Are you a fan of lager beers? With one of the world’s largest and most diversified beer cultures, America is home to some of Earth’s best craft and mass-produced lagers.
Whether Budweiser, Miller Lite, or Coors Light, plenty of classic American-style lagers are out there to explore.
Best-Selling American Larger Brands
The most popular beer brands in the U.S. are Budweiser, Bud Light, Coors Light, Miller Lite, and Michelob Ultra.
Budweiser
As one of the oldest beer brands still in production today, Budweiser has earned the distinction as an American classic and a favorite among many. Since its first introduction in 1876, Budweiser’s popularity has continued to rise year after year; now, it is one of the top-selling beers in the U.S., indicating how beloved this iconic brew is throughout America.
Anheuser Busch Brewery, who owns Budweiser, proudly proclaims ‘It’s The King Of Beers’ and with good reason: The combination of barley malt combined with hops from three continents gives Budweiser a flavorful character that has kept customers coming back for generations.
Bud Light
As one of the best-selling American lager brands, according to 2019 U.S. beer sales data, Bud Light is known for its light and easy-to-drink taste – a characteristic exclusive to American-style lagers.
Bud Light is made from malt, hops, yeast, and water and has a medium bitterness and incredible smoothness due to its light body. Its relaxed character also makes it desirable for those looking for a sessionable drink since it has no aftertaste or overwhelming sweetness; perfect for summer days on the beach or outdoor festivities.
With only 110 calories per 12 oz serving size and 4 grams of carbs per serving, this timeless classic carries very little nutritional information making it popular amongst those living a healthy lifestyle while still enjoying the flavor of their favorite beer brand.
Coors Light
Coors Light is one of the best-selling and most iconic American lager beers, launching in 1978. This light lager made by MillerCoors is recognizable as a fan favorite with its gold-colored can, whether on a beach cooler or tailgating session.
It has become essential for any gathering of friends due to its easy-drinking taste, unique brewing process, and ingredients.
Coors utilizes cold-filtered brewing techniques not often seen in mass-produced American beers; this method also has its signature crisp flavor profile, making Coors Light a popular option.
From brewing processes down to the packaging – Coor’s Light ended up the second place when it comes to top-selling lagers in 2017 within the United States at 16.5 million barrels sold off throughout that year!
Miller Lite
Miller Lite is a famous American light-style lager beer that has been around for over 40 years. It is brewed by Miller Brewing Company, which has grown to become the 2nd largest brewing company in the United States and is widely known for its unique tasting blend of ingredients.
Ingredients made by Miller Lite are carefully selected from premium hops and malted barley, using up to 30% fewer grains than standard beers. This gives it a crisp, clean finish with light flavor notes and incredible drinkability.
Because it goes through a cold-filtering process instead of pasteurization, more of the original flavors remain intact throughout this type of lager beer. Plus, compared to other popular light beers like Bud Light or Michelob Ultra, Miller Lite only contains 96 calories per can, making it one of the most calorie-friendly options on the market today.
For crafty beer connoisseurs who don’t mind paying extra money for high-quality brews, there’s something special about drinking an ice-cold pint (or can!) Of fresh Miller Lite that can’t be overlooked – especially when you factor in lower amounts of carbohydrates and calories as part of its classically smooth taste profile!
Michelob Ultra
Michelob Ultra is one of the best-selling American lager brands and is associated with the best American-style lagers to try, with top picks available. It’s no surprise that Michelob Ultra has become increasingly popular over the past ten years due to its lower calorie content and ability to fit into a healthier lifestyle.
With only 2.6 grams of carbs, 96 calories, and 4.2 percent Alcohol by Volume (ABV), it stands out from other beers in terms of being low-calorie yet still enjoyable in taste for beer drinkers looking for a lighter option than most craft beers provide.
Additionally, Michelob Ultra has surpassed Miller Lite as America’s leading beer brand,d. It continues to be highly marketed in the U.S. today due to its broad appeal across health-conscious consumers who prefer low-carb alternatives when drinking alcohol without sacrificing flavor or intensity.
Best American Style Lagers To Try
For a great selection of American-style lagers, try Coors Banquet Lager Beer, Narragansett Lager, Miller High Life Light, Anchor California Lager, Busch Beer, Caldera Lawnmower Lager, and Yuengling Flight.
Coors Banquet Lager Beer
It is among the top American lagers on many craft beer lovers’ lists. It was nicknamed “Banquet Beer” by miners in Clear Creek Canyon, where it has been served in banquet halls or huge banquet tents for over 140 years! It’s light and clean taste has become a favorite among craft brewers, making Coors Banquet Lager Beer an easy choice when looking for an American-style lager.
Coors Banquet Lager Beer stands out due to its distinctive flavor profile of hops, grains, and a touch of sweetness from the maltiness. The ingredients are all-natural, creating a smooth yet crisp-tasting drink that pairs well with almost any food item.
