to create their own take on the Budweiser recipe, using the beer’s signature yeast while maintaining its crisp, clean taste.
Budweiser senior brand manager, Nate Scudieri, explained that Project 12 offered the brewmasters at each of Budweiser’s breweries nationwide the opportunity to “get creative, craft recipes and play around with ingredients.” The beers were narrowed to six by an internal team and then tested this summer by the largest consumer focus group in Budweiser history.
The three winning Bud tribute beers are each named for the zip code in which they were originally brewed. The L.A. brew, No. 91406, is a malty, deep-amber lager. Batch No. 23185 from Williamsburg, Va., is aged in bourbon barrels and spiced with a bit of vanilla; a wee bit of oak character comes through in this lager. St. Louisans can raise a glass that No. 63118, a deep-golden pilsner, made the final cut. Scudieri explained that this brew, the most hoppy of the trio, takes its inspiration from the style of beer brewed in the late 1800s. “The hops we use – Hallertau and Tettnang – were commonly used in St. Louis during that time. It’s specific to this region because of German immigrants in St. Louis,” he said.
The winning beers will be released nationwide on October 29 in a 12-bottle sampler pack with four from each winning zip code, along with background and tasting notes. The pack will be available through mid-January.
Scudieri said that a decision has not been made on whether any of the experimental beers will be permanently added to the AB line of products or whether the beers might become part of a new series. “We’re discussing what we might do with this feedback,” responded Scudieri. “Consumers love this program. We may bring it back next year. We let the consumer lead us to where the fertile ground is for us to innovate and bring new options for beers and products.”
This article appears in September 2012.