German Beer Brands: 15+Best German Beer Brands In USA

You will agree with me that beer has different brands, with each having a unique and smooth taste in the mouth. Of course, that’s for beer-lovers to know and agree with. For lovers of beer, I’m sure you would want to know about different German beer brands. Well, don’t be in haste just yet. You might want to sit down and grab a bottle of your favorite beer as I walk you through the different brands of German beer in the USA. Who knows, you might just reconsider your then-favorite brand after you learn about the different types of German beer companies.

Come along as we get started!

German Beer Brands

German beer is brewed according to the Reinheitsgebot, which permits only water, hops, and malt as ingredients and specifies that beers not fully using barley-malt, such as wheat beer, must be top-fermented

German Beer Brands in the USA

We have seen what German beers can be. Therefore, we will be looking at the German beer brands in the USA. Below are the german beer brands in the USA.

#1. Busch Light

This lighter sibling to the original Busch was affirmed by Anheuser Busch InBev, it has slightly less alcohol (4.1% versus 4.3%), but earns its “light” designation with 95 calories per 12-ounce can (nine fewer than Busch) and 3.2 grams of carbohydrates, roughly half what its near-namesake has. It is been in dispatch in 2018 about 6,200,000.

#2. Natural Light

Unlike Busch light beer, this beer is also in shape by Anheuser-Busch InBev. It was sent in about 6, 700,000. A reduced-calorie light pilsner, it has the same calorie and carb count as another Anheuser-Busch light brand, Busch Light – 95 and 3.2, respectively.

#3. Modelo Especial

This beer was in observe by Grupo Modelo (Constellation Brands). It is thus the second most popular brands of german beer for Americans (USA) that drinks it. Therefore, Modelo Especial is a rich pilsner-style lager and it was in direct in about 8,180,000 in 2018. It has a darker, richer Munich Dunkel-style larger cousin, Negra Modelo, with a following of its own, though it has a lower sale.

#4. Corona Extra

This is indeed America’s favorite Mexican beer, and the nation’s No. 1 imported beer, Corona was first crafted in 1925 by Grupo Modelo (Constellation Brands), unlike the modelo extra; but did not make its appearance stateside until 1981. It is often quaffed with a squeeze of lime juice and in 2018, about 8,580,000 was shipped in; and the Earth Source produce company made a deal to market Corona Extra-branded limes.

#5. Michelob Ultra

This light beer was made by Anheuser-Busch InBev. It is a beer of choice for drinkers on a low-carb diet, with only 2.6 grams of carbohydrates per 12-ounce bottle, making it the fifth lowest on the market and the only one with sales sufficient to qualify for this list. In 2018, it was shipped about 8,800,000 barrels and its market share is about 4.3%. You will definitely like its taste.

#6. Budweiser

Budweiser is the best german brands selling beer in the USA, produced by Anheuser-Busch InBev. It’s brewed with a process called kraeusening, which means it is carbonated with actively fermenting beer, which helps remove off-flavors and shortens carbonation time. Barrels were shipped in 2018 at about 11,300,000. During kraeusening, treated beechwood strips are added to the beer to collect yeast and increase its contact with the beer – Bud’s famous “beechwood again.”

#7. Miller Lite

Miller calls this brew “the original light beer” produced by MillerCoors. This reduced-calorie beer was invented by a chemist for the Rheingold Brewing Company in 1967 and sold under a couple of different brand names until 1972, when Miller bought it, reformulated it, and released it as Miller Lite in 1975. The brand’s iconic “Tastes great” and “Less filling” Its barrels were shipped in at about 12,575,000 and the market share was around 6.1% in 2018.

#8. Coors Light

This low-cal, low-carb lager doesn’t do much for beer reviewers but appeals to many drinkers for its light, clean flavor, and the ease with which it goes down. It doesn’t do that well as a diet beer, by the way: There are at least a dozen other beers with fewer carbs, and at least 14 of its competitors have fewer calories.

#9. Bud Light

Its sales might be down by over 20% since 2013, but Bud Light is still America’s favorite beer by a two-to-one margin. The fact that it earns an overall score of zero from RateBeer and a 1.86 “Awful” rating from BeerAdvocate obviously doesn’t deter fans. The brand may have suffered a brief downturn after Super Bowl Sunday this year, with its ads bragging that – unlike light beers from Miller and Coors – it doesn’t use corn syrup to sweeten its beer. Some corn farmers reportedly responded by pouring cans of Bud Light down the drain.

Best German Beer Brands

#1. Weihenstephan Hefe Weissbier

Hefeweizen, as one of the best German beer brands, is a cloudy, Bavarian-style wheat brew, tops the list of beers to try. A light, yeasty sweetness (which some liken to bananas or bubblegum) makes it an extremely refreshing beer to drink before a meal or with a light dinner. As the oldest brewery in the world, Weihenstephan has been producing phenomenal hefeweizens since 1040.

#2. Erdinger Kristall

Among the brands of german beer, Erdinger is the world’s largest wheat beer brewery, and Kristall is one of its best-loved beers. A crystal-clear version of the traditional Hefeweizen, Kristall is the perfect thirst quencher on hot summer days. Serve it with a lemon wedge and enjoy after a long bike ride.

#3. Spaten Oktoberfest

This is named according to the birth period and around the Oktoberfest celebration. It is also seen among the best German beer brands you can think of. Spaten Oktoberfest is a sweet, brown beer with a mildly malty taste and roasted notes. It’s surprisingly crisp for such a sweet beer but has a round, earthy finish. Spaten’s Oktoberfest is only available from August until October or November.

#4. Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier

This beer is a little harder to find than most, but it’s well worth it if you can snag a bottle. The Schlenkerla brewery, located in the hills of Bamberg, was founded in 1405 and still brews this sweet, malty beer. Its distinctly smoky aroma — reminiscent of leather or even beef jerky — comes from exposing the malt to intense, aromatic beech smoke. You can best enjoy a glass with a hot meal served in the brewery’s beer garden.

#5. Paulaner Salvator Doppel Bock

Paulaner is a major player in the German beer world, and their doppelbock is a fine example of this bottom-fermented beer. Darker and richer than a regular bock, doppelbock is full of big flavor, but still clean, with aromas of toasted spice, caramel, and burnt sugar. Dark barley malt gives it its characteristically malty taste.

#6. Schneider Weisse Aventinus Eisbock

Eisbock is a type of beer made by freezing off a portion of water in the brew and removing it. The resulting beer is super-concentrated, increasing its body, flavor, and alcohol content; and that is the reason it is among the best German beer brands you can think of. The Schneider Aventius is heavy and malty with nutty, caramel notes and a hint of ripe plum. It pairs extremely well with buttery cheeses like brie or gouda, as well as with chocolate. Try to take it and experience the difference in it.

#7. Augustiner Hell

Not minding the name, it is equally a cool beer in german brands you can think of. This beer is made by the oldest brewery in Munich. Mild, sparkling, refreshing, and dry, this easy-to-drink beer is a go-to for city dwellers, who grab a bottle from the local Späti (late night store) and wander the streets before heading to a party.

#8. Berliner Weisse

A classic summer drink in Berlin, Berliner Weisse is a tart, tangy beer which gets its characteristic flavor from deliberately soured grains. It’s traditionally served in a large, boule-like glass and often colored green with a shot of sweet woodruff syrup or red with raspberry.

#9. Radeberger Pils

A classic German pils in every way. This palatable beer is clean and refreshing and makes a nice, easy accompaniment to any meal. A predominant hop flavor gives the beer a verdant, herbal finish. Though there’s nothing out of the ordinary about this beer, it’s on the list for this reason because even the most standard of German beers is made to such high standards.

We have seen the best german beer brands we have got in the market, I guess you can now make sure of the brand that best suits your fun time; now we can now go over to see the companies of german that make beer.

German Beer Companies

Since 1993, the production of beer has been governed by the Provisional German Beer Law which allows a greater range of ingredients (only in top-fermenting beers) and additives that have to be completely, or at least as much as possible, removed from the final product. Therefore below are the german beer companies we have.

#1. Aktienbrauerei Kaufbeuren

This is the oldest brewery in Swabia, Germany, the first written record about it is from 1308. Its legal form is a joint-stock company with shares traded at Börse Münche. means literally “share brewery”, meaning that it is owned by its shareholders.

#2. Augustiner-Bräu

 the first record of an Augustiner beer stall is featured on a picture dating from 1867. The first appearance of an Augustiner beer “castle” was later in 1903, and finally, in 1926, Augustiner-Bräu operates a beer tent at the Oktoberfest, as well as owning one of Munich’s largest beer gardens, the Augustiner-Keller at Arnulfstraße 52, and several traditional bars throughout the city. It is imported into the United States by Global Village Imports, LLC. of King of Prussia, PA. Since the distribution of german beer is very limited, only Augustiner Edelstoff and Maximator are available companies of German beer.

#3. Bitburger Brewery

Although Germans generally prefer local breweries, it is a popular one among the companies of german beer throughout western Germany and is favored in many areas of North-Rhine Westphalia. It is exported throughout the world and also available in Mini Kegs in some countries such as Australia. Bitburger Brauerei. Th. Simon GmbH is a large German brewery founded in 1817 by Johann Wallenborn. Bitburger is headquartered in Bitburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Bitburger ranks No. 3 among German companies’ best-selling beer brands. 

#4. Dinkelacker

Another german beer producing companies is the Dinkelacker brewery. It was founded by Carl Dinkelacker in Stuttgart’s Tübinger Straße in 1888. The company still brews at that location. By the end of the 19th century, Dinkelacker was the largest brewery in Stuttgart and its German for “field of spelling. In 1461 the family Friedel started brewing in Hallerndorfer district Schneider. Today the brewery produces various beers including

1. Zwickelbier
2. Wheat beer
3. Pilsner, etc.

#5. G. Schneider & Sohn

The brewery was founded in 1872 by Georg Schneider I and his son Georg Schneider II after they acquired the Weisses Brauhaus in Munich, the oldest wheat beer brewery in the city. In 1927 the owners, under Georg Schneider IV, expanded their brewing operations into Kelheim and Straubing. However, they added the caveats that they could only produce lower alcohol beer and it could only be sold to military personnel. To this day, the owners are descendants of Georg Schneider I. Today, the brewery employs around 100 people and distributes its products across Germany and 27 other countries.

Now we have seen the companies that produce German beer, we will now go over to the types of German beer.

German Beer Types

There are types of german beer brands in the market, which differ in their different qualities, taste, and texture; however, below is the list of different types of German beer brands we have.

#1. Pils

This is the most common german beer types found in most parts of the country; the word “Pils” is a short form of “Pilsener” meaning coming from the city of Pilsen.  Pilsen has actually been in Czech territory since 1945 and the city is known in Czech as Plzeň. German Pils is pale in color, somehow bitter in taste; and it has been in the notice that the most common and widespread brands of Pils, both in Germany and internationally, are: Bitburger, Warsteiner, and Becks. Pils typically is between 4.5% and 5.0% in the rate of alcohol. This is indeed one of the best types of german beer on the list.

#2. Helles

In types of german beer, “Helles” meaning “pale” (Named according to the meaning of the name) is, therefore, a clear, light-colored, and well-bodied lager beer, which was produced from Bavaria and Southern Germany. Helles is an easy-drinking, smooth beer that contains more malty. These beers are typically a little stronger and less gassy than Pils, coming in at around 5.0% to 5.5% ABV. Paulaner, Augustiner, König Ludwig, Löwenbräu and the fabulous Andechser are all typical examples of Helles.

#3. Dunkel

A Dunkelbier is a dark, reddish-brown lager closely related to Helles.  The alcohol content is similar to Helles but the taste is maltier and somewhat sweeter.  The main brands of Helles will also usually produce Dunkles in their range.  It’s the perfect accompaniment in the evening after a day on a ski piste in the Bavarian Alps.

#4. Märzen

This is a seasonal “Festbier” (festival beer) that was traditionally brewed in March and hence that is how this drink got its original brand. Therefore, it is golden in color with a dry, malty taste, it lends itself to festivals because it is so smooth and easy to drink. Märzen can range anywhere from 5.0% to 6.5% in alcohol and may also be labeled as Oktoberfestbier.

#5. Export

Export is golden in color and somewhat similar in taste to Helles, hailing traditionally from Dortmund in the industrial Ruhr region of Western Germany.  Nowadays is brewed throughout Germany due to its historical popularity.  During the 1950s and ‘60s, this was the most common type of beer in Germany but has since lost ground to Pils, Hefeweizen, and Helles. Stronger in content than its more common rivals at around 5.5%, Export is a mild, clean lager, pale in color. 

#6. Alt

This brand is also among the top types of german beer brands; Altbier is Kölsch’s neighbor from Cologne’s arch-rival city of Düsseldorf, just 40km downstream of on the River Rhine.  Alt is the German beer style that most resembles English Bitter, though like most German beers it is higher in alcohol, coming in at around 4.5% to 5.0%.  Brown in color. The most common brands of Altbier are Diebels and Schlösser.

#7. Rauchbier

Rauch is another German type of beer, but in for a smoke. This beer gets its uniqueness from exposing the malt to burning beechwood logs during the brewing process. This beer is made from the city of Bamberg in Franconia, around 40km north of Nuremberg. Thus, its alcohol content is 5.1%.

#8. Schwarzbier

Although strictly defined as a lager, Schwarzbier is black in color and tastes similar to a stout or porter, although not quite as sweet or bitter as a Guinness, for example.  It also has a full-bodied taste and is best sipped slowly on a cold winter’s day. However, these beers typically hail from Eastern Germany and the most famous brand nationwide in Germany is Köstritzer, hailing from Thuringia.  The alcohol content is between 4.5% and 5.0%.

What Is Germany’s Most Popular Beer?

• Weihenstephan Hefe Weissbier
• Erdinger Kristall
• Spaten Oktoberfest
• Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier
• Paulaner Salvator Doppel Bock
• Schneider Weisse Aventinus Eisbock
• Augustiner Hell
• Berliner Weisse

How Many Types of Beer Is There in Germany?

Below are the types of German beer brands

• Pils
• Helles
• Dunkel
• Märzen
• Export 
• Alt
• Rauchbier
• Schwarzbier

What Are Some Popular German Beers?

Here are some of the popular German beer brands you can see everywhere.

1. Busch Light
2. Natural Light
3. Modