These Beers Dominated Your Google Searches in 2014
Even though craft beer has been steadily on the rise for the past few years, most of the top 10 beers Americans Googled in 2014 were owned by two companies. Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors took the top nine spots with Sierra Nevada coming in 10th.
The increased availability of specialty drafts seems to have brought about a new interest in pretty basic beer brands, all of which are native to North America.
MillerCoors
Brewing conglomerate MillerCoors won Google searches this year with five of its products being some of the most searched beers this year. Keystone, the relatively smaller sub-brand that’s typically overshadowed by its light counterpart, was ranked above Miller, Blue Moon, Coors, and Pabst Blue Ribbon.*
SABMiller and Molson Coors Brewing Company established the joint venture MillerCoors in 2007 to better compete against Anheuser-Busch and Sam Adams Brewing, the largest craft beer company in America.
According to Google’s data, MillerCoors seems to be successfully entering our hearts, minds and search histories. Last year’s most searched beers were predominantly under the Anheuser-Busch umbrella with mostly niche beers filling out the other spots.
Anheuser-Busch
MillerCoors shouldn’t feel too comfortable though considering that Budweiser and Corona claimed the top spots. Bud Light and Modelo snuck in toward the bottom of the list.
The intrigue surrounding the Budweiser brand and Grupo Modelo beers was mostly likely fueled by FIFA World Cup sponsorship and the Corona recall this year.
Sierra Nevada
As the only craft beer to (barely) make this list, the Chico, CA, based brewery is a solid representation of the gradual corporatization of local breweries. Trailing behind Sam Adams in the national market, Sierra Nevada challenges the notion that craft beer should be defined by quantity rather than quality.
*The Pabst Brewing Company is technically a standalone entity, but MillerCoors contract-brews Pabst Blue Ribbon.