But Will Beer Drinkers Buy It?

Anheuser-Busch said Thursday it will begin testing its new wheat beer in selected markets in five states next week.

The beer, known as Crossroads, promises to open up a new category in the beer industry, officials at the brewery said.

“Our goal with Crossroads is to take what has traditionally been a specialty-niche product and turn it into a more mainstream beer that has a wide consumer appeal,”said Paul Stoddart, Crossroads’ senior brand manager.

Crossroads will begin arriving Monday in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn.; Raleigh and Durham, N.C.; and Columbus, Ohio. It also will be available in select Florida and Texas markets.

Crossroads is an unfiltered, top-fermented beer that includes wheat malt and two strains of yeast. It has a “fruity aroma and a clean, crisp finish,” Stoddart said.