Did you know that 63% of American adults enjoy a drink every now and then? Yep, it’s true! And can you guess which beverage is the most popular? That’s right, beer takes the crown with 42% of American drinkers choosing it. In fact, in 2021 beer was enjoyed the most (39%), followed by wine (31%) and liquor (27%), among alcoholic beverages.
Ever wondered how much beer is produced and consumed in the United States? Well, in 2012, the US produced a whopping 196 million barrels of beer; on average, every American drinks around 28 US gallons of it yearly! That’s a lot of beer! In 2021, the US was the world’s second-largest beer producer, with China at number one.
And, do you know, The Czech Republic has a serious love affair with beer – so much so that it holds the title of the world’s highest beer consumer, with each person drinking around 161 liters per year.
So, looking for the ultimate beer guide for 2023? Look no further! Based on sales data, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 beer brands that are popular and top-selling. Whether you’re a beer connoisseur or want to try something new, our list is the perfect place to start. So sit back, crack open a cold one, and get ready to discover your new favorite brew.
So without further ado, let’s move on to America’s top ten most popular beer brands!
10. PBR
Parent company: | Pabst Brewing Company |
Alcohol: | 4.8% |
Style: | American Lager |
Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) is a classic American lager beer crafted by the Pabst Brewing Company. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1844, the company has a long-standing history of brewing quality beers. Originally named “Best Select,” the beer was later renamed “Pabst Blue Ribbon” after winning the blue ribbon at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
Today, PBR is all the rage thanks to its iconic blue and red can design and cool counterculture vibe. With its light body and refreshing taste, this beer is the perfect addition to any gathering. Plus, with an alcohol content of 4.8%, it’s perfect for those who want to enjoy a socially-placed drink without getting overly buzzed. Cheers to PBR!
9. Natural light
Parent company: | Anheuser-Busch InBev |
Alcohol: | 4.2% |
Style: | Light Lager |
Natural Light is considered the official beer that contains the truth and makes things happen. Light Pilsner has the same number of calories as another light brand from Anheuser-Busch, Busch Light – 95. Natural Light was recognized for its delicious taste. Natural Light came third in the American-style light warehouse, behind Old Milwaukee Light and Lone Star Light. It hit 31 other beers (including all of the largest and most popular light beers in mass production).
8. Corona Extra
Parent company: | Constellation |
Alcohol: | 4.6% |
Style: | American Adjunct Lager |
Corona Extra is a luxurious beer owned by Cervecería Modelo, a Mexican brewery owned by A.B. InBev in Belgium. A piece of lime or lemon is usually added to the bottle’s neck to increase acidity and flavor. It is one of the best-selling beers in the world. Since 1998, Corona Extra has been the best-selling imported beverage in the United States and did not cross the border until 1981, but it became the country’s largest beer importer. According to reports, Corona sales in the United States are declining because people strangely associate it with the coronavirus. However, according to parent company Corona, sales in the U.S. increased by 5% in four weeks.
7. Busch Light
Parent company: | Anheuser-Busch InBev |
Alcohol: | 4.1% |
Style: | Brilliant Lager |
Lighter than the original Busch, this light beer only has a slightly lower ABV than the standard Busch (4.1% compared to 4). It lives up to its “light” name, however, with just 95 calories in a 12-ounce can (19 less than a normal bush) and 3.2 grams of carbohydrates (roughly half of what is almost its homonym). Busch Light is brewed with the finest grains and “exceptional barley malt” and seems to get mixed reviews from its consumers. However, the frequency of its usage appears to increase overall satisfaction among consumers with the infusion.
6. Miller Lite
Parent company: | MillerCoors |
Alcohol: | 4.17% |
Style: | Light Lager |
Miller Lite is an American 2V beer sold by Molson Coors from Chicago, Illinois. The company also produces Miller Genuine Draft and Miller High Life. Miller Lite mainly competes with Anheuser-Busch’s Bud Light and Coors Brewing Company Coors Light. Miller Lite is the Green Bay Dallas Cowboys packer, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Bellator MMA. Molson Coors called it “original pale beer. The Rheingold Brewing Company first developed low-calorie beer in 1967.
In 1972, Miller took over the brand that was once dominant in the New York market. The company reformulated the beer and reconstituted it in 1975. The name of Miller Lite is released along the icon “Tastes great! “Reduce satiety! “This advertisement impressed mainly athletes and other celebrities and helps to make this beer widely known.