The brewing process also sets Coors Banquet apart, employing innovative techniques such as chill filtration and cold crashing for extended aging periods to bring out the best flavors possible in every batch of their famous brew.
This makes Coors Banquet stand out from other macro beers and some small brewed artesian crafts, thanks to its perfect balance between complexity and taste.
Narragansett Lager
Narragansett Lager is an iconic American-style lager that has been around since 1890 and has gained a loyal following among beer enthusiasts. As one of the original 20 Great American Lagers, Not Named Budweiser, it is an integral part of American beer history.
The unique lager is brewed by Narragansett Brewing Co., which uses only superior-grade ingredients like Amarillo hops to create its distinct flavor profile – malty sweetness with a hint of hop bitterness and full body taste.
Its pale golden color, light body, and clean finish make it particularly refreshing on hot summer days or for pairing with various regional cuisines.
Narragansett Lager also impresses with its wallet-friendly price compared to some craft beers in the market today. This keeps both fans, young and old, returning and attracting new customers – from college students looking for a budget pick to adventurous millennials determined to try something historic they can get behind without breaking their bank accounts.
Miller High Life Light
As one of the most popular American-style lagers, Miller High Life Light has become an international sensation for its perfect balance of bubbles and taste. It belongs in the adjunct lager category, designed to have mass appeal and wide distribution, allowing it to go further than other craft beers of similar quality.
The unique blend of ingredients used for this beer gives it a distinct flavor profile and makes it a refreshing beverage that’s easy to drink in any quantity. Its crispness also puts it at the top among those who enjoy light beer styles while still mastering an iconic aroma; not surprisingly, this classic brew continues to get recognized with awards around the world as one of America’s best-tasting beers.
As such, Miller High Life Light has become known as a favorite beer among the working class due to its affordability and convenient availability throughout grocery stores across many states.
Anchor California Lager
Anchor California Larger is an American-style lager beer created by the San Francisco-based brewery Anchor Brewing Company. Its unique creation stands out from other famous American lagers due to its distinct flavor and history.
California Lager is specially made with traditional brewing techniques and ingredients, including pale barley malt, for a smooth chipotle pepper hop character. The beer gives off aromas of sweetness or caramel-like malt complexity and offers hints of biscuit, honey, and toasted bread crusts in the taste palate.
Compared to other mass-produced American lagers today, such as Budweiser or Miller Light, Anchor California Lager has a full-bodied flavor while being light enough to enjoy on any occasion.
This craft beer also stands out because of its price point, making it affordable without sacrificing quality compared to more expensive competitors like Heineken Lagers or Samuel Adams Boston Lager in terms of taste profile and alcohol percentage by volume (abv).
Overall, Anchor California Lager has become one of my favorites due to its unique flavor profile crafted from traditional brewing techniques that give this unique creation an unforgettable experience every time I have one.
Busch Beer
Busch Beer is a famous American-style lager produced by Anheuser-Busch. This delicious golden beer has been enjoyed since 1955 and is one of the nation’s most recognized brands.
Busch packs light flavor with relatively low alcohol content, just 4.3%, and a meager calorie count of only 114 calories per bottle – lower than many other light beers on the market today! It is ideal for those who prefer a more delicate drink with a different flavor than mass-produced beers like Budweiser or Miller Lite.
The brewing process for Busch requires top-quality ingredients primarily sourced from across Europe and caramel malts responsible for its unique taste profile. The brewers carefully monitor it during fermentation and lagering stages when the temperature needs to be precisely maintained, ensuring an excellent finished product every time.
Caldera Lawnmower Lager
Caldera Lawnmower Larger is a deliciously light and crisp lager crafted from all-natural ingredients for the true beer connoisseur?
It has a soft yellow-amber color, an inviting malty aroma, and almost neutral hop bitterness due to its unique blend of hops, malts, and yeast sourced from Europe.
What makes this beer great is Caldera’s commitment to using a traditional open fermentation brewing system which allows the combination of giving wonderful flavors unlike any other American-style lager.
Its uniquely mellow taste makes it one of the best American Style Lagers on the market today and is highly rated worldwide by independent breweries reviews.
Although there are many mass-marketed beers in America these days, such as Budweiser or Miller Lite, that may use similar recipes, top craft lagers like Caldera Lawnmower stand completely apart with their superior flavor profile while also giving back to local communities by supporting brewers directly through purchases without extra packaging added costs from big brands.
Yuengling Flight
Yuengling Flight is an American-style lager brewed using traditional American ingredients and a slow fermentation process that gives it a crisp, easy-to-drink flavor. It has 2.6 grams of carbs, 95 calories, and 4.2% ABV.
Yuengling Flight was recently awarded gold at the U.S. Open Beer Championship in 2018 for “Best Lager” due to its unique flavor notes and quality brewing methods.
What Makes A Great American Style Lager?
