Top 20 Best Beer Brands In The World

Some beers are easy-drinking, perfect for hot summer days with friends, and provide a refreshing and crisp taste, while others are the best drunk alongside a roast or barbecue. Many brews and brands offer something different and often have a rich and interesting history that comes with them.

Maybe you like tradition, like Stella Artois, a beer that has origins that can be traced back 600 years ago. If the classics are not for you, perhaps you prefer new flavors from trendy craft breweries like BrewDog, one of the fastest-growing alternative brands. Or Melbourne’s The East 9th Brewery, which is responsible for cool offerings such as Doss Blockos and Lick Pier. Each beer has a unique taste, with complex flavors and innovative brewing techniques.

If you love not just beer but good beer, then you need to try these best brands from around the world.

List of 20 best beer brands in the world

20. Asahi

19. Budweiser

18. BrewDog

17. Carlton

16. Corona

15. Cricketers

14. Doss Blockos

13. Goos Island

12. Guinness

11. Heineken

10. Hoegaarden

9. James Squire

8. Kingfisher

7. Kirin

6. Lagunitas

5. Stella Artois

4. Stone & Wood

3. Tiger

2. Tsingtao

1. White Rabbit

Detailed Information About 20 Best Beer Brands In The World

20. Asahi

Photo: Nikeii Asia

Asahi is a Japanese company with headquarters in Sumida, Tokyo. It produces beers, spirits, and soft drinks. It has a rich and exciting history, beginning with its foundation in Osaka in 1889 as the Osaka Beer Company. In the decades that have followed, the corporation has continued expanding and growing, including acquiring multiple beverage companies in Australia. It has a significant market share in Western Europe and Central Eastern Europe.

The Asahi beer is well-known for its dry, crisp, and clean flavor, and it tends to pair well with most food. It has a bitter taste and a smooth finish and is popular both in Japan and abroad because of the high-quality ingredients and production method.

19. Budweiser

Photo: EcoWatch

Budweiser is an American-style pale lager produced by Anheuser-Busch, part of AB InBev.

Internationally, Budweiser may also refer to an unrelated pale lager beer, originating in České Budějovice, Czech Republic (historically Budweis) produced by the Budějovický Budvar brewery. The parallel existence of two separate brands with the same name has given rise to a series of trademark disputes. Usually, either Anheuser-Busch or Budějovický Budvar are granted the exclusive use of the Budweiser name in a given market. Anheuser-Busch commonly uses the Bud brand for its beer when Budweiser is not available.

Introduced in 1876 by Carl Conrad & Co. of St. Louis, Missouri, Budweiser has become one of the largest-selling beers in the United States. The lager is available in over 80 countries, though not under the Budweiser name where Anheuser-Busch does not own the trademark. Budweiser is a filtered beer, available on draft and in bottles and cans, made (unlike the Czech lager) with up to 30% rice in addition to the hops and barley malt used by all lagers.

18. BrewDog

Photo: BrewDog

BrewDog’s brand doesn’t have as long a history as some of the more established breweries, but it is every bit as excellent. Founded in Scotland in 2007 by James Watt and Martin Dickie, the company quickly became one of the fastest-growing alternative brands in the United Kingdom and is known for pushing boundaries and innovation; a good example of this is when they launched Equity for Punks, offering the public the opportunity to buy shares online. They make various lagers and ales, including the Punk IPA and Planet Ale, and are serious about the quality of products and staying true to their brewing process. Among other things, this means no chemicals, no preservatives, and no cheap substitutes.

17. Carlton

Photo: Carlton Draught

It’s hard to miss the bright red packaging of the Carlton brand, a beer that is made in Australia by Carlton & United Breweries. The company’s roots can be traced back to the 1800s. It continues to be one of the best beers around, never compromising quality and using the highest quality natural ingredients. It is now owned by the Asahi Beverages family and creates a large selection of brews, including the Carlton Draught, Victoria Bitter, Pure Blonde, Carlton Dry, and Melbourne Bitter. There are also non-alcoholic products such as Carlton Zero. Responsible drinking is important to this brand, and it is dedicated to contributing to the DrinkWise campaign. It is also one of the founding members.

