When and what beers do Americans like to drink?
As America's beer landscape continues to evolve, understanding how and when Americans enjoy their favorite brews can prove valuable for brewers, brands and marketers. With International Beer Day just around the corner, there's no better time to explore the preferred occasions that call for a cold one and the top beer brands that dominate the US market.
Some key findings from our analysis, which uses data from YouGov Beer and Hard Seltzer CategoryView, include:
- Beer (30%) and wine (29%) are among America’s favorite types of alcohol
- 62% of American drinkers consume beer when hanging out with friends, followed by approximately half who do so on special occasions (51%) and during family get-togethers (48%)
- Beer drinkers typically drink lager (51%), followed by nearly a third who drink pilsners (31%)
- When asked about their attitude towards craft beer, more than two-fifths of Americans disagree that it is just a fad (43%)
- While Budweiser (88%) has the highest awareness score among all beer brands we track in the US, Heineken (21%) has the highest consideration score
Beer is a favorite among Americans
More than two-thirds of Americans say they consume alcohol (67%). Of these adults, nearly a third say their favorite type of alcohol is beer (30%) followed by 29% who pick wine and 25% who pick liquor.
When and where do Americans typically drink beer?
YouGov CategoryView data reveals that American adults who consume alcohol are most likely to drink beer when hanging out with friends (64%). Roughly half indulge during special occasions (56%) and family get-togethers (51%). While less than a third say they typically drink beer when they are alone (31%) or after work (30%), more than a quarter say they do so on dates (26%).
The data further sheds light on the places where Americans are most likely to drink beer. Nearly four out of five Americans say they typically drink beer at home (79%), followed by more than half who do so at a restaurant (58%) and more than two-fifths who do so at a bar or pub (44%).
Now that we know the occasions and places Americans are most likely to drink beer, the next part of this analysis focusses on said beer drinkers – US adults who consume beer – and offers insights on their preferences of beer types and brands.
Which types of beer do Americans typically consume?
Slightly more than half of beer drinkers in the US say they typically lager (51%). Three in ten say they drink pilsners (30%) followed by more than a quarter who drink pale ales (28%) and wheat beers (27%).
In what spells good news for the zero-alcohol beer market, one in ten American beer drinkers are likely to consume non-alcoholic beer (10%).
Which are the top 10 most considered beer brands among American beer drinkers?
Heineken (33%) and Corona (32%) score the top two spots in the list of top 10 most considered beer brands in the US, with a third of beer drinks saying they would consider purchasing the brands the next time they’re in the market to purchase alcohol. Blue Moon and Samuel Adams are runners-up with 27% of beer drinkers considering the brands.
The top 10 list is rounded out by Modelo (23%), Bud Light (21%) and Coors Light (21%).
How successful are top beer brands in moving consumers through the purchase funnel?
Understanding a brand's ability to move consumers through the various stages of the purchase funnel can offer further critical insights into its competitive standing in the industry and enables an assessment of its effectiveness in translating consumer awareness into actual sales.
A closer look at the purchase funnel metrics for Heineken, Corona and Blue Moon reveals further nuances.
Stage 1: Awareness
At the top of the purchase funnel is Awareness, a measure of if consumers have ever heard of a brand. As expected, all three beer makers have high rates of Awareness among American beer drinkers with Heineken at 89%, Corona at 88% and Blue Moon at 80%.
Stage 2: Consideration
When it comes to the brands US consumers would consider purchasing the next time they’re in market for beer, Heineken and Corona are neck-and-neck with a 33% and 32% Consideration score respectively.
Their conversion rates from Awareness to Consideration are also similar with Heineken at 37% and Corona at 36%. Despite a lower consideration score than the other two brands, Blue Moon (34%) is not far behind when it comes to the conversion rate at this stage.
Stage 3: Purchase Intent
The Purchase Intent stage shows the brands consumers would be most likely to buy and while Heineken (14%) earns the highest Purchase intent score, Corona is not far behind (12%). Roughly two-fifths of considerers are converted to purchase both these brands (42% and 38% respectively).
Blue Moon earns a Purchase Intent score of 9% and converts at 33% from the Consideration stage.
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Methodology: YouGov Beer & Hard Seltzers CategoryView collects data on brands & consumers across the US every month. The data is based on the interviews of 5,000+ American adults aged 21+ between March 20th and June 30th, 2024. Learn more about YouGov Beer & Hard Selzters CategoryView.