<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-31</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000310569</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ANHEUSER BUSCH COMPANIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BUD</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001182156</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARTINEZ VILMA S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>MUNGER, TOLLES &amp; OLSON</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>355 SOUTH GRAND AVE., 35TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90071</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>562.174</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>153</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>52.075</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F3"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F3"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>153</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20599</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Includes shares held in an automatic dividend reinvestment plan.</footnote><footnote id="F2">This security converts to common stock on a one-for-one basis.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Phantom Stock Units acquired pursuant to the Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors.  Payable in cash triggered by the earliest of the following:  (1)  the date specified by the reporting person, payable in either a lump sum or equal quarterly installments over a period not to exceed ten (10) years as selected by the reporting person; (2) death, payable in a lump sum; or (3) a Change of Control, payable in a lump sum.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>JoBeth G. Brown, Attorney-in-Fact for Vilma S. Martinez</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-04</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

