News: The Top 10 Selling Beers in America 2011

According to beer sales, the Top 10 (per market share) are as follows:

Grandpa: "I remember when beers cost 15¢!"

1.  Bud Light: 19.2%

2.  Budweiser: 12%

3.  Miller Lite:  8.6%

4.  Coors Light:  7.8%

5.  Natural Light:  4.2%

6.  Corona:  4%

7.  Busch:  2.8%

8.  Busch Light:  2.8%

9.  Heineken:  2.4%

10.  Miller High Life:  2.3%


What decade are we in?  Are we still in the decades where the the only beers around were beers like PBR, Budwesier and Schlitz? Can anybody else see what is wrong with this list?  The fact that beers like Busch and Busch Light are on it should be enough of a clue.  Seriously, America?! It seriously makes me throw up a little.  I just want make it clear that I am not blaming the older beer consumers or the college kids.  Most of the older crowd grew up 20-30 years ago when only PBR, Miller and Coors were around.  And most college kids drink it to get wasted on a budget.  To be frank, this is an embarrasing list.  The prominent beer countries of the world, which are Germany, Belgium and the Czech Republic, are laughing in our faces. Come on America!

"There are hot girls in their ad! I'm going to
buy their beer!"

Anheuser-Busch spends over $1 BILLION A YEAR on marketing.  $1 BILLION! Do you know why?  It is the only way to convince consumers to drink their beer.  None of their advertising discusses the quality of their beer or how great of a product it is.  They put out stupid commercials trying to be clever and funny only to distract consumers and hide the truth.  They know their beer is crap, but they don't want you to know that. They count on the fact that you will ignore the quality and drink Bud Light because everybody else does and it is the trendy thing to do.  And don't get me started with MillerCoors' "Man card" bs.  The way I see it, you shouldn't even have a "man card" if you are drinking Miller Light, or any light beer for that matter.  People say they hate Target and Wal-Mart because they put local business out of commission.  Well guess what?  Anhesier-Busch and MillerCoors are the Wal-Mart and Target of beer.  Why Americans continue to support them is beyond me.  Considering that not one quality beer is on this list is flabbergasting and seriously scares me.

I have heard numerous reasons why people choose to drink those beers instead of real beers:

"I'm happy drinking a watered down light beer
because I need to lose weight."

"I am trying to lose weight," or "I can't afford all the calories a better beer provides."  

First of all, if you are worried about your weight, you shouldn't be drinking beer at all.  Period!  Drink wine or have a mixed drink.  If you want to have a beer, suck it up and drink a real beer!  Instead of pounding a 20 pack of Bud Light, buy a six pack of an enjoyable, quality beer and drink it in moderation.

"These beers are cheaper."

With the price of these beers steadily rising, the price gap between these cheap beers and good quality beers has narrowed.  I even went to the store the other day and compared.  A six pack of Budweiser was priced at $6.99 and a six pack of Sierra Nevada was priced at $7.99.  Only a dollar more!  Its not like choosing the cheaper beers will save you a bunch of money or will give you a higher alcohol content.  Its just choosing lower quality, watered down beers with the equivalent alcohol content of a good quality beer. 

"I like the taste."

If you say this in regards to any of the beers mentioned above, you don't like beer.  Period! None of those "beers" should ever be considered beers.  Beer doesn't taste like carbonated water and corn adjuncts.  They are a beverage made with the crappiest and cheapest ingredients.  They then water it down making it easier to pound a six pack in 10 min., thus increasing their sales and profit margin.  It no coindidence that a 20 pack of Bud Light is usually cheaper than a 12 pack of Bud Light.  It's all about quantity over quality (and yes, I am picking on Bud Light for several reasons).  If you drink those beers, its fine, but please don't call yourself a beer drinker.

So there you have it, folks.  The top 10 selling beers in America.  Sigh....