Busch Light Returns Cult ‘Bapple’ Beer, Teases New Pickle Flavor

“Bapple,” the portmanteau of ‘Busch’ and ‘apple,’ is returning to the drinking lexicon as Busch Light is bringing its beloved apple-flavored lager back to retail shelves. Busch Light Apple — or, as fans call it, “Bapple” — will hit stores this month in limited quantities, parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI) announced Monday.

There’s also potential for a new pickle-flavored lager to join Busch’s portfolio of limited-edition beers. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau’s (TTB) Certification/Exemption of Label/Bottle Approval (COLA) registry shows a label approval from April 6 for Busch Light Pickle, which is classified as a malt-flavored beverage. MyBeerBuzz, which first reported the Pickle label, also located labels for two additional Busch Light flavors: Orange and Lemon.

The apple lager’s return comes amid a relatively solid start to the year for Busch, which is based in St. Louis, Mo. The brand’s dollar sales are up 5.1 percent in food stores and 8.6 percent in convenience shops compared to last year’s figures, according to data through March 22 tracked by market research firm Circana.

“Bapple” first launched in 2020 and enjoyed quite the publicity tour involving a keynote-style speech and a helicopter that airdropped a massive delivery of the beer. Busch discontinued the line in 2022, much to the dismay of its many fans. In response, die-hards stocked up on cases and posted on social media lamenting their loss, according to ABI’s announcement.

Fans are already gearing up to snag cases of the apple-flavored lager. Busch Light posted “BUSCH LIGHT APPLE IS BACK” to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday, and “Bapple” buffs swarmed to the comments. “WE ARE SO BACK,” one user said. “This is the best day of my life,” another added.

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