5. Budweiser
Parent company: | Anheuser-Busch InBev |
Alcohol: | 5% |
Style: | American Adjunct Lager |
Budweiser is the best-selling undiluted beer in the United States (compared to soft drinks). It is brewed through a process called Kraeusening, which means it is aerated through actively fermented beer, which shortens the carbonation process and helps eliminate any taste disturbances. During this process, the brewer will add treated beech wood strips to attract yeast. It is the source of the famous Badal Beech. Budweiser is made from malted barley, rice, water, hops, and yeast. Primary fermentation, storage, and refinement of beech. It is laminated with beech chips in a storage container. Although the mature pot uses beech shavings, it has almost no woody aroma, mainly because it has been boiled in baking soda (baking soda) for 7 hours to remove the woody aroma.
4. Michelob Ultra
Parent company: | Anheuser-Busch InBev |
Alcohol: | 4.7% |
Style: | ABV Pale Lager |
Michelob is a pale beer founded by Adolphus Busch in 1896 to become a “beer connoisseur.” In 2002, the Michelob series responded by releasing the Michelob Ultra, advertised as low carbohydrate. For those on a low-carb diet, this is a good beer. Each 12-ounce bottle contains only 2.6 grams of carbohydrates. This makes it the fifth-lowest low-carb beer on the market and one of only five. It comprises Low calories as up to only 95.
3. Coors Light
Parent company: | MillerCoors |
Alcohol: | 4.2% |
Style: | Light Lager |
Coors Light is a 2% light beer brewed in Golden, Colorado. Albany, Georgia; Elkton, Virginia; Fort Worth, Texas; Irwindale, California; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, first brewed in 1978 by Coors Brewing Company, a 4.0V Canadian version of Coors Light made by Molson Coors Canada Inc. of Moncton, New Brunswick. The parent company is Molson Coors Beverage Company. In Australia, Beer critics don’t tend to think of a low-calorie, low-carb lager, but many drinkers like it – of course – perhaps because of its light, clean taste and ease with which it is drunk but truly diet-aware. There are at least a dozen different beers with fewer carbs and at least 14 others with fewer calories.
2. Modelo Especial
Parent company: | Anheuser-Busch InBev |
Alcohol: | 4.4.% |
Style: | American Lager |
Modelo Especial, the second most popular Mexican beer in America, is a rich Pilsner-style lager. It has a darker and richer flavor than the larger. Negra Modelo was brewed in the centenary Munich dark style and had its followers, but its sales are much lower. The brewery had to come up with two styles (they make chelates, but we’re still hot, especially for Especial and Negra) but make no mistake: in this little squat bottle made of effortless form influences from political agreements with Napoleon III up to the American ban.
1. Bud Light
Parent company: | Anheuser-Busch InBev |
Alcohol: | 4.2% |
Style: | Light Lager |
Bud Light is a longer brewed beer than the original Budweiser. It contains less sugar, giving the beer a lower calorific content than Budweiser and an ABV of 4.2%. Despite the popularity of Budweiser, its younger, weaker sibling Bud Light has a greater share of the international market. This Heavy “diet beer” was introduced by BudLight in 1982 as if to say, “We won’t be the first, but we will certainly be the greatest.
According to Dave William, the VP of Analytics and Insights at Bump Williams, Bud Light has dominated the U.S. beer market since 2001, with no signs of stopping anytime soon. With a year-to-date market share of 9%, it’s still ahead of Modelo’s 8%, and sales volumes are soaring. It’s safe to say that Bud Light is here to stay, and America can’t get enough.
Conclusion:
As you can see from this list, most of the country’s best-selling beers – 10 of them – are brewed by just two companies, MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch InBev. About a third of the herbal brews listed here fall into this category, including the three best-selling ones.
Despite overall US beer volume sales being down by 3% in 2022, craft brewer volume sales remained strong, maintaining a share of 13.2% in the US beer market by volume. So, next time you grab a cold one, make sure to support the small and independent brewers out there!
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Which is the worst beer to drink?
Natural Light: Pale Lager – American
2. Which is the world’s best-tasting beer?
Toppling Goliath Kentucky Brunch. It is one of the best beer brands in the world.
3. Which is America’s best-selling beer?
Bud Light has been the king of beers in the United States since 2001, and it seems poised to maintain that top spot this year. According to Dave William, Bump Williams’ VP of analytics and insights, Bud Light’s market share for the year is at 9%, which is higher than Modelo’s 8%. In fact, Bud Light continues to sell more beer than any other brand out there. Now that’s what we call a true champion!
4. Who is the #1 consumer of beer?
Czech Republic is the number one consumer of beer accounting to 6.77L beer consumption per capita in 2023.