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By The Numbers
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Topping the list in a whopping 30 states is Miller, otherwise known by its tagline, "The Champagne of Beers." The lager enjoys widespread popularity everywhere from Maine to Alaska, with a particularly dominant block in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest.
Miller is a hard beer to classify, in part because of its near-unanimous appeal. On the one hand, it could be considered a quintessentially American choice, the kind of beer that your great-great-grandparents might have drunk in their heyday. The beer was originally conceived in 1903 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a state and a region in which Miller still reigns supreme to this day. Look elsewhere, and you'll find that the self-described "Champagne" is popular with the trendy nightlife crowd. Industry professionals love it, as do snobby liquor connoisseurs who tend to turn up their nose at corporate-owned brands. It's the kind of beer that transcends any one demographic — in other words, a perfect hit.
Pulling in second was Coors, the beer of choice in eight states with a dominant showing in the Southwest between Texas and California.
Its success can be attributed, at least in part, to a sweeping marketing blitz. Aside from the beloved mountains on its cans that turn increasingly blue the colder the beverage gets, in the the past few years, the brand has invested heavily in a tongue-in-cheek campaign touting its chill, crushable flavor. Headline-grabbing goof products have taken center stage, including such innovations as beer-flavored popsicles, a thermal "Chill Jersey" and color-changing nail polish.
From a trends standpoint, one of the most surprising results is Guinness, which clocked in as the most popular beer in only three states: Georgia, South Carolina and New Jersey. The iconic Irish stout has witnessed a breakout moment over the past few months, thanks largely to younger drinkers. Co-signs from the unexpected likes of Olivia Rodrigo and Kim Kardashian have turned Guinness into a force to be reckoned with, facilitating a 24% rise in consumption among younger women and a 20% rise in consumption overall, according to executives. Viral drinking challenges like "Splitting the G" — wherein bargoers reduce their pint to the middle of the "G" logo in a single gulp — have only added to the zeitgeist.
The beer's popularity has gone so far as to fuel a Guinness shortage across the pond. Though the American market has yet to reach that tipping point, the stout's ballooning reputation may see it claim the top spot in a few more states the next time a poll is conducted.
Trailing behind Guinness are four beers that placed #1 in just two states each — Heineken, Busch, Budweiser and Bud Light.
This is where the dissonance between "popularity" and sales begins to rear its head. Busch, Budweiser and Bud Light — all owned by Belgian brewing giant AB InBev — are among the best-selling beers in America, regularly beating out brands like Miller and Coors in terms of sheer revenue. In light of the 2023 controversy that rocked Bud Light and other AB InBev products, it seems likely that these brands have taken a favorability dip even as sales remain relatively stable.
If you're curious about the breakdown: Heineken claimed Florida and New York, Bud Light claimed North Carolina and Ohio, Budweiser claimed New Hampshire and Missouri and Bush claimed Illinois and Indiana.
Coming in last are Blue Moon and Corona, the most popular beer in Colorado and Connecticut, respectively.
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