Food & Drink
The 10 Best Domestic Beers on Gopuff
Domestic beers are easy to lump together, but each offers something special. Discover the best domestic beers available for fast delivery via Gopuff
April 7, 2021
What is the best domestic beer? Before we tell you that, we need to answer the question, “What is domestic beer in the first place?
“Domestic beer” usually refers to any big-name beer brewed by an American company. Encompassing popular brews from Bud Light to Keystone Ice and beyond, these beers are known by casual drinkers and beer lovers alike as the easy option. They’re easy to find, and they’re easy to drink. They’re also considerably more affordable than most craft beer and imported beers (like Corona or Heineken, which appear on our list of best imported beers). So there’s a lot to love about a solid domestic brew.
But there are a ton to choose from, which can make it surprisingly tough to decide which is best if you’re not a beer fanatic.
In the end, your favorite domestic will vary depending on what you’re looking for. Each beer offers a little something that the next simply doesn’t. Here’s our best domestic beer list, with 10 of the absolute best domestic beers on the market to help you choose your favorite.
Michelob Ultra
The Details
Brewer: Anheuser-Busch
ABV: 4.2%
Calories: 95
Why It’s Great
Michelob Ultra’s popularity is owed to several defining traits, including both its surprisingly crisp taste and the fact that it’s comparable in calorie count to most “light”-branded beers. What really sells many of its fanatics is that it delivers a lower calorie count without completely neglecting the fact that even casual beer drinkers prefer a brew that actually tastes good. Lighter options are known for tasting like beer-flavored water, but Michelob Ultra is a firm step above.
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Bud Light
The Details
Brewer: Anheuser-Busch
ABV: 4.2%
Calories: 110
Why It’s Great
Bud Light is the best-selling beer in America. Anheuser-Busch sells so much of the stuff it’s hard to wrap your head around it—the brewery shipped 29.4 million barrels of Bud Light in 2018 alone, and that number has likely increased since then. But why is it so popular?
It likely boils down to the beer’s taste, its calorie count and Budweiser’s history of aggressive marketing. Being a light beer, it’s got 110 calories per can versus Budweiser’s 145 (though 110 is still higher than most other light beers). Likewise, because it’s a light beer, its taste is incredibly inoffensive, so there’s a low barrier for entry compared to something like an IPA. With that said, it does supply a slight creaminess that gives it an edge over other, less flavorful options.
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Is Bud Light a lager? An ale? Something else? Find out in our guide to types of beer.
Coors Light
The Details
Brewer: Molson Coors
ABV: 4.2%
Calories: 102
Why It’s Great
Coors Light is more or less what you’d expect from a wildly popular light beer, so there’s not too much to say about it. Its flavor is crisp and simple, its branding is timeless and its calorie count is relatively low at 102 calories per 12-ounce serving. It’s one of those beers you can crack open anytime, anywhere, and know exactly what to expect.
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Budweiser
The Details
Brewer: Anheuser-Busch
ABV: 5%
Calories: 145
Why It’s Great
Budweiser is more than just a popular domestic. In the eyes of many, it really is the “King of Beers,” and it’s arguably the most iconic alcoholic beverage in America (even if its light counterpart does much higher numbers in terms of sales).
For the most part, its celebrity status comes down to marketing. Budweiser sponsored a variety of television programs in the 1950s, which helped solidify the beer’s popularity, and it continues to shell out big bucks to market the beer to this day. And that’s a huge reason why it sells—people know it.
It’s also not a light beer, which makes it popular among those who prioritize affordability but prefer something a bit more flavorful.
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Miller Lite
The Details
Brewer: Miller Brewing Company (Molson Coors)
ABV: 4.2%
Calories: 96
Why It’s Great
Miller Lite debuted in the ’70s alongside a macho ad campaign that boasted of the beer’s “great taste,” and the fact that it was “less filling.” Those takes aren’t exactly verifiable, but numbers don’t lie: Miller Lite remains extremely popular. And—surprise, surprise—its appeal isn’t far off from that of Bud Light or Coors Light. A single can delivers only 96 calories (considerably less than Miller High Life’s 141) along with the simple freshness that domestic beer drinkers have come to expect from lighter beers.
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Busch Light
The Details
Brewer: Anheuser-Busch
ABV: 4.1%
Calories: 95
Why It’s Great
Busch Light usually ranks among the less flavorful (and arguably less noteworthy) light beers, but if you’re a light beer drinker, that might not be a bad thing. There’s something to be said for a beer that’s this crushable, especially if you’re sipping it by the water in the summertime or in your basement during a raucous round of beer pong. For those who prefer to chug, Busch Light does the trick.
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Pabst Blue Ribbon
The Details
Brewer: The Pabst Brewing Company
ABV: 4.8%
Calories: 144
Why It’s Great
It’s often associated with hipsters, but PBR’s massive sales numbers prove that it’s far from niche. To the contrary, it’s yet another low-priced lager that’s sold (and drunk) just about everywhere in the country. What separates it from a lot of the beers on this list is that it’s not a light beer, and it doesn’t present like one. It’s more malty than its lighter competitors, and it supplies a bitterness that almost hints at the flavor of a mainstream IPA. Almost.
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If you like true IPAs, check out our best IPAs list.
Yuengling Traditional Lager
The Details
Brewer: Yuengling Brewery
ABV: 4.5%
Calories: 140
Why It’s Great
Though it may sound like a foreign brewery, Yuengling (pronounced “ying-ling”) is actually from Pennsylvania, and the brand’s name is an Anglicized version of the German surname Jüngling. As for the beer itself, it’s a solid pick for fans of PBR and vice versa. But it does deliver a unique advantage for those seeking a lighter beer—there are only 98 calories per can. For a mainstream domestic with a somewhat full flavor, that’s pretty impressive.
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Miller High Life
The Details
Brewer: Miller Brewing Company (Molson Coors)
ABV: 4.6%
Calories: 140
Why It’s Great
“The Champagne of Beers” might be pushing it, but Miller High Life really is a great tasting (and extra-bubbly) beer. With roots tracing back to 1903, it’s Miller’s oldest beer, initially intended to serve as a high-quality beer available at an affordable rate.
Fortunately, not much has changed. Miller High Life serves up a delightfully tasty flavor with a clean finish that makes it both easy and rewarding to drink without breaking the bank. Drink it from a bottle for the optimal High Life experience.
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Natural Light
The Details
Brewer: Anheuser-Busch
ABV: 4.2%
Calories: 95
Why It’s Great
That’s right, we put Natural Light on this list. But there’s a good reason. Natty Light is an exceedingly drinkable beer, boasting a low ABV and a low calorie count. This, coupled with the fact that it does have a slight touch of maltiness, makes it a top-tier choice for your next backyard bash or frat house extravaganza.
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Let Your Taste Buds Be the Judge
When it comes down to it, only you can determine which beers best complement your taste. But Gopuff can make your job a lot easier—just browse our stock of domestics, pick your favorites and place your order. We’ll have a driver at your door in minutes to get the party started.
