This article will go through the top 30 selling brands in America. You can skip our extensive examination of the beer industry in the United States, the world’s largest beer producer, the Bud Light Controversy, and new opportunities in the U.S. beer market and go straight to the 10 Best-Selling Beers in America.
Given the importance the ancient Egyptians placed on enjoying life, it’s no wonder that they were the first culture to perfect the skill of brewing. In fact, the Egyptians were so proficient at it that their fame eclipsed that of the process’s genuine founders, the Sumerians of Mesopotamia. Beer was so important in ancient Egypt that it was considered a staple food, as it gave sustenance and hydration to the inhabitants, particularly those working in the fields along the Nile.
Women were the earliest brewers in ancient Egypt, and the deity who presided over the craft – Tjenenet, considered to be the Egyptian patron goddess of beer and brewing – may also have signified the early feminine influence in brewing.
The Beer Industry in the U.S.
Beer was the most consumed alcoholic drink in America in 2022, with 28.2 gallons consumed per capita. According to the Beer Institute, the beer business will support over 2.4 million local jobs in 2022 and contribute over $409 billion to the national economy, or 1.6% of GDP. In addition, the industry paid more than $132 billion in compensation and paid $63.8 billion in taxes to the federal government.
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) was created in 2008 after InBev acquired the American company Anheuser Busch for approximately $52 billion in cash, or $70 per share. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) generated $57.7 billion in revenue in 2022, with approximately $6 billion in net profits.
The Bud Light Controversy: Bud Light, which held the top rank as the best-selling beer in 2022 with a 12.6% market share, has seen sales fall following a conservative reaction over a social media campaign using transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD)’s stock price dropped from $65.9 on May 4th to $53.4 on May 31st, a drop of about 19% in less than a month.
Following a boycott from its more conservative consumer groups, Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) stated that the two executives behind the commercial effort were stepping down, sparking yet another reaction from the LGBTQ+ community. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation gave Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) a top grade for LGBTQ+ equality last year, but it’s now off the list due to how the corporation handled the problem.
Such boycotts rarely endure long, but this one appears to be more lasting than anticipated. In comparison to the same period last year, sales of Bud Light and Budweiser fell 28% and 11.7%, respectively. Other Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) products, like as Natural Light and Michelob Ultra, suffered sales declines.
Conservatives have lately chastised several US stores for selling LGBTQ+ items. Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) has sold Pride-themed merchandise in its stores for years, but the company announced last month that it would be making ‘adjustments’ to its LGBTQ+ themed products, citing increased confrontation between customers and employees as well as incidents of products being thrown on the floor. Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT)’s decision to pull some of its Pride goods in response to the backlash was deemed ‘wrong’ by New York Attorney Journal Laetitia James in a June 14th tweet.
Kohl’s Corporation (NYSE:KSS) received similar criticism for offering Pride-related merchandise. Due to such problems, US corporations will now have to step carefully and plan out their public relations tactics with extreme prudence in order to keep both their conservative and liberal client bases satisfied.
The aforementioned debate appears to have opened new chances in the American beer market, with former Bud drinkers now looking elsewhere to satiate their taste buds. The import beer sector appears to have benefited from this, as Constellation Brands, Inc.’s (NYSE:STZ) Modelo Especial has officially dethroned Bud Light as America’s best-selling beer. Modelo Especial was the top-selling beer brand at retail stores for the four weeks ending July 1st, accounting for 8.7% of total beer sales in the period, with Bud Light coming in second with a 7% share.
According to the Brewer’s Association, import beer had a 22.2% share of total US beer sales volume in 2022, up 2.8% from the previous year.
If you’re seeking to try out imported beers that won’t break the bank, check out 22 Cheap Imported Beer Brands Targeting Budweiser’s Market Share.
With that said, here is our list of the best-selling beers in the United States.
Methodology: We used the Information Resources Inc. (IRI) 2023 study on the beverage alcohol market to get statistics for this piece. Then, for the 52 weeks ending January 1st, 2023, we selected the 25 Best-Selling Beers in the US based on dollar sales of the various brand families in total U.S. multi-outlets (grocery, drug, mass-merchandisers, convenience, military commissaries, and select club and dollar retail chains).
