14 Best Tasting Beers to Drink

The debate about the best beers is long and goes back to hundreds of years ago. But that’s not surprising since people’s tastes and opinions towards beers vary widely. You might sometimes hear the phrase, “There are no good beers or bad beers, only the perfect beer for you.”

That saying is definitely valid to an extent. For example, some people prefer craft beer over popular beers that are mass-produced. Others might enjoy a light lager, wheat beer, or something with a citrus flavor or bitter hops.

However, you’ll find that most people can agree on whether a beer is good or not, regardless of whether they’d categorize it as their personal favorite.

We’ve considered those challenges and other factors while coming up with this list of the best-tasting beers to drink, so stick around till the end to see your options!

1. Blue Moon Belgian White Ale

Available, popular, and widely loved, the Blue Moon Belgian White ale is an American take on the classic Belgian witbier that is palatable enough to allow newer drinkers to get into the world of beer while avoiding the more bitter brands.

The Belgian White has a uniquely golden orange color, thanks to the orange peel that it’s brewed with. This also gives it a citrusy aroma that’s common among beginner-friendly beers.

As for the taste, the Blue Moon Belgian White is full of flavors, from the orange zestiness to the subtle coriander spiciness that’s noticeable within the familiar taste of beer.

2. Miller High Life

The “champagne” of American beers since the last century has been the classic Miller High Life. It comes in bottles that have mostly retained their timeless form since they were introduced to the American market in 1903.

Ever since the start, the Miller High Life has been one of the smoothest lagers to drink. It’s not the most powerful beer, at least not in its maltiness or hops-induced bitterness, nor does it carry the strongest aromatic punch. But for most people who’d call it their favorite, those are the reasons why it stands out.

3. Samuel Adams Boston Lager

The Samuel Adams brand, named after one of the US founding fathers, is the flagship of the fourth largest American brewery, the Boston Beer Company. And our pick from their lineup is the Boston native Lager.

The Boston Lager is an amber beer with a rich and toasty aroma of malt and a hint of floral hops, married with a crisp and light flavor of hop bitterness that’s noticeable but not off-putting for the beginner drinker, mainly thanks to the sweet notes of caramel and satisfying bready flavor.

4. Bud Light Lime

Although Budweiser beers, such as the Bud Light line, face a lot of criticism from beer elitists, we’ve found that the Bud Light Lime is a neat light beer that’s easy to get into and enjoy for casual drinkers.

The Bud Light Lime is also an easy transition for non-drinkers who typically enjoy soft drinks into the world of beer, as it’s highly carbonated and has a refreshing citrus aftertaste with some fruity notes.

5. Corona Extra

Mexico-native Corona drinks are some of the most popular beers in America that also tend to receive criticism from elitists for not adhering to the unspoken rules on how to brew a beer. But those people often ignore the reason why drinks like the Corona Extra are popular in the first place: they’re light and approachable.

It was difficult to pick between the Corona Light and Extra, but we went with the latter for its sweet, malty aroma and the dual subtlety in flavor between the sweetness and bitterness from hops.

6. Abita Purple Haze

Abita Purple Haze is a fruity pilsner-style beer that’s brewed with real raspberries to produce a slight purple tint mixed with the light golden color of the drink.

As you might expect, using berries to brew a beer results in a sweet, tart, and fruity flavor with noticeable notes from the fruit itself. This is in combination with the familiar bitterness of beer, but if you’re lucky, you might catch some pulps in your mouth.

7. LandShark Lager

LandShark Lager is a Canadian specialty golden yellow beer with a volatile foamy head, plenty of carbonation for the bubbles, and a refreshing taste that’s perfect for a hot summer day. And it makes sense, considering the brand was born in the warm Orlando climate before its migration.

Once you open the clear bottle, you’ll be greeted by a staunch and classy beer smell that’s fairly generic. After the first sip, you might mistake this lager for a strong beer, but you’ll soon realize that it’s intentionally made lighter to be more pleasant on the unacquainted tongue.

8. Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy

The Leinenkugel Summer Shandy is one of the most popular beers in this category, and its composition checks out with that of a textbook shandy: 50% beer and 50% citrus.