16. Corona

Photo: Time Magazine

Corona Extra is a pale lager produced by Mexican brewery Cervecería Modelo and owned by Belgian company AB InBev. It is commonly served with a wedge of lime or lemon in the neck of the bottle to add tartness and flavour. It is one of the top-selling beers worldwide, and Corona Extra has been the top-selling imported drink in the U.S. since 1998.

15. Cricketers

Photo: Edison Agency

Corona is a name that has been seen in the media not associated with beer in the last few years, but it should not detract attention from this profitable brand. That said, the pandemic has caused some people to avoid the product purely because of its name. Created in Mexico and produced by the brewery Cervecería Modelo, it is part of the Belgian-owned company AB InBev. It was first brewed in 1925 and remains a local favorite. The golden lager is known for its light and refreshing taste and is a fantastic drink for warm climates and summer months, often served with a wedge of lime or lemon.

14. Doss Blockos

Photo: HEY GENTS

The East 9th Brewery, responsible for Doss Blockos, has a unique story. While some breweries have been passed down for generations, this one was created in 2010, and there is a lot to be said about it. It is an innovative brewery located in Melbourne, Australia. This particular beer has been influenced by the underground brewing scene in America, an inspiration that can be seen in the packaging. An iconic squat in the Lower East Side of New York is where the name comes from.

As for what you can expect from the brand, it has several alcoholic beverages, including Doss Blockos, a lager brewed in a traditional way, with a malty flavor and slight hop bitterness. It is easy-drinking, smooth, and of premium quality.

13. Goos Island

Photo: Goos Island Brewery

Goose Island Beer Company is a brewery in Chicago, Illinois, that began as a single brewpub opened in 1988 in Lincoln Park, Chicago, and named after a nearby island. The larger production brewery opened in 1995, and a second brewpub, in Wrigleyville, in 1999.

Their beers are distributed across the United States, and the United Kingdom after a stake of the company was sold to Widmer Brothers Brewery in 2006, and the brewery was able to expand into different markets. In 2011, Goose Island was sold to Anheuser-Busch InBev. Greg Hall stepped down as brewmaster with the AB InBev purchase in 2011; Brett Porter was hired as the new brewmaster.

12. Guinness

Photo: TasteAtlas

Guinness is a dry, dark stout that was founded in 1759. It was first brewed at St. James Gate brewery in Dublin, Ireland, and it is a location where its founder, Arthur Guinness, famously signed a 9,000-year lease. It is now one of the biggest tourist attractions in Europe, receiving millions of visitors each year. Arthur is the man responsible for the brand, and it was his vision that helped the company grow into the massive corporation that it is today. His ingenuity and determination made him succeed in a time when the brewing industry was struggling.

Guinness is known for its original Guinness draught, but there are many other products that they make. These include Hop House 13 Lager, Guinness Blonde American Lager, Dublin Porter, Guinness West Indies Porter, and the Nitro IPA.

11. Heineken

photo: Reuters

There is a good chance you have heard of Heineken because it is one of the world’s most popular beers. The brand was founded by Gerard Heineken more than 150 years ago. He was inspired to improve the approach to beer brewing, using a controlled process and quality ingredients. An idea that remains at the core of the company today. It started as a family-owned brewery in Amsterdam but has expanded to become one of the industry’s biggest brands. The green bottle and red star on the packaging also make it easy to recognize, while the lager taste keeps customers happy and loyal.

10. Hoegaarden

Photo: Getty Images

Nearly 600 years ago, Hoegaarden was born. Belgian monks created the original recipe in 1445, and by 1726, there were already multiple breweries and hundreds of malt houses in the village. It is not just the impressive history that makes this beer a brand worth knowing, but also the taste. It has an enticing aroma and has been described as having a refreshing flavor with hints of citrus and earthy coriander.

9. James Squire

Photo: Brew News

James Squire was not a man who followed a traditional path or had an ordinary life. He lived an interesting life and would later become Australia’s first brewer. This is a redemption story when a convict turned his life around and later became one of the most popular citizens. He died in 1822, and his funeral is believed to have been the biggest ever held in the colony. One hundred fifty years later, and his name and spirit live on. The brand makes craft beers dedicated to quality and flavor that are perfect all year round.

