Michelob Light, Budweiser and Milwaukee’s Best have all been losing market share. (Anheuser-Busch Inbev/ MillerCoors)
While craft beer may seem to be all the rage these days, the number of people cracking open a cold one has actually been on the decline.
According to Beer Marketer’s Insights, beer sales have slipped 2.3 percent between 2007 to 2012.
Michelob Light has been a big loser, plunging 70 percent, while the once top-selling Budweiser, declined by more than 25 percent over the past five years. Miller Genuine Draft, Old Milwaukee and Heineken Premium Light are also losing market share.
Part of the decline is attributed to people switching to wine and spirits -- especially the flavored brands. "The [beer] brewers have dabbled in that, and have had some success with, for example, Redd's Apple Ale, but nowhere near the success that flavored vodkas and flavored whiskeys have had," Eric Shepard, executive editor at Beer Marketer's Insights.
The website 24/7 Wall St. looked at the research from Beer Marketer’s Insights and identified nine beers Americans no longer drink.
Here they are:
9. Labatt Blue- Sales loss (2007-2012): 28.3 percent
8. Budweiser-Sales loss (2007-2012): 28.8 percent
7. Heineken Premium Light- Sales loss (2007-2012): 36.7 percent
6. Milwaukee’s Best Light- Sales loss (2007-2012): 39.7 percent
5. Old Milwaukee- Sales loss (2007-2012): 54.0 percent
4. Miller Genuine Draft- Sales loss (2007-2012): 56.4 percent
3. Milwaukee’s Best Premium- Sales loss (2007-2012): 58.5 percent
2. Budweiser Select- Sales loss (2007-2012): 61.5 percent
1. Michelob Light- Sales loss (2007-2012): 69.6 percent
According Shepard, the trend doesn't appear to be changing. “The history of beer brands in the U.S. has generally been — and there are exceptions — once they start to decline, it’s very, very difficult to reverse it.”
Guess it’s time to start stockpiling your favorite beer before it disappears all together.
Fun stories about food, relationships, the great outdoors and more.