Review: Can't Admit You Love Hard Cider? Busch Light Apple's Got Ya, Big Guy

Anheuser-Busch was founded 174 years ago, and after the Busch family became owners of the St. Louis Cardinals, they infamously wanted to rename the stadium Budweiser Stadium after their signature sudsy product. Major League Baseball frowned on this idea, and so the ballpark was instead rechristened after the family name — Busch Stadium in 1953. Two years later, the brand sneakily debuted a new lager to match the stadium's name: Busch Bavarian. Minus the German region in its title, Busch has been having drinkers "Head for the Mountains" for seven decades strong. Among many Anheuser-Busch beers, Busch Light was first introduced in 1989, and in 2020, the first-ever flavor variant appeared when Busch Light Apple hit select market shelves.

In a press release at the time, Daniel Blake, vice president of Value Brands at Anheuser-Busch, noted, "We tested this flavor and knew immediately that our fans would love the crisp, refreshing taste." He added, "With this limited-time run, we know they'll be moving quickly to try it before it's out of the market."

Those words turned out to be prophetic, as fans demanded the return of Busch Light Apple in the ensuing years. The beer even earned the distinction of top limited-time innovation of 2025. The latest harvest of the beer has recently rolled into stores, and The Takeout took out a few cans to see if this idea was a ripe one or perhaps rotten to the core. Sit back and relax as we reveal our true thoughts and feelings in this Sip & Say.

I wandered into a beer and wine shop in South Orange, New Jersey, and there, as I was checking out, was a stack of attractive-looking beer cans that struck my eye — Busch Light Apple. I had never seen such a product and decided right then and there that I couldn't leave the store without buying some cans. The beers were super-chilled in a fridge overnight and sampled from the can and a glass, with my in-laws over a lovely chicken dinner. One can was consumed entirely by myself, and another by my co-taste testers. I also poured another to make a frozen popsicle, because why not?

While I noted the opinions of others, this review is a summation of my own personal tastes and opinions. It also takes into account my previous experiences with Busch products, fruity beers, apples, and lagers in general, as well as my current experience with this new beer. The ultimate criteria considered for this review were flavor, fruitiness, aftertaste, originality, uniqueness, and overall, whether it's a beer worth drinking.

It was the comely appearance of the Busch Light Apple can that drew me for the first time in eons to reach for a Busch Light. Instead of a boring white, gray, and blue can, this pretty fellow soothed my eyes with a splash of raspberry red and dreamy imagery of apples and orchards. It's window dressing for the beer's ubiquitous mountainous logo, which popped more than usual in this frame.

I snapped open the can, leaned my nostrils forward, and not really knowing what to expect next. It was a crossroads of smells. At first, I noted the crispness of an apple juice, but then the sneaky smell of a sticky, beer-soaked fraternity house floor began to have its say. This made me even more intrigued to see what the beer actually tasted like.

I poured the lager, and the bubbly golden-yellow, transparent suds appeared to glow in the glass, even leaving a small amount of foam head behind. I took a cautious first sip and was a little surprised at these good early returns. It felt like I was drinking mildly spiked apple juice, as the sugary sweet aspects of the fruit made for a most welcome splash in my mouth. Additional tastes brought further enjoyment, as it didn't even feel like there was any alcohol inside. Busch Light Apple is a smooth sipper that's like a more approachable apple cider, without its biting aftertaste. 

I tried to leave any preconceived notions off the table as I embarked on my taste test with Busch Light Apple, but I just had a stinking suspicion this was going to be atrocious. I couldn't have been more wrong, as this lager was light and refreshing, fruity and fun, and before I knew it, my can was empty in minutes. My fear had rapidly turned to tipsy elation, as my smile widened greatly thanks to this beer.

While I have enjoyed many of the things I have sampled for a Chew & Review and a Sip & Say, the likelihood of having seconds is not very high (mainly because there's always too many other new things to try next). Alas, I'm going to make an exception and keep tabs on Busch Light Apple going forward. It sounds like a gimmicky product, but there's proof in the pudding here, with a winsome taste that cannot be denied.

I then began to reminisce about when we used to make simple popsicles with apple and orange juice in my younger days. Could similar magic work with Busch Light Apple? There was only one way to find out, and after a night of patiently freezing the beer, my Busch Light Apple-sicle was ready to go. The only thing more surprising than how good Busch Light Apple is is how amazing it worked as a popsicle. It's essentially a lightly apple-flavored ice cube that's subtly delivering alcohol disguised as a treat. Perfect for summer too! This revelatory hack was even more mind-blowing than when I thought of putting Popeyes awesome coleslaw on its honey BBQ chicken sandwich this week. Cheers, Busch Light Apple!

Busch Light Apple is a limited-time offering, currently available nationwide while supplies last. It is a lager containing 4.1% ABV and is mainly available in 12-ounce cans but is also sold in 24-ounce tall boys. A 12-ounce can nets 130 calories and around 12 grams of carbohydrates. Based on the expiration date printed on the bottom of the can, the beer should remain good for four to five months (although you won't want to store the open beer in the fridge for that long).

The 12-ounce cans of beer are commonly sold in 12-packs and 30-packs. It is available to purchase at beer stores, convenience stores, grocery stores, and in some cases, bars and restaurants. Prices will vary by retailer, but I've seen 12-pack pricing online range from $18 to $20. The beer and wine shop I spotted them at sold a loose set of four for $9.99.