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8. Kingfisher

Photo: Ape to gentleman

Kingfisher is an Indian beer brewed by United Breweries Group, Bangalore. The brand was launched in 1978. With a market share of over 36% in India, it is also available in 52 other countries. The Heineken Group holds 42.4% equity shares in United Breweries Ltd. Kingfisher is ranked 74th among India's most trusted brands according to the Brand Trust Report 2012, a study conducted by Trust Research Advisory. In the Brand Trust Report 2013, Kingfisher was ranked 102nd among India's most trusted brands and subsequently, according to the Brand Trust Report 2014, Kingfisher was ranked 198th among India's most trusted brands.

7. Kirin

Photo: Eater

The Kirin Brewery Company, Limited was founded in 1888 and is one of Japan’s oldest and most popular beer brands. What makes this beer a little different from others is that while many brewers use the first and second press of the wort, Kirin Ichiban only uses the first. The idea is to achieve a taste of exceptional quality, and you can expect a smooth, rich flavor. It has been inspired by the Japanese palate and will pair well with local cuisine to be enjoyed with friends or family. Interestingly, the product is no longer made in Japan, having been acquired by Anheuser-Busch, which took over brewing in 1996.

6. Lagunitas

Photo: Beers on Windowsills

The Lagunitas Brewing Company, founded in 1993 in Lagunitas, California, is a subsidiary of Heineken International. Before Heineken bought a 50% share of the company in 2015, the company met the definition of a craft brewery. Two years prior it ranked fifth top-selling craft brewery in the US. Heineken purchased the remainder of the company in 2017.

5. Stella Artois

Photo: cellar. Asia

Another offering from Belgium is Stella Artois, a beer that can be traced back 600 years ago when founded in Leuven in 1366. It was first created as a gift from the brewery to those living in the city. Stella means star in Latin, while Artois is the De Hoorn brewery Master Sebastian Artois’s last name. Both the name and a red star are proudly displayed on the label. The beer is a golden color with hop bitterness and a dry finish.

4. Stone & Wood

Photo: Stone & Wood

Stone & Wood is an Australian beer brand that is dedicated to making good beer. Not only are they focused on the taste of their product, which is brewed slowly and uses four ingredients; water, malt, hops, and yeast, but they also want to give back to the local community with their Stone & Wood’s inGrained Foundation; a national not-for-profit. Their story began in 2008 when three friends decided to start their own company from a Byron Bay shed. They have since expanded, with three breweries, the main one in Murwillumbah and smaller locations in Byron Bay and Brisbane.

*****READ MORE: Top 10 Best Beers In The World of All Time

3. Tiger

Photo: Behance

Tiger Beer is a brand of beer from Singapore and is produced by Heineken Asia Pacific, part of Heineken.

According to Brand Finance’s Top 100 Singapore brands 2012 Report, Tiger is amongst Singapore’s top 10 most valuable brands.

Launched in 1932, Tiger beer became Singapore's first locally brewed beer. It is a 5% abv bottled pale lager. Heineken Asia Pacific's flagship brand, it is available in more than 60 countries worldwide.

2. Tsingtao

Photo: Getty Images

For a long time, Tsingtao was the most popular product in China, although Snow has recently overtaken it. That said, it is still one of the most prestigious and sought-after brands, being sold in over 70 countries or regions. The Tsingtao Brewery was founded by British and German settlers in 1903 in Qingdao and is brewed using a German technique but uses mineral water from the local Laoshan spring. The water, together with malted barley, rice, and yeast, has created an easy-to-drink pilsner, one that is smooth, clean, and has a distinct flavor. Tsingtao is an award-winning beer and pairs well with various food dishes.

1. White Rabbit

Photo: Res Publica

White Rabbit, whose name refers to Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ has been named the best beer in Australia at the Australian International Beer Awards. It is a brand that continues to increase in popularity. Originating in Healesville, Victoria, it was always going to be different from the rest. It was started by a group of friends who were inspired to brew a hop-driven American Pale Ale. It has since expanded and relocated to Little Creatures Village in Geelong, with a selection of products to choose from with complex flavors, coupled with the super cool packaging; this is a beer many people want to be seen drinking.

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