Busch Light Apple will reach some SC cities later than others

Midlands and Lowcountry residents have been on the hunt for Busch Light Apple since the beer’s April 20 release date. But the search ended up taking college students and Busch fans across the state.

What fans call “Bapple” has not fully reached the Columbia or Charleston areas yet, distributors told Greens Beverages manager Larry Brown.

Social media and the product’s limited availability have intensified a near-hopeless search.

“It might be until June that we get a shipment in,” Brown said about the Greens Beverages on Assembly Street.

Brown said his initial shipment was supposed to arrive on April 20. The date was pushed to April 29 and, eventually, to May 4.

“Now we honestly don’t even know if we’re getting them,” Brown said.

The beer’s limited production means that distribution can be inconsistent. Busch Light released a Busch Apple tracker that allows users to search for the products in their area.

The tracker shows no sign of Busch Apple in Columbia, the Lowcountry or Myrtle Beach. Border regions near Rock Hill and Aiken show results.

But South Carolina college students and residents are still in disbelief.

University of South Carolina senior Reico Harris said that he did not trust the Busch Apple tracker and chose to do the work himself.

“I would still drive 30 minutes right now if I knew I could get Bapple,” Harris said after not having luck at locations just outside of Columbia. “It seems like everybody else has it,” Harris said.

Busch Apple’s 2025 launch month sold 1.2 million cases nationwide. S.C. Busch fans worry that the beer’s sheer popularity could cause the product to sell out before it reaches the shelves.

Green’s sold out in less than an hour last year, Brown said.

“They didn’t even make it on display,” Brown said. “And now, they come in and ask me about 30 times a day if I have it.”

Other Columbia wholesalers such as Patel’s and College Quick Mart were also told May 4 by distributors, owners said.

Patel’s owner Sajel Patel said they are also unsure how many cases each store will receive.

Busch Apple might be comparable to other apple-flavored beers on the market.

But that is not why the product is so loved, Harris said.

“It’s more of a “I want what I can’t have” kind of deal,” Harris said.