Pale lager is the best-selling beer style on earth, and no single article can cover the category in full, so we already have a deep roundup ranking 51 lagers side by side. This page focuses on the handful of brands with the biggest global footprint: what actually separates them, where each one comes from, and where to find real tasting notes on the site.
- Best Lager Beers: 51 Tasted and Ranked by a Homebrewer
- Best American Lager: The Macro Classics, Ranked
- Best Mexican Lager: Every Cerveza Worth Buying, Ranked
- Best Japanese Rice Lager: Sapporo, Asahi, Kirin and More
- Best Pale Lager: Golden, Easy-Drinking Lagers Ranked
- Best Amber Lager Beers
- Best Light Beer: The Low-Cal Lagers That Still Taste Like Beer
1. Budweiser
USA, since 1876. Anheuser-Busch’s flagship American lager at 5% ABV, brewed with rice as an adjunct alongside barley malt and finished with a beechwood-aging step the brand has used since it launched. It is sold in more than 80 countries and remains the global flagship of AB InBev, the world’s largest brewer.
Read our full Budweiser review for the full tasting notes.
2. Heineken
Netherlands, since 1873. A classic European pale lager fermented with Heineken’s proprietary A-yeast strain, sold in roughly 190 countries, which makes it arguably the most genuinely global beer brand on this list. At 5% ABV it leans slightly more bitter and skunk-resistant (thanks to its green bottle glass) than the other lagers here.
3. Corona Extra
Mexico, since 1925. Brewed by Grupo Modelo (owned by AB InBev outside the US, Constellation Brands inside it), Corona is Mexico’s best-selling beer and, by brand-equity surveys, currently the most valuable beer brand in the world. At 4.55% ABV it is light, crisp, and built around the lime wedge that has become inseparable from the brand.
Read our full Corona Extra review for the full tasting notes.
4. Modelo Especial
Mexico, since 1925. Modelo Especial overtook Bud Light as the best-selling beer in the US by retail dollars in 2023 and has held that position since. At 4.4% ABV it is fuller-bodied and slightly maltier than Corona, with a light hop character that makes it the closer-to-a-standard-lager pick of the two Grupo Modelo flagships.
5. Stella Artois
Belgium, since 1926. A Euro pale lager at 5% ABV brewed in Leuven since the 1920s, marketed on its chalice glass and “reassuringly expensive” positioning during the 1980s and 90s. It remains one of AB InBev’s top global brands and is one of the more widely available Belgian-brewed lagers on US shelves.
Read our full Stella Artois review for the full tasting notes.
6. Carlsberg
Denmark, since 1847. One of the oldest brands on this list, founded in Copenhagen and famous for the line “probably the best beer in the world.” Carlsberg pioneered pure yeast-strain cultivation in the 1880s (the same lab discovered the Saccharomyces carlsbergensis lager strain still used across the industry), a bigger scientific contribution to modern brewing than almost any other brand here. Not currently sold as beer through US Amazon listings, only barware, so check our full review for tasting notes.
Read our full Carlsberg review for the full tasting notes.
7. Peroni Nastro Azzurro
Italy, since 1963 (brand launch). Italy’s best-known lager export, a crisp, dry pale lager built around a corn-and-rice adjunct grain bill that keeps it light-bodied. Currently only Peroni’s 0.0 non-alcoholic version turns up as a genuine US Amazon listing; the regular beer is easier to find through a liquor retailer than online.
Read our full Peroni Nastro Azzurro review for the full tasting notes.
8. Tsingtao
China, since 1903. China’s best-known export lager, originally founded by German settlers in Qingdao (hence the German-influenced brewing style), now the country’s second-largest brewer by volume behind Snow, which is not exported to the US.
Read our full Tsingtao review for the full tasting notes.
9. Asahi Super Dry
Japan, since 1987. The beer that created the entire “dry” lager category in Japan, brewed with a cleaner, drier finish and less residual sweetness than a typical pale lager. Asahi’s 0.0 non-alcoholic version is sold on US Amazon; the original Super Dry is easiest to find at a Japanese grocery store or specialty beer retailer.
Read our full Asahi Super Dry review for the full tasting notes.
10. Coors Banquet
USA, since 1873. The original Coors recipe, still brewed with Rocky Mountain water at the same Golden, Colorado brewery. At 5% ABV it is maltier and slightly sweeter than Coors Light, and it is the beer that built the Coors brand before the light lager version existed.
Read our full Coors Banquet review for the full tasting notes.
Why These Brands Dominate
Most of the volume in this category funnels through just three companies: AB InBev owns Budweiser, Corona, Modelo Especial, Stella Artois and Carlsberg’s biggest rival Carlsberg Group operates independently, while Heineken N.V. owns itself plus Tecate and Dos Equis in Mexico. Kantar BrandZ’s most recent global beer brand rankings put Corona and Budweiser at the top two spots by brand value worldwide, with Heineken close behind as the only non-AB InBev name in the top three.
For a wider international spread beyond lager specifically, our 10 Iconic International Beers roundup covers one flagship beer (lager or otherwise) from each of 10 different countries, and our German Beer Names piece covers the naming history behind several more European lager brands.
FAQs
What is the best-selling lager in the world?
By retail dollar sales in the US, Modelo Especial has been the top seller since 2023. By pure global sales volume, China’s Snow lager outsells every Western brand, though it is not exported to the US.
Are Budweiser and Corona owned by the same company?
Budweiser and Modelo Especial are both owned by AB InBev. Corona is brewed by Grupo Modelo, which AB InBev owns outside the US, but Constellation Brands holds the US rights and profits.
Which of these lagers has the highest ABV?
Budweiser, Heineken, Stella Artois and Coors Banquet are all bottled at 5% ABV, the highest of this group. Modelo Especial and Corona Extra are the lowest, at 4.4% and 4.55%.
Where can I see a fuller ranked list of lagers?
Our Best Lager Beers roundup ranks 51 lagers side by side, and we also have dedicated rankings for American, Mexican, Japanese, and pale lager sub-categories linked above.
