Missouri ? A state lawmaker wants to give the “King of Beers” its own kingdom by making Budweiser the official beer of Missouri.

Budweiser is a Missouri-based international icon that – if officially recognized – might even persuade more people to visit the state, state Rep. Curt Dougherty said Friday.

“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,” Dougherty said.

Dougherty’s bill was introduced last week but has not been referred to a House committee.

Budweiser has been made by St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch Inc. since 1876. It’s now produced in 12 regional breweries, though samples are flown daily to St. Louis for taste-testing.