St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch, a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, is adding some berry taste to its flavored malt beverage (FMB) lineup with the release of Bud Light Lime Straw-Ber-Rita. A follow up to the successful Lime-A-Rita, which launched last April and has sold more than 500,000 barrels, the Straw-Ber-Rita is an 8 percent alcohol by volume FMB that blends Bud Light Lime with the taste of a strawberry Margarita, the company says.

In 2012, the total U.S. beer market grew by 1 percent; however, craft beer grew 15 percent in volume and 17 percent in dollar sales, representing a total barrel increase of nearly 1.8 million, according to preliminary data from the Brewers Association, Boulder, Colo.

At the end of January, Budweiser asked its Facebook fans and Twitter followers to send along naming suggestions for the new baby Clydesdale that starred in its Super Bowl XLVII commercial.

Among the pumping bass, neon lighting and professional dancers at this year’s nightclub-themed National Distributors Conference for HEINEKEN USA, White Plains, N.Y., a subsidiary of Amsterdam-based Heineken International B.V., the company announced that, for the first time in five years, Heineken Lager is back in the black.

The old saying goes, “There’s no ‘I’ in team.” It’s not too hard to apply that saying to the U.S. beer market as analysts recognize the role different tiers and segments play in the category’s efforts to bring its case and dollar sales positioning back to pre-recession levels.

 This month, Longmont, Colo.-based Oskar Blues Brewery integrated its brewing and restaurant roots to open its fast-craft-casual restaurant, ChuBurger.  

 “King of Beers” takes on a new meaning for Anheuser-Busch’s new Budweiser Black Crown beer, which won national distribution through the brand’s Project 12 initiative. 

 With a goal of creating a cohesive look to create brand recognition and communicate the quality of its Belgian-style ales, Ommegang Brewery enlisted the help of Duffy & Partners, Flower City Printing and AR Metallizing.  

 Supporting its motto, “Everybody loves big cans,” Moat Mountain Brewing Co. launched its Bone Shaker Brown Ale in 24-ounce Rexam cans.  

On Jan. 31, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Washington, D.C., filed a civil antitrust lawsuit challenging Leuven, Belgium-based Anheuser-Busch InBev’s (AB InBev) proposed acquisition of total ownership and control of Grupo Modelo, Mexico City.