Whether it’s hard work on a hot day or a simple get-together with friends, beer is and has been the defacto alcoholic beverage of choice for many. Lighter in alcohol content than hard liquor, beer is perfect for socializing and enjoying a low-key drink. Today, there are hundreds of beer brands — from cheap to pricey — on the market.
With so many options, it can be hard to know which ones are worth the purchase, and which ones you should leave on the shelf. Additionally, it seems that most beer brands are broken down into one of two categories: cheap, simple beers, or swanky craft brews. However, despite the term “cheap” being in front of many beer brand names, that doesn’t mean these beverages are lacking in flavor.
In our list below, we’ve included options that are low on cost and yet high on likeability. Keep in mind that not all of these brands may be accessible depending on where you live. Additionally, taste is subjective and this list is not exhaustive. Some beers listed here are light on flavor and calories, while others are made with more hops and have a bolder taste. A few of them also made our list of beers millennials like the most.
To compile this list of cheap yet delicious beer brands, 24/7 Tempo consulted several sources. These include the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, and Business Insider. We also reviewed Reddit posts, personal experiences, and food and beverage sources such as Delish and Eat This Not That. In no particular order, here are 10 cheap beer brands that are actually good.
1. Miller Lite
- Brewing Company: Miller Brewing Company as a part of Molson Coors Beverage Company
- Year Brewing Began: 1975
- ABV: 4.2%
A Light Pilsner
Coined by Miller Brewing Company as “The Original Light Beer,” Miller Lite has been making a splash since it first entered the scene in 1975. Ingredients in this beverage include a combination of water, barley malt, hops, yeast, and corn syrup. The crystal malt that is used in Miller Lite is said to have a slight toffee flavor which helps give the beverage its signature taste. Additionally, the Miller Company states that the yeast used in this beer hasn’t changed in more than 160 years, and is still the same yeast that was carried over from Germany in the mid-1800s.
2. Pabst Blue Ribbon
- Brewing Company: Pabst Brewing Company
- Year Brewing Began: 1844
- ABV: 4.7%
Top-Selling Beer
What began with 300 barrels in Jacob Best’s first year of brewing in 1848 is what we know today as Pabst Blue Ribbon or PBR. This light beer began as “Best Select” before changing to “Pabst Select” in 1890. After the name change, the brewers began tying blue ribbons around the neck of each bottle, eventually resulting in the Pabst Blue Ribbon name that we’re familiar with today. While this beer has had several ups and downs in its sales, today, PBR is ranked as one of the top 20 most-sold beers in the U.S. according to The Columbus Dispatch.
3. Modelo Especial
- Brewing Company: Grupo Modelo
- Year Brewing Began: 1925
- ABV: 4.4%
A Light Pilsner Hailing From Mexico
In 1925, a group of Spanish immigrants came together to form the Grupo Modelo. This new beer brewing company would also go on to hold a large share of the production and distribution of the worldwide beer market. Grupo Modelo also has three major beer lines: Modelo, Carona, and Pacifico. Modelo Especial is now one of the company’s top-selling beers and is known for its slightly fruity and sweet aroma as well as its crisp taste.
4. Miller High Life
- Brewing Company: Miller Brewing Company as a part of Molson Coors Beverage Company
- Year Brewing Began: 1903
- ABV: 4.6%
“The Champagne of Beers”
As the Miller Company’s flagship product, Miller High Life has been in production since 1903. At this point in history, individual beer bottles weren’t the norm, so Miller High Life broke the mold with its clear bottles. Additionally, this pilsner beer is known for its higher carbonation content, giving it a resemblance to champagne. These bubbles led to the beer’s long-time slogan, “the champagne of beers.”
5. Hamm’s
- Brewing Company: Hamm’s Brewing Company
- Year Brewing Began: 1865
- ABV: 4.7%
Light Yet Strong Flavor
Pizza and beer.
While Hamm’s may be one of the cheaper beers on the market, that doesn’t mean the brewing company skimped on taste. Since 1865 with its historic start in St. Paul’s, Minnesota, Hamm’s has been known for its refreshing taste and quirky advertising. What began with German immigrants desiring to create an American beer is now one of the oldest recipes on the market today. It was also voted “best cheap beer for a crowd” by Mashed in 2023.
6. Narragansett Lager
- Brewing Company: Narragansett Brewing Company
- Year Brewing Began: 1890
- ABV: 5.0%
Best-Selling New England Beer
With a higher alcohol-by-volume content, Narragansett Lager gives you a bang for your buck. Voted the best-selling beer in New England from the 1930s to the 1970s, Narragansett is rich in history as well as flavor. Also simply called ‘Gansett, this beer has seen its share of the New England market, largely thanks to its wild marketing initiatives. Narragansett has been the sponsor for the Boston Red Socks, advertised through a drawing by none other than Dr. Suess himself, and featured as the beer can crushed in the mouth of the shark in the movie “Jaws.”
7. Yuengling Traditional Lager
- Brewing Company: D.G. Yuengling & Son
- Year Brewing Began: Reintroduced in 1987
- ABV: 4.9%
Historic Roots, Newer Beer
While D.G. Yuengling & Son has been in operation since 1829, the Yuengling Traditional Lager is an amber-style lager that was reintroduced to their product lineup in 1987. The original brewing year of this beer is unknown but is thought to have been popular before prohibition. With a caramelly flavor and amber color, Yuengling Traditional Lager is now the company’s most popular product. Yuengling is also known for its rich history. The company was originally founded as Eagle Brewing by German immigrant David Gottlieb Jüngling. And, the brewery that was constructed in 1831 in Pottsville, Pennsylvania is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, an eagle is featured on Yuengling labels as a nod to the company’s early roots.
8. Coors Banquet
- Brewing Company: Coors Brewing Company
- Year Brewing Began: 1873
- ABV: 5.0%
A Colorado Original
Created by Adolph Coors in Golden, Colorado, Coors Banquet beer has been on the market for more than 150 years. The beer is known for its refreshing, smooth, and slightly sweet taste. Some even feel the flavor has a slight hint of banana to it. What makes this beer special is that much of the process and ingredients haven’t changed in the many decades of the beer’s existence. Additionally, Coors introduced its “stubby bottles” in the 1930s, and while the beer is mostly found in aluminum cans today, the stubby bottles are an iconic nod the the company’s history.
9. Budweiser
- Brewing Company: Anheuser-Busch
- Year Brewing Began: 1876
- ABV: 5.0%
“King of Beers”
Iconically known for its Super Bowl commercials featuring Clydesdale horses, Budweiser has trademarked its nickname “King of Beers.” This American-style lager is brewed using rice, hops, and barley malt. It’s known for its crisp taste and is sometimes called “Bud Heavy” as it’s the stronger and more flavorful beer compared to the lighter Anheuser-Busch product, Bud Light.
10. Utica Club
- Brewing Company: F.X. Matt Brewing Co.
- Year Brewing Began: 1933
- ABV: 5.0%
The First Beer Sold After Prohibition
While the F.X. Matt Brewing Company may be more known today for its Saranac craft beers, its history began as the creators of Utica Club. During Prohibition, the Utica Club name was used to create a line of soft drinks and a “near beer” that only contained 0.5% alcohol. When prohibition was repealed in 1933, Utica Club was the first beer to be legally sold in the U.S. Today, this beer is known as a pale lager with a higher carbonation and a simple, refreshing taste. Like PBR, Utica Club is making a comeback in the market today as a retro beer with a rich history. (For more articles about alcohol, click here to check out the drinks to avoid getting at a bar and what to order instead.)