When beer lovers think of craft beers, certain names come to mind: Redhook, Magic Hat, Smuttynose, Samuel Adams. A name not on the list? Bud Light. But that’s something the beer’s company could be trying to change.

This January, Anheuser-Busch InBev is set to release a new brew, Bud Light Platinum, the company said Wednesday in a statement. The new beer “appeals to a key group of beer drinkers and expands consumer occasions,” the company says, leading some to wonder if this is the company’s attempt to “tap in” to a popular craft beer market. US beer sales were down 1 percent by volume in 2010, but craft beer sales, in dollars, rose 15 percent in the first half of 2011, according to the Brewers Association.

But what makes a “craft” beer? The Brewers Association defines a craft brewer as “small, independent and traditional”–all things Anheuser-Busch InBev, the largest brewer in the world, arguably is not. So is “craft” beer set to be the next ambiguous but trendy label, a la “green” or “natural”?  We’ll have to wait and see.

All ad space is officially sold out for the Super Bowl as of Monday, said CBS spokeswoman Shannon Jacobs. CBS, the broadcaster for this year’s NFL championship, had some difficulty selling the last few of more than 62 spots, according to CNN. t.

CNN reports that a 30-second spot sold for up to $3 million, and Anheuser-Busch is the top advertiser this year having purchased five minutes worth of ad time.

Several first-time advertisers are in the lineup, according to the LA Times, including Kia Motors America, Qualcomm’s Flo TV and KGB texting information service. In addition, the Christian group "Focus on the Family," will be displaying a controversial anti-abortion commercial featuring college football star Tim Tebow. In addition, CBS rejected a gay dating website advertisement for ManCrunch.com, reported the LA Times.

“This year we are going to call it the Controversy Bowl,” said Mike Sheldon, chief executive of the Los Angeles advertising firm Deutsch LA. “It used to be a championship football game, then it became an advertising showcase, and now the Super Bowl has turned into a microphone for special interests."

Last month, CBS said it was selling 62 spots, but spokesman Dana McClintock said that the number has grown and is now very close to last year’s 69 spots.

“We’re happy campers over here,” said Jo Ann Ross, the president of network sales at CBS. Ross also said that there are some spots still available during the pre-game broadcast.

Last year’s Super Bowl had a record 98.7 million viewers, according to Nielsen, and Kantar Media says ads during the 2009 game brought in $213 million.

On October 29, the Stella Artois World Draught Master competition crowned a new winner in New York to epitomize the company’s never ending dedication and passion for superior beer.

Avril Maxwell of New Zealand won the competition, now in its 13th year, and will now embark on a journey to more than 20 different countries as a Stella Artois ambassador, guaranteeing that every chalice of Stella Artois is poured properly and served just right.

The competition included a jury panel to select individuals who could display true dedication and perfection in the “Passion Test”, and saw contestants from 26 countries, converging in New York to compete for the nine step pouring ritual.

Global Marketing Manager of Stella Artois, Alexander Lambrecht, said: “The World Draught Master competition is integral to our ongoing quest to deliver superior beer experiences the world over, ensuring that Stella Artois is served with the same care, consideration and craftsmanship as has gone into more than 600 years of brewing…we (also) wanted to create a global conversation about the Stella Artois World Draught Master competition by inviting people into the event via live streaming and providing an opportunity for them to decide on what competitor embodied perfection.”

Maxwell’s trophy was designed by New York fashion designer Tim Hamilton as part of a unique collaboration with Stella Artois. Hamilton also created a limited edition chalice glass in honor of the World Draught Master 2009 competition.

Runners up included Joe Oppedisano of Canada (2nd), who also won Online Fans’ Choice award, and Alexey Shtukarev of Russia (3rd).

For beer companies that make their money through mass distribution and high volume sales, history shows us that whenever one brewer introduces something new, the others follow.

Right now, it’s lime.

The Miller Brewing Company introduced Miller Chill in June 2007. The beer has done incredibly well — sales are about to surpass first-year expectations. According to Bloomberg Media, more than 325,000 barrels were sold in the first three months, allowing it to capture one percent of the US beer market-tremendous growth for an introductory product.

Anheuser-Busch just released Bud Light Lime. They intend to drive purchases amidst a struggling economy and stagnant beer sales. Just in time for summer barbecues, Anheuser-Busch is backing Bud Light Lime with a $35 million advertising campaign, MSNBC reports.

So how should beer companies react? Here are my recommendations for several well-known brands.

Bud Light Lime: You hopefully did the research and found that people like lime. Use your leverage as a mass-distributor to get your product to where people buy beer. Then advertise your lime beverage like crazy to get people to try it. A $35 million budget is a nice start. Drive sales up to make the investment worth it and then get out before sales tank.

Miller Chill: With another mass-market competitor entering, your brand will feel the pressure. So you have to make a decision. Do you pull out of the market, take your profit, and let Bud take the share? Or do you increase advertising and take on this new summer refreshment head to head? Not an easy call. I feel that you cannot just let Bud Light have the percent share of the market you worked hard to earn. You have done well this past year and with a little creative advertising, you should go challenge your largest competitor.

Coors Light: Stay out of the “lime craze.” You cannot win. First, you are too late to enter. You cannot compete after both Miller Lite and Bud Light have entered the arena. Second, you pride yourselves on “Rocky Mountain ice cold refreshment.” When people think about limes and beer, the most common association is Corona, which is a Mexican beer. The Rocky Mountain cold does not equate well with warm, Gulf coast beaches. A Coors Lime dilutes your unique positioning proposition.

Corona: Keep doing what you are doing, maybe step up advertising a little bit, but you are the import that owns limes. Lime plus beer equals Corona. What started as a seasonal beer is now the largest import beer in the United States. These other beers will fade and you will remain on top. Keep up the good work.

Guinness: Have no fear Guinness drinkers-your beer will not be changed. If there is one thing that will unite the Protestants and Catholics of Northern Ireland, it is a mutual agreement that fruit does not belong in thick, Irish beer. Your brew will remain unchanged.

Anheuser Busch squeezes Bud Light Lime onto package store shelves nationwide on Tuesday.

We got our hands on some.

Skepticism reigned when I passed the twist-off bottles around the table at the weekly poker game, with looks of “what’s this stuff?”

Surprise followed.

“This is pretty good!” “Wow … not what I was expecting.” “Not bad.”

Even MadeHandPoker.com‘s Mark Scalia took a break from his usual steady stream of Twisted Tea.

Bud Light Lime is a crisp, summery brew. It’s light and easy to drink like traditional Bud Light but subtly fruity and very tasty, unlike traditional light American beers.

It’s a corny notion, but the beer makes me feel like flipping a burger on the grill or roasting some corn on the cob the way a bucket of Corona’s or a tall glass of Sam Summer does. Bud Light Lime could turn itself into a successful picnic beer during the coming warm weather months.

The beer is a pleasant surprise and looks like it represents a growing trend among national brands to capture the kitsch of craft beer and popular micro-breweries. With the amazing popularity of Samuel Adams’ seasonal brew, Busch recently introduced its own collection of winter, spring, summer, and fall flavors.