A new study from Innerbody.com has showcased the most popular beers across the United States, highlighting regional preferences.

While some household names top the charts, the analysis, which used Google Trends data, revealed some surprising state-by-state favorites.

The top three most popular beers in the United States are:

1. Corona
2. Bud Light
3. Modelo

Corona is the most popular overall, leading in numerous states, especially in the South.

States like Alabama, Florida and Georgia showed a preference for the Mexican beer, demonstrating its appeal far beyond its home country.

On the West Coast, Mexican beers like Modelo and Corona dominate.

Bud Light comes second and is popular in the Midwest, including in North Dakota, which is the state that drinks the most beer.

The brand has maintained its popularity despite becoming the focus of one of 2023’s culture wars, after it partnered with transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney for a short campaign and was subsequently boycotted by conservatives.

Wisconsinites favor Fat Tire, while Miller Lite is popular in West Virginia and Missouri, and Blue Moon tops the rankings in Minnesota, Michigan and Ohio.

New England remains loyal to local breweries, with Samuel Adams being a favorite in states like Massachusetts and Maine.

Safe Alcohol Consumption

Newsweek spoke with David Jernigan, a professor of health law, policy and management at the Boston University School of Public Health, about safe alcohol consumption.

“The dietary guidelines for Americans currently recommend no more than 1 drink a day for females and 2 drinks a day for males. (In the context of beer, a “drink” is one 12 oz. serving of beer containing 5% alcohol by volume – and note that many craft beers have higher alcohol content). There is no ‘safe’ level of beer,” he said.

“It is helpful to know more about what the risks are and make decisions based on that knowledge. As a general principle, for any amount that people are drinking alcohol, drinking less is going to be better for their health.”

Keith Humphreys, a professor of psychiatry at Stanford University, said that: “Because beer has a lower ethanol percentage than wine or spirits, it carries less health risk per ounce. Most people can safely drink one 12 ounce beer a day.”

He said that if you drink more beer than that, there are strategies that will protect your health, including ensuring that you do not drive after drinking and switching your consumption to low or no alcohol beers.

Humphreys and Jernigan both emphasized the risks of beer consumption. Jernigan said that: “Risk of alcohol-caused cancers such as breast cancer increase literally from the first drink, although the initial risk is low. Alcohol is a causal factor in more than 200 diseases and injuries in the human body, including heart disease and cancer as well as a sizeable percentage of homicides and suicides.”

Humphrey’s echoed this, highlighting “higher rates of accidents, committing crime and being a crime a victim,” as risk factors.

The Importance of Local Breweries to the Economy

Newsweek spoke with the Great Lakes Brewing Company, an independent craft brewery. Co-CEO Chris Brown said: “In addition to providing jobs, we know from direct experience how craft breweries can grow interest and investment in neighborhoods and their communities.”

“When we opened our brewpub in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood in 1988, many adjacent properties were vacant and run down,” he said. “Today, Ohio City is one of Cleveland’s flagship neighborhoods, with many new residential developments and abundant small businesses, including several other craft breweries.”

“The majority of our employees live and work in our community,” the Great Lakes Brewing Company said. “In addition to job creation and career development in the communities we serve, we also support other local businesses.

“Our brewpub sources ingredients from local growers and vendors, and partner with many local businesses and organizations for retail collaborations, volunteerism and giving.

“Along with flavor-forward beer, local ingredient sourcing and support of the community is a founding value of craft brewing’s identity. While sourcing local ingredients for beverages can be a challenge at our scale, our brewpub is able to craft small batch beers with locally grown malt, hops, and specialty ingredients to highlight local suppliers and keep dollars in our community.”

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