This Bud's for you, America.
Budweiser is renaming its beer "America" for the summer. The special cans and bottles will be available May 23 through the presidential election in November, owner Anheuser-Busch said Monday.
The Atlantic notes that's just in time for peak beer season: "Summer is the best-selling season for beer — about one-third of all U.S. sales are between Memorial Day and Labor Day."
The cans, in addition to the usual patriotic flare, will have phrases from the Pledge of Allegiance and lyrics from "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "America the Beautiful," the company said.
"We are embarking on what should be the most patriotic summer that this generation has ever seen, with Copa America Centenario being held on U.S. soil for the first time, Team USA competing at the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games," Budweiser Vice President Ricardo Marques said in the press release.
Amid all the talk of patriotism, the Internet was quick to point out that Anheuser-Busch sold itself to Belgian brewer InBev for about $50 billion in 2008. As The New York Times reported at the time:
"The deal marks a sharp reversal for Anheuser, based since it was founded in St. Louis. When InBev announced its initial $46.3 billion offer last month, Anheuser mounted a fierce defense. It drew upon its heritage and its history as a major benefactor of its hometown, and argued that it could increase its profits alone."
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