Like Crack In A Bottle

How I went almost two months without trying it, I don't know, but last night at The Big Hunt there was a young lady pushing free samples of Budweiser's new B^E (pronounced B-to-the-E for those of you who can't handle the algebra). If you didn't say "no" quick enough, she dropped the 10 oz. bottle right in front of you. How could I not give it a try?*

My first impression was "Wow, this is no where near as bad as I had imagined!" It tasted just like a Stoli Raspberry and tonic, not bad at all. There was no overpowering sweetness or nasty aftertaste like you get with a Red Bull. It also didn't pack the punch of a Red Bull and vodka. No twitching or irregular heartbeats with this gentle energy drink. It also is not something that I see myself ever buying in a bar. It really falls into that nether world of not-beer-but-not-mixed-drink. Just for the record, I don't do wine-coolers either.

The bottom line is that B^E is not as foul as you would expect. Most of the people here seemed to like it as well. If you are looking for something a little sweet with a little alcohol and a little caffeine, go for it.


*As we gingerly tested our B^Es, the question was raised does Budweiser reimburse bars for the free samples, seeing how I ordered one less beer because I had a bottle already in front of me? Or do the bars see it as a way to build a customer base, and just eat the loss?