1. Bud
Dollar Sales in 2022 will be $6.49 billion.
Bud represents some of America’s best-selling beers, including ‘The King of Beers,’ and is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD). Budweiser and Bud Light are two of the most popular beers in the United States, and Bud Light was even the best-selling beer in supermarkets and convenience stores until the recent controversy and reaction.
2.Modelo
Dollar Sales 3.97 billion in 2022
Modelo Especial is the best-selling import beer in America, with 112.4 million cases sold in U.S. multi-outlets in 2022, a 12.8% increase over the previous year. Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) currently sells Grupo Modelo beer brands in the United States.
3. Michelob
Dollar Sales: $3.57 billion in 2022
Michelob, which is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD), is the top domestic super-premium beer brand in the United States, with dollar sales of $3.57 billion in 2022, a 7% increase from 2021. The brand’s emphasis on creating small batches of beer has contributed to the brand’s reputation as a high-quality premium beer.
4. Corona
Dollar Sales: $2.96 billion in 2022
Corona is the world’s best-selling Mexican beer, available in over 150 countries. Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) is the sole licensee and manufacturer of Corona in the United States.
5. Coors
Dollar Sales for in 2022: $2.64 billion
Coors Light beer has a 4.2% ABV and is always lagered, filtered, and bottled cool. To create a more refreshing beer, the company employs pure water from old aquifers, deep lakes, and Rocky Mountain springs.
Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP) was founded in 2005 by the combination of Molson of Canada and Coors of the United States.
6. Miller Lite
Dollar Sales of in 2022: $2.16 billion
In the American low-alcohol beer market, the 4.2% ABV Miller Lite competes with the well-known Bud Light brand. The American pilsner brand, owned by Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP), has recently introduced the Miller Lite Beer Cubes Tray, which is meant to generate strategically-shaped beer cubes that fit exactly into the opening of a can of beer.
7. Busch
In 2022, Dollar Sales will be $1.82 billion.
Busch, another beer brand owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD), was the top domestic sub-premium beer brand in the United States in 2022, with $1.82 billion in dollar sales at U.S. multi-outlets, a 4.6% increase from 2021.
8. Natural
Dollar Sales: $1.35 billion in 2022
Natural Light was the first reduced-calorie light beer introduced by industry titan Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) in 1977. Because of its lightness, the beer is especially popular among younger, inexperienced consumers.
9. Heineken
Dollar Sales: $929.3 million in 2022
The classic Dutch beer, first brewed in the center of Amsterdam, is one of America’s Biggest Beer Brands. Heineken, which is now produced in over 140 breweries across the world, made American beer history in 1933 when it became the first imported beer to re-enter the US market following Prohibition.
10. Dos Equis XX
Dollar sales in 2022: $430.7 million
Dos Equis xx is a Mexican beer produced by the Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma Brewery and owned by Heineken N.V. Dos Equis Lager Especial is one of America’s top ten best-selling beers.
11. New Belgium Dollars
Sales in 2022: $429.3 million
In 2022, New Belgium was the best-selling craft beer brand in the United States, with $429.3 million in sales, a 14.5% increase over the previous year. In 2019, New Belgium was purchased by the Japanese beverage company Kirin Holdings Company for an estimated $352.8 million.
12. Miller High Life
revenue in 2022: $405.6 million
Miller High Life, a favorite among bartenders, brewers, and beer enthusiasts in general, was introduced in 1903 as the flagship beer of Miller Brewing Company. The ‘Champagne of Beers,’ owned by Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP), had 21.3 million cases sold in the United States in 2023.
13. Stella Artois
Dollar Sales: $401.6 million in 2022
Since its first brew in Belgium over 600 years ago, Stella Artois has been making the greatest lager with high-quality ingredients. However, since Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) began production in the United States, the Top-Selling Beer Brand has lost its ‘import’ designation. The 5.2% ABV pilsner is one among the world’s top 100 beers.