Great American-style lagers are characterized by their use of specialty hops, malts, and other ingredients to create a uniquely refreshing and complex flavor profile.
Ingredients Used
The ingredients are integral to its flavor and atmosphere when making a tremendous American-style lager. To produce a crisp and clean-tasting beer, maltose is essential; this ingredient provides fermentable sugars, creating the pleasant malty flavors of American beers.
Barley is generally the source of maltose used when crafting these lagers, though other grains may also be used depending on the brewer’s preference. In addition to maltose, hops provide distinctive aromas and add bitterness for balance.
Popular hops varieties like Cascade and Citra impart fruity flavors such as pineapple or citrus, often found in many popular craft lagers. Yeast strains typically produce subtle notes of spice or fruitiness that can enhance the overall character of any beer.
With all these individual components working together perfectly, something magical happens—the result is a delicious-tasting beverage! Each ingredient yields unique characteristics, from Coors Banquet Lager Beer’s caramel base made with two-row barley malts to Narragansett Lager’s Amarillo dry diving providing piney aroma undertones throughout different brews.
Brewing Process
To make a great American Style Lager, brewers typically use fewer and less intense ingredients like six-row barley malt, rice, and maize to create a clean and crisp result, quickly becoming America’s most popular beer styca.
The fermentation process corresponds with cooler temperatures (between 48°F – 55°F) for extended periods, producing subtle characteristics. This also allows lagers to achieve optimal carbonation levels.
Lager yeast strains are commonly used to obtain the desired flavor profile Saccharomyces spp or Bottom Fermenting Yeast Strains.
For example, one of the most popular beers in America – Budweiser, uses beechwood chips during their cold conditioning process, which helps enhance a softer bitterness on tap due to increased texture from sugar proteins, thus making it more drinkable for consumers overall.
Similarly, Michelob Ultra utilizes hop extract and different hop varieties, such as Czech Saaz hops, adding hints of fruit fragrance and complexity to its simple taste profile.
Taste Profile
When it comes to beer, the American Style Lager stands out from the crowd with its clean and refreshing taste. This light-bodied beer style is brewed with German pilsner malt and hops, which give it a subtle sweetness and just enough bitterness for flavor balance.
There are some clear standouts for popular beers of this style, including Budweiser, Coors Lig, ht, Miller Lite, Michelob Ultra, Busch Beer, and Yuengling Flight.
Each has its unique profile that can range from crisp and clean to slightly bitter or sweet, depending on the variety. To appreciate this beer style, you should look beyond big brands and dive into craft varieties like Coors Banquet Lager Beer, Narragansett Lager, or Anchor California Lager; all of these showcase different characteristics of what makes American Style Lagers so satisfyingly delicious.
So next time you need something sippable but still flavorful, try one of many American Style lagers available today! With their use of barley malt providing subtle sweetness balanced by German hop varietals offering just the right amount of spice — not too much (but enough) — there will always be something new for you to enjoy about these beers!
American Style Lager Top Pick: Coors Banquet
When you’re looking for great American-style lagers to try, Coors Banquet is an excellent choice. It’s a light-colored beer with a crisp, slightly sweet flavor and low-hop bitterness, making it well-balanced and refreshing.
What makes this brew stand out is its top-shelf ingredients: two varieties of barley malts combined with juggle hops give Coors Banquet its beloved darker color than other lagers and bocks and enhanced body, aroma, and complexity.
Fermentation also plays a vital role in producing this natural wonder; wooden tanks impart just enough oakiness without overpowering other notes like subtle caramel sweetness or biscuit malt flavors from base malts like yellow corn or 2-row barley.
This complete-bodied American classic pairs wonderfully with smoked meats like pulled pork sandwiches or ribs and any creamy mac n’ cheese dish for a genuinely tastebud-pleasing experience-all perfect dishes to try during backyard summer BBQs!
What is an American style lager beer?
An American-style lager is a type of beer that uses primarily light pilsner malts, often with adjuncts such as corn or rice for added smoothness and a lighter body. They can also feature mild hops, giving them their characteristic bitter taste but keeping the overall profile balanced.
How do I select the right American Style Lager Beer for me?
When selecting an American Style Lager Beer, it is best to research what specific types you prefer by reading reviews about different beers online or in periodicals or tasting different ones at various pubs/breweries/bars in your area; additionally, it’s important to know how strong you want each brew to be beforehand so varying ABVs (Alcohol By Volume) can also be kept in mind throughout the selection process.
Are there any special serving protocols when drinking an American Style Lager Beer?
Yes – they should always be served cold, preferably between 34 – 42 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on individual tastes & preferences; utilizing proper glasses will help release desired aromas & flavors.
Conclusion
In conclusion, American Style Lagers offer a range of flavors and beer styles that make them a fun and rewarding area to explore. From the classic mass-produced lagers such as Budweiser, Coors Light, and Miller Lite to unique craft offerings like Anchor California Lager, there’s something for everyone, no matter their preference.
