Budweiser Select 24 Pack Cans is a beechwood-aged American light lager with 4.3% ABV and 99 calories per 12 oz serving, packaged in a 24-pack of 12 oz cans. Brewed with an extended brewhouse process that runs approximately twice as long as standard beers, Select delivers noticeably lower carbohydrates while retaining more flavor character than most light lagers. Quick Facts: ABV: 4.3% | Origin: St. Louis, Missouri, USA | Style: American Light Lager | Brewery: Anheuser-Busch (AB InBev) Production & Heritage Budweiser Select is brewed by Anheuser-Busch, founded in 1852 in St. Louis, Missouri, and now a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV, the world's largest brewer. The recipe calls for two-row and roasted caramel malt—responsible for the beer's richer-than-expected amber color—along with a blend of hand-selected American and Bavarian hops. The liquid undergoes Budweiser's signature beechwood aging process and spends roughly twice the standard duration in the brewhouse, a technique that drives extended fermentation and naturally reduces carbohydrate and calorie levels without relying solely on dilution. Tasting Notes Aroma: Light hop presence opens the nose, followed by faint grain and a gentle malt sweetness. The overall impression is clean and restrained, with none of the heavy cereal notes common in mass-market lagers. Taste: The entry is dry and crisp, with detectable grain flavor and a hint of corn sweetness through the mid-palate. Subtle caramel malt character gives it slightly more body than competing ultra-light beers, though it remains firmly in the light-bodied camp. Finish: The beechwood aging shows itself here—a distinctive clean, dry close with a lingering woody-grain note. The finish is quick and refreshing, leaving minimal residual sweetness. How to Drink Budweiser Select Serve cold, ideally between 35–40°F, straight from the can or poured into a chilled pilsner glass to release the hop aroma. Its dry, clean profile also makes it a capable base for easy-drinking beer cocktails. Michelada: The dry finish and low sweetness let the lime, hot sauce, and Clamato take center stage without cloying overlap. Shandy: Mix with fresh lemonade—Select's subtle malt sweetness balances citrus tartness without adding heavy beer flavor. Beergarita: Combine with frozen margarita mix for a low-calorie twist where the light body keeps the drink from becoming overly thick. Best For Stocking a cooler for all-day barbecues and tailgates where sessionability matters Calorie-conscious drinkers who still want detectable malt flavor in a light beer Watching a full day of football or baseball without heaviness setting in Transitioning from ultra-light beers like Michelob Ultra to something with slightly more character Frequently Asked Questions What does Budweiser Select taste like? Budweiser Select is a dry, crisp light lager with subtle caramel malt sweetness, light grain flavor, and a clean beechwood-aged finish. It has more discernible malt character than most ultra-light beers while keeping the body light and the calorie count at 99 per serving. How does Budweiser Select compare to Michelob Ultra? Michelob Ultra is lighter at 95 calories and 4.2% ABV with a thinner, more neutral flavor profile, while Budweiser Select comes in at 99 calories and 4.3% ABV with more noticeable malt and grain character from its caramel malt bill and extended brewhouse time. Drinkers who find Michelob Ultra too stripped-back often prefer Select for its slightly fuller mid-palate. Is Budweiser Select good for casual drinking? Absolutely—its 4.3% ABV and 99-calorie count make it highly sessionable for extended social occasions. The clean, dry finish prevents palate fatigue over multiple servings. Where is Budweiser Select made? Budweiser Select is brewed by Anheuser-Busch, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, with production across the company's network of U.S. breweries. The brand has been part of the Anheuser-Busch portfolio since the mid-2000s. What foods pair well with Budweiser Select? Grilled chicken or burgers work well, as the dry finish cuts through charred fat. Fish tacos with lime crema complement the beer's light body. Pizza pairs naturally, with the carbonation cleansing rich cheese from the palate. Salted pretzels or roasted peanuts amplify the subtle grain notes. Light salads with vinaigrette also match the beer's crisp, low-sweetness profile. What sizes does Budweiser Select come in? Budweiser Select is widely available in 24-packs of 12 oz cans, as well as individual 12 oz cans and bottles, and various other multi-pack configurations depending on market availability. Is Budweiser Select worth the price? Budweiser Select positions as a step above standard ultra-light lagers in flavor complexity while remaining firmly in the everyday-value tier of American light beers. The extended brewing process and beechwood aging give it a slight quality edge that justifies a modest premium over the cheapest light lager options. Why Budweiser Select? The defining detail of Budweiser Select is its double-length brewhouse time—a production choice that naturally reduces carbohydrates through extended fermentation rather than simply watering down the beer. Combined with the caramel malt bill and Anheuser-Busch's beechwood aging, the result is a light lager that actually tastes like beer rather than flavored water. At 99 calories and 4.3% ABV, it occupies a practical sweet spot for drinkers who want flavor accountability without the 140-plus calorie commitment of a standard Budweiser. In a crowded light lager field, that brewing approach gives Select a legitimate claim to differentiation.