In this case, the beer of choice is classic wheat beer (weiss beer), and the citrus is a natural lemonade flavor. Combined, they make a cloudy pale beer with a full-bodied taste of sweetness and bitterness, both of which are balanced out by the citrus.

9. Shock Top Belgian White

Shock Top is an American beer brand inspired by Belgian-style witbiers (wheat beers) with various available drinks that taste excellent and are palatable and welcoming. For this post, we picked their flagship Belgian White pale ale.

This beer is made with malt and wheat and is spiced with lime and orange peels to give it a smooth, citrusy finish. This gives it a light golden color that’s cloudy with the remnant yeast from fermentation, as it stays unfiltered to keep with tradition.

Other excellent options from the same company include the Lemon Shandy, Sunset Orange, and Honey Bourbon Cask Wheat.

10. Allagash White

Yet another Belgian-style witbier, the Maine-native Allagash White is a rich take on the timeless European light beer with a colorful palette of flavors.

In terms of appearance, the Allagash White is a cloudy and unfiltered pale ale topped off with a thick white head. Once you uncap the bottle, you’ll find an interesting aroma that focuses less on the wheat and malt and more on the vibrance of citrus and tart of fruit.

On the tongue, the beer is an exciting and easily digestible combination of wheat and other grains, combined with coriander and curaçao orange peel.

11. Modelo Especial

The Modelo Especial is a fizzy and golden yellow pilsner with a light hop inclusion and a generous quantity of honey to make it easier on the mouth.

The Model Especial’s aroma is quite subtle compared to the most popular beers in America, especially as the hops aren’t as perceivable here and are shadowed by the strong presence of orange blossom honey. But the flavor makes up for it by being a very approachable beer that’ll satisfy people, bar the few picky ones.

12. Guinness Draught

We’ve arrived at the spiritual parent of all stouts and one of the many prides of Ireland: the iconic and well-beloved Guinness Draught.

For most people, Guinness needs no introduction. And for its popularity, it’s a fairly cordial beer with an undying popularity among the masses, especially on St Patrick’s Day.

Rich and creamy, all-black with one of the most respectable foamy heads on the market, and easily an icon of Western beer history, we definitely recommend you pick up a can and a stout glass, then pour it at a 45-degree angle to form the iconic top.

Next, wait it out a bit as you enjoy the explosive aroma of roasted caramel as the creamy foam reaches approachable levels. Once it does, enjoy the flavor of roasted malt with a creative combination of cherry, raisin, and its notes of chocolate and coffee.

13. Coors Light

Coors Light claims to be the world’s most refreshing beer. And while we won’t back any definitive claims over a subjective matter, we can attest to the refreshing feeling that accompanies one of these popular beers.

For beer aficionados, you have to remember that this beer strives to be simple and easy to drink for anyone, so don’t expect the most complex flavor profile ever.

For what it’s worth, opening the bottle will reveal a subtle grainy aroma followed by a mildly bitter flavor with subtle sweetness and distinct carbonation. And while it’s not the right beer for getting drunk over the weekend, it’s perfect for chilling and enjoying your drink.

14. Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold Lager

Introducing the winner of the 1990 Great American Beer Festival: the Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold Lager.

On top of the festival, the Dort has won more than a dozen awards in the World Beer Championship since the mid-1990s, and that alone is a testament to its popularity among beer fans in America and abroad.

The German-style Dort is easy to pick up and drink at any time, and it shines well in social groups where the robust and floral aroma of hops and grains will win over the discussion. Meanwhile, it comes with a complex flavor of subtle sweetness from the malt, honey, and corn, followed by a hops finish that lingers on until the next sip.

Conclusion

That’s everything from us on the best beers! Remember that flavor is subjective, especially with something that has so much variety, like alcoholic beverages, and doubly so with beer, which is an umbrella term for numerous styles of drinks that have evolved over centuries, if not more.

In the end, the best beer for you should be the one that gives you the best refreshing taste when you’re drinking it without unnecessary aftertastes. That might be different from your best friend’s favorite, or your dad’s, or anyone else.

We’d recommend trying out various styles to see which suits you, then checking out the most popular beers from it. Once you do so, you’ll also realize how difficult it is to compare drinks on such different grounds, but you’ll be able to find the one that suits your taste buds.