14. Keystone
In 2022, Dollar Sales will be $389.6 million.
Keystone, another beer brand owned by Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP), with dollar sales of $389.6 million in 2022, a 9.2% fall from 2021. Keystone Light’s smooth, clear flavor and lack of bitterness have helped it establish a strong presence in the American beer market.
15. Yuengling
Dollar Sales in 2022: $372.6 million
Yuengling is the oldest continuously operational brewing company in the United States, having been founded in 1829. The majority of Pennsylvania beer lovers prefer the 4.5% ABV Yuengling Lager, which is one of the top 50 beer brands in America.
16. Sales of Blue Moon
Dollars in 2022: $357.1 million
Blue Moon is a craft beer brand owned by Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP) that was launched in 1995. Blue Moon Belgian White, an award-winning 5.4% ABV witbier, is the company’s most popular beer.
Read More: Craft Beer vs. Commercial Beer: What’s the Difference?
17. Sierra Nevada
Dollar Sales: $312.4 million in 2022
One of the most popular beers in California, Sierra Nevada had approximately 7.8 million cases sold in the U.S. multi-outlets in 2022, a 5.3% decrease from the previous year. Sierra Nevada introduced their still-popular Celebration Ale in 1981, widely regarded as one of the first American IPAs.
18. Pacifico
Dollar Sales in 2022: $271.4 million
Now owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD), three German brewers established the Cerveceria del Pacifico in the small Mexican port town of Mazatlán in the year 1900. The 4.5% ABV Pacifico Clara is one of the top-selling beers in America in 2023
19. Samuel Adams
Dollar Sales in 2022: $219.8 million
Sam Adams, the flagship brand of The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (NYSE:SAM), is one of America’s largest and most award-winning craft beer brands. The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (NYSE:SAM) attracted a lot of interest due to a significant price movement on the NYSE during the last several months, increasing to $417 in February before falling to $306 in March, a decline of more than 26%. In 2022, the Boston Beer Company, Inc. (NYSE:SAM) reported revenue of $2.09 billion.
20. Guinness World Records Guinness
Dollar Sales in 2022: $171 million
This Irish dry stout, owned by Diageo, is one of the most imported beer brands in the world, with manufacturing in over 50 countries. According to a YouGov poll, Guinness will be the most popular beer in the United States in the second quarter of 2023.
21. Lagunitas
Dollar Sales in 2022: $162.1 million
Lagunitas craft beers, based in Chicago, generated $162.1 million in USD sales in 2022, a 10.9% decrease from 2021. Petaluma’s Lagunitas Brewing Co. and Alvarado Street Bakery have just joined up to avoid waste and develop a beer made from leftover bread. The result is a limited-edition beer called The Toast of Petaluma.
22. Labatt’s
Dollar sales in 2022 will be $147.5 million.
Labatt, the world’s number one Canadian beer, with a brewing legacy dating back more than 170 years. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) owns the world’s best-selling beer brand.
23. Shiner
Dollar sales in 2022 will be $128.6 million.
The Spoetzl Brewery makes a wide range of Shiner artisan beers, including their flagship Shiner Bock, which is one of Texas’ most popular beers. In March of this year, Shiner Beer also built a new BBQ restaurant at the Spoetzl brewery.
If you live in the United States of America and want to find the best craft beers near you, we’ve got you covered with Best Craft Beer Brands in Each U.S. State.
24. Tecate
Dollar sales in 2022 will be $125.3 million.
This Mexican import beer, born and brewed in Baja California, is one of America’s best-selling beer brands. Heineken N.V. paid $7.6 billion for FEMSA (Tecate’s parent company) in 2010.
25. Firestone
$111.3 million in Dollar Sales in 2022
Firestone Walker has been a pioneer in the field of hop-forward beers for the past 16 years, led by its experimental Luponic Distortion rotating IPA series and the Mind Haze family of hazy IPAs. Firestone Walker is one of the largest craft breweries in the United States by volume.
