Budweiser is the "official beer" of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and now some state legislators want to make the Anheuser-Busch brew the official beer of the state of Missouri, too.

The Associated Press reported March 10 that Missouri state Rep. Curt Dougherty has introduced a bill designating Budweiser as the state's official beer. Anheuser-Busch is based in St. Louis, and Dougherty says that the designation could help boost tourism to the state.

"We've got a state dinosaur, a state frog, a state reptile, a state flower, a state nut, but no one has given a thought to a company that's been in Missouri for many, many years and is bringing prosperity to our state and manufacturing a product in our state that many people enjoy," he said.

Twenty-seven others states have designated official drinks, but few are alcoholic. Alabama, however, named Conecuh Ridge Alabama Fine Whiskey as the official state spirit in 2004. "Just because it's an alcoholic beverage doesn't mean we should stick our heads in the sand," said Dougherty.