In this article, we are going to discuss the 20 most consumed beer brands in the world. You can skip our detailed analysis of the birth of the lager beer industry in America, the global beer market, the recent success story in the American beer market, and the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on the global beer industry, and go directly to 5 Most Consumed Beer Brands in the World.
The movement of people from one country and culture to another has been a major driver of worldwide beer culture for centuries. Food and drink, like music and language, are powerful components of culture, and even while expecting a better life in another land, people take these with them. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, around 5 million German immigrants arrived in America and they brought with them the German lager beer – a pale, almost gold-colored beverage that did not carry the strength of whiskey, or the price of European wine.
This led to the creation of large breweries in New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and eventually St. Louis, leading to the mass production of the German lager in the American market.
The Global Beer Market:
Beer is the most consumed alcoholic beverage in the world, and the third-most consumed drink overall. According to Straits Research, the global beer market was valued at $721.12 billion in 2022. It is projected to reach 1315.46 billion by 2031, with a CAGR of 6.9% during the forecast period.
Beer is also often touted as ‘recession-proof’, and with good reason. Beer tends to be cheaper than other alcoholic beverages and also has a very strong social aspect to it, making consumers loath to give it up, even during times of economic difficulty.
Recent Success Story in the American Beer Market:
As we mentioned in our article – 25 Top-Selling Beers in America – Modelo Especial, owned by Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) in the U.S., has officially dethroned Bud Light as the top-selling beer in America. Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ), an American firm that went into brewing only a decade ago, symbolizes a major success story in the American beer industry, however, an important part of this success is attributed to the U.S. antitrust laws.
Back in 2013, when the brewing industry behemoth Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) acquired Grupo Modelo for $20 billion, America’s Justice Department intervened. It was then decided that in order to keep the country’s beer market competitive, the company must divest Modelo’s entire U.S. business to Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ), which, at the time, was a little-known wine and spirit seller worth $8.1 billion.
The American company then seized the $4.75 billion deal as a major opportunity and with its aggressive marketing and efficient distribution, turned its Mexican beers into some of the Biggest Beer Brands in America. Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) currently has a market cap of $46.83 billion and boasted a revenue of $9.45 billion in 2022.
Impact of the Russia-Ukraine War on the Global Beer Industry:
After Russia began its aggression in its neighboring country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged international companies to turn their back on the Russian market. This led to the brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) disclosing in April 2022 that it would be selling its share in a joint venture with the Turkish brewery Anadolu Efes, which operates in Russia.
Similarly, Carlsberg and Heineken N.V. also announced their exodus from Russia in March 2022. The move was especially onerous for Carlsberg, as the Danish company held a 27% share of the Russian market through its ownership of the country’s largest brewer, Baltika.
Carlsberg sought a full disposal of their business in Russia, however, it has been reported that the Russian state has taken control of the company’s stake in Baltika effective immediately, according to a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin on the 16th of July 2023. Carlsberg has now announced that the prospects for full disposal of its business in Russia are highly uncertain.
With that said, let’s take a look at the Most Consumed Beers Worldwide.
Pixabay/Public Domain
Methodology:
To collect data for this article, we have searched through various websites like VinePair, Business Insider etc. and also the respective websites of several big beer brands/companies, looking for the Most Consumed Beer Brands in the World. In the end, we selected the top 20 beer brands with the highest global presence, assigned them a score based on the number of countries they’re available in, and ranked them accordingly. When two beer brands had the same score, we used the 2021 total output volume of their parent companies as a tie-breaker. This proxy for consumption has been used because the data on sales volume of specific brands was unavailable.
If you’re also interested in the best craft beers that America has to offer, please refer to our article Best Craft Beer Brands in Each U.S. State.
20. Singha Beer
Insider Monkey Score: 50
To ensure that its original taste is the same everywhere in the world, Singha beer is brewed exclusively in Thailand. Introduced in 1933, this Thai premium lager is one of the top 3 Most Consumed Beers in Thailand, along with Chang and Leo. Singha Corporation signed an $8 million 4-year sponsorship deal with Chelsea Football Club in 2010, which was later on extended till 2022.
19. Pilsner Urquell
Insider Monkey Score: 50
An estimated 11 million hectolitres of Pilsner Urquell are produced every year exclusively in the Czech city of Plzeň. In 2016, the Tokyo-based Asahi Group Holdings agreed to a $7.8 billion deal with Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) for the purchase of several European beer brands, including Pilsner Urquell, Lech and Tyskie.
18. Peroni
Insider Monkey Score: 50
Owned by the Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP), sales of this iconic Italian brand have nearly doubled since 2018. No brands in the Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP) portfolio welcomed the return of the on-premise more than the Peroni Nastro Azzurro. Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP) reported an increase of 39% in sales volume of Peroni in 2022, as compared to 2021.
17. Kingfisher
Insider Monkey Score: 52
One of the top-selling beers in the world, Kingfisher boasts a 35% market share in the Indian market. First introduced in 1857 and then relaunched in 1978, this premium Indian lager is brewed in the city of Begaluru by the United Breweries Group.
16. BrewDog
Insider Monkey Score: 55
With an annual production of over 800,000 hectolitres, BrewDog claims to be the largest craft beer maker in Europe. The company owns more than 100 pubs around the globe and plans to expand to 300 by 2030. Brand Finance valued the BrewDog brand at $1.953 billion in 2022, an increase of 8% from 2021.
15. San Miguel
Insider Monkey Score: 60
Jointly owned by the San Miguel Corporation (51%) and Kirin Holdings Company (48%), San Miguel is the most widely consumed beer in the Philippines and Hong Kong. The brand also has a presence in strategic growth markets in China, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. San Miguel was also the Most Popular Beer in the UK, according to data from YouGov.
14. Dos Equis XX
Insider Monkey Score: 60
First brewed in 1897 by German master brewer, Wilhelm Haase, who immigrated to the Mexican city of Monterrey, Dos Equis is one of the most popular imported beers in the American market. In 2010, Heineken N.V. agreed on a deal to purchase Mexico’s Femsa – the brewer of Dos Equis, Tecate and Sol – for $7.6 billion.
13. Leffe
Insider Monkey Score: 60
Brewed with passion since 1240, Leffe represents a range of premium abbey beers, now owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD). Although this iconic Belgian beer is now brewed at the Stella Artois brewery in Leuven, the abbey still continues to receive royalties from its sales.
12. Paulaner
Insider Monkey Score: 70
Since 1634, Paulaner has been dedicated to the art of brewing and still follows the Reinheitsgebot, the German purity law for beer. Now owned by the Schörghuber family, Paulaner had total sales of 2.2 million hectolitres in 2021, making it one of the Top 50 Beer Brands in the world. Paulaner has a partnership deal with the German football club Bayern Munich, which it extended till 2026.
11. Tecate
Insider Monkey Score: 70
Now owned by Heineken N.V., Tecate beer is well-known and respected around the globe due to its deep roots in both Mexico and the U.S. Brewed for over 60 years in Baja California, Tecate is among the most consumed beers in the world.
10. Bitburger
Insider Monkey Score: 80
Introduced in 1817 by Johann Wallenborn, Bitburger is the third best-selling beer brand in Germany. Bitburger Brewery Group reported a revenue of $818.2 million in 2022, an increase of 15% from the previous year.
9. Beck’s
Insider Monkey Score: 80
Recognized by beer lovers around the world by its inimitable taste, Beck’s beer was first introduced in Germany in 1873, by the brewmaster Heinrich Beck. According to the company’s website, around 3,000 Beck’s bottles are opened around the world every minute, making it one of the Top 10 Best Beers by sales in the world.
8. Stella Artois
Insider Monkey Score: 80
Stella Artois has been crafting the finest lager with quality ingredients since its first brew in Belgium over 600 years ago. The iconic pilsner has a sponsorship deal with Wimbledon, which it renewed recently.
7. Budweiser
Insider Monkey Score: 83
The flagship brand of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) is one of the Most Famous Beer Brands in the World. With brands like Bud Light and Budweiser under its belt, The Bud brand family is the top-selling beer in America in 2023, despite the recent Bud Light controversy.
6. Sol
Insider Monkey Score: 85
Born in the heart of Mexico in 1899, Sol is a bright and refreshing lager. Inspired by the sun and brewed to shine, just like those who drink it. Sol is also owned by Heineken N.V.
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Disclosure: None. 20 Most Consumed Beer Brands in the World is originally published on Insider Monkey.