The beer market has literally never been more exciting. It feels like every single day something new and innovative is released, doing things with beer that we never realized were possible.
But next time you’re standing in a queue for the latest micro-release, take a moment to appreciate the beers that came before it.
These are the beers that you enjoy when you want something refreshing, not too expensive, and reliable.
So, let’s take a look at 20 awesome beers that we take for granted.
Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
- Perfectly balanced with a malt backbone and combined with the signature fruity aromas of Bell's house yeast, this beer is remarkably drinkable and well suited for adventures everywhere.
- American IPA: Citrusy, Piny, Centennial Hops
- IPA
An American IPA known for its balance of hops and fruitiness, Bell’s Two Hearted Ale is a brew so popular we tend to forget how good it actually is.
It’s an icon of America, and the juicy flavors of citrus and pineapple are exceptional for almost any occasion.
Heavier than your standard pale ale, toffee sweetness brings some impressive depth. All that, and it’s surprisingly inexpensive for a 6-pack.
Blue Moon
- Blue Moon Belgian-White is a belgian style wheat ale
- Crisp, and refreshing with a subtle citrus sweetness
- Brewed with Valencia orange peel and a touch of coriander for a balanced taste and clean finish
Blue Moon is light, with a citrus-forward flavor that often appeals to those just starting to discover beer.
This agreeable flavor has led to Blue Moon having a reputation as an easy beer, something you drink before you’re ready for the real stuff.
But ignore all that. Blue Moon is refreshing, and without it, many of us would never have become craft beer enthusiasts.
Coors Banquet
- Coors Banquet is a classic American lager style beer
- Domestic beer offering well-balanced flavor with hints of malt, and light body to deliver a crisp, smooth finish
- Session beer, full-bodied lager
Coors Banquet was the beer for craft brew enthusiasts, back before craft brewing had even begun to leave the backyard shed.
Among the big name international brands that dominate the market, Coors Banquet is the taste winner.
A decent body that’s laced with sweetness and has a fun level of carbonation, take it slow, and you might be surprised by the varieties of flavor that come through.
Coors Light
- Coors Light is a light beer that delivers Rocky Mountain cold refreshment
- A natural light beer that has well-balanced flavor with a malty note, low bitterness and light body
- Light calorie beer at 102 calories and 5g of carbs per 12 fl. oz.
The simplicity of Coors Light means it’s overlooked by many, but when you’re after a beer to go with an afternoon barbecue, you’re not going to find anything better.
This is a beer that’s made for summer, with a crisp finish that lacks complication.
You can drink a couple without feeling full (or drunk), and it’s best served ice-cold, with a burger in your other hand.
Dogfish Head 90 Minutes
- The package dimension of the product is 15.8"L x 10.6"W x 9.3"H
- The package weight of the product is 4.5 Pounds
- Country of origin is United States
Dogfish Head 90 minutes was an innovation when first released. Slowly adding hops over the course of 90-minutes, this IPA has a strong malt backbone and a lingering bitterness.
It’s a powerful flavor, and one that proved so popular it became much imitated.
But the original Dogfish Head 90 Minutes is perhaps still the best, even if it isn’t as adventurous as its many followers.
Fuller’s London Pride
Fuller’s London Pride is an English brew, and it’s designed for the English weather.
Balancing hops and malt, the big body and intense flavor has made it a favorite among those who like their beer to make an impact.
On a cold and rainy day with a carb-heavy meal, reach for a bottle of Fuller’s London Pride, and let the spicy notes pep you up.
Genesee Cream Ale
- Smooth like a lager.
- Crisp like an ale.
- A true American original.
Admittedly, many of us don’t take Genesee Cream Ale for granted, because we’ve forgotten it existed altogether.
Genesee Cream Ale is often associated with the older generation, and the recipe hasn’t been changed since the 1960s.
But there’s a good reason for this. Tasting like a combination of lager and ale, it starts with a creamy sweetness and the smoothness of lager, before finishing like a crisp ale.
Guinness
- Country of origin is Ireland
- The package dimension of the product is 17.2"L x 4"W x 6.9"H
- The package weight of the product is 9.6 pounds
Guinness isn’t for everyone, that’s true. But if it is for you, then you’ll agree that there’s no other stout quite like it.
It’s incredibly smooth, with undertones of chocolate and coffee to offset the initial bitterness.
Most stout drinkers will have Guinness to thank for expanding their palates, as the earthy finish makes the strong bitterness easier to swallow.
Many craft breweries would be nowhere without Guinness.
Miller High Life
- Serving size: 12 fl oz
Miller initially released High Life as a sophisticated take on the standard lager. That reputation has been lost in the ensuing years, but that’s not to say this isn’t still a good beer.
Miller High Life is reliable, with a tang of apple and a hint of corn. Drink it cold, and don’t give it time to get warm, to preserve that bright flavor.
Modelo Negra
- 6 pack of 12 fl oz bottles of Modelo Negra Mexican Beer
- This Mexican lager style beer has rich flavor and a remarkably smooth taste
- Medium-bodied Modelo beer is balanced and flavorful with minimal hops bitterness and a light finish
Dark beers are highly underrated in general, and Modelo Negra has a richness that makes it unbelievably drinkable.
It starts off with a balance of sweetness and toffee, before the toasted notes come through strong with the bitterness.
It has plenty of nuances, with a bright ending that takes first time drinkers by surprise.
There are few dark beers quite as accessible and refreshing as Modelo Negra.
New Belgium’s Fat Tire
- Bottle Fees May Be Applied to Price
- Type of Beer: Crafts
- Alcohol Content: 5.2% ABV
New Belgium’s Fat Tire isn’t exactly a cheap beer, but it is a good way to get a lot of flavor at a reasonable price. An amber ale, it’s heavy on both hop and malt, with a medium body.
Supposedly, the recipe is over 100 years old, and it doesn’t have the zip of newer craft ales. But what it does have is a great deal of quality.
Pabst Blue Ribbon
- 144 calories per serving
- Established in Milwaukee in 1844, this is the original Pabst Blue Ribbon beer.
- Nature's choicest products provide its prized flavor. Only the finest of hops and grains are used. Selected as America's Best in 1893.
Pabst Blue Ribbon has had an up and down reputation. Once the drink of craft brew enthusiasts, it fell out of fashion, before being rediscovered by the hipsters.
Disregard the reputation, and appreciate Pabst Blue Ribbon for what it is: a good beer with a light body, a balance of sweetness and bite, and a dry finish.
Pilsner Urquell
- Pilsner Urquell is the world's first golden pilsner beer
- Pilsner Urquell is a session beer and refreshing golden pilsner with a slightly sweet, caramelized maltiness, balanced by a smooth, Saaz hop bitterness
- Czech Pilsner that pairs well with a variety of foods, including spicy ethnic foods, shellfish, caramelized dishes, artisan cheese, and relatively neutral flavored salted snacks, such as pretzels.
It isn’t just the Pilsner Urquell that’s underrated — it’s pilsner overall. Among American beer drinkers, the pilsner tends to be overlooked.
Maybe that’s because people are going for newer varieties, rather than the classic Pilsner Urquell.
This was the world’s first pale lager, and the Czech brew is somehow still the best. Hoppy with a backbone of malt, it’s an easy beer to drink.
Rolling Rock
- Rolling Rock Extra Pale is full-flavored, with a subtle bite. Light-to-medium body and color.
- It’s brewed with only the choicest ingredients; a perfect blend of pale barley malt, rice and corn.
Very drinkable with a low ABV and a light body, Rolling Rock is the kind of beer that’s just perfect when it’s a warm day and you’re in a crowded bar.
It goes down really easily, and has a sweetness to it that is balanced by hints of rice.
A little sweeter than other beers, and with a sugary edge, Rolling Rock smoothness makes up for any shortcomings.
Samuel Adams Boston Lager
- Delivered chilled
Sam Adams has managed to gain a reputation for being an airport beer, and, admittedly, chain restaurants and airports are where most of us drink it.
But Sam Adams is better than those red eye flights would have you believe. The hops come through mature at first, before smoothly transitioning into a herb-heavy finish. It’s smooth all over, and surprisingly versatile.
Schlitz
- Brewed in the USA since 1849, Schlitz defines timeless taste.
- Crisp and light with a faint sweetness
Schlitz pretty much tanked its own reputation thanks to a series of terrible marketing choices, so maybe it’s not entirely the consumer’s fault that it goes underrated.
But before the bad advertising campaign, Schlitz was actually a pretty widely enjoyed beer, and it’s time for a comeback.
It’s only lightly hopped, and the clean finish is still enjoyable, and now fairly unusual in a hop-heavy brewing trend.
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
- Unique piney and grapefruit aromes from the use of whole-cone Amercican hops have fascinated beer drinkers for decades and made this beer a classic, yet it remains new, complex and surprising to thousands of beer drinkers every day
- all natural, bottle conditioned and refreshingly bold
- Suggested Pairing: Grilled Steak, Citrus Salad, Thai Curry, Roasted Vegatables
The pale ale revolution started with Sierra Nevada, but it has been left somewhat in the shadow of those that came after.
When you have just so many craft ales to choose from, you might wonder what Sierra Nevada has to offer. But pale ales became the standard because Sierra Nevada is just that good.
Take a break from the latest craft release, and remind yourself of just what makes Sierra Nevada so great.
Stella Artois
- 6 pack of 11.2 fl oz bottles of Stella Artois Lager
- Premium blonde lager beer imported from Belgium
- Full of well-balanced malt sweetness, crisp hop bitterness and a soft dry finish
It isn’t that hard to get your hands on a good Belgian beer nowadays, but there was a time when Stella Artois was the best you could buy in North America.
And while it can’t compare to the best of the Belgian brews, it’s still a good, widely available, inexpensive choice.
Lighter than many Belgian lagers, it’s best enjoyed from a glass, as the flavors have a chance to expand.
The Alchemist Heady Topper
Okay, Heady Topper might be one of the best known craft beers in the world, and it still isn’t easy to get your hands on.
That might not sound like a beer that we take for granted, but Heady Topper has become so ubiquitous that people have actually forgotten how good it is.
The Heady Topper really does live up to the hype, and it’s worth the effort to track down a 4-pack and enjoy on a warm day.
Yuengling
Yuengling is the oldest active brewery in America, and the amber lager is surprisingly unique.
It’s fuller body and dark finish makes it an exceptional beer for chilly days, with a warming hint of caramel running throughout.
Tasting something like a lighter stout, Yuengling might not be complex, but you’d miss it if it left the marketplace.
Final Thoughts
Among the craft beer releases, microbreweries, and unexpected newcomers from an expanding foreign market, you can forget about the classics.
Next time you crack open an ice-cold commercial brew at a summer barbecue, take a second to appreciate what we can enjoy so easily!