By David Benady

Anheuser-Busch is launching red beer – one of the fastest growing sectors in the US beer market – into the UK.

Roscoe’s Red – the Anheuser brand – is brewed in the US using roasted barley to give it a red colour. It has an alcoholic strength of five per cent proof and will be launched in 355ml screw-cap bottles.

The initial launch will be in Scotland, and it will then be rolled out to the rest of the UK. It is understood the brand uses the advertising strapline “for the man of the Nineties”. It is aimed at 18 to 30-year-old “new lads”.

A multimillion pound ad campaign is expected to break through Anheuser’s UK agency BMP DDB.

One observer says: “Red beers are successful in the US, where they don’t have bitter. Roscoe’s will be positioned in the UK as a premium ale, to be drunk from the bottle. The bottle design is striking with a cream and red label.”

Roscoe’s Red is the third product launched in the UK by Anheuser-Busch, and follows Budweiser and Michelob, which both have heavy advertising support.