Anheuser-Busch - Budweiser Reserve "Copper Lager"

So we got this into the shop a few weeks back, and having never reviewed an Anheuser-Busch product before, I figured I'd give it a go. I've never seen any Budweiser product outside the normal red-colored bottles or cans, and so I was kind of surprised to see something craft-y from this megabrewery. Some of my colleagues were curious, too, and so we split this sixer three ways and each got two. This goes for $8.99, so I spent $3 on two bottles.

According to Vince Brennan at the St. Louis Business Journal, this 6.20% ABV ale is made with two-row barley and is aged on Jim Beam bourbon barrel staves. Brennan also adds that this is the third iteration in Bud's "Reserve Collection" line, which has other entries like their "Freedom Reserve", an ale made according to George Washington's recipe. Seems fun -  I'd never heard of Budweiser venturing into this realm, but makes sense given the popularity of craft beer. Budweiser has practically unlimited resources, so it figures that they might try their hand at fancier products.

 Pours a clear amber, and generates a fluffy off-white head. Lots of ts of tiny bubbles. Smells kinda like cheap whiskey, actually.

You know, actually, this is not terrible. A stunning endorsement, I know. This beer is thin, as expected, with lots of fizz. Like regular Budweiser, it's malty, slightly sweet, with flavors of stale wheat. The Jim Beam barrels definitely adds a flavor of slightly-sour, inexpensive whiskey, mostly on the aftertaste. Not getting a lot of oak, per se, but definitely tasting the whiskey. It doesn't taste artificial, but it does have a bit of sourness. But definitely drinkable.

A big issue here is the cost. It's $8.99, which is on the low end for craft beer, but on the high end for mass-produced stuff. While this was good to try once, you can get craft beer of much better quality for only a dollar or so more. Aside from any brand loyalty someone might have to either Budweiser or Jim Beam, I see no real reason to spend this amount of money on this beer. If it was $5.99 for six, I'd still say no because you can get Narragansett for that (and more of it, too). Best just to avoid this, or try it on draft somewhere if you're really curious.