Miller Brewing Co. says it has dropped test marketing of a fruit-flavoured malt beverage called Brutal Fruit because consumers didn't like the drink. But despite the drink's test results, Anheuser-Busch plans to move forward with launching its own fruity malt beverage.

The Miller drink did poorly when it was tested this spring and summer in Richmond, Va., Tampa, Fla., and Seattle, Miller spokesman Peter Marino said.

Brutal Fruit had been billed as fruit juice with five per cent alcohol by volume, a level similar to beer, and it came in strawberry, mango, litchi and kiwi flavours.

The drink was introduced in 2002 in South Africa by SABMiller Plc, Miller's corporate parent, and has enjoyed strong sales in South Africa, particularly among women between 24 and 35.

"We will aggressively look at products that have had success in other parts of the world for SABMiller," Marino said. "But we're going to be very disciplined in what we ask our system to focus on and support."

Despite Brutal Fruit's brutal test results, Anheuser-Busch just announced last week it will launch Tilt, a new raspberry-flavoured, caffeinated malt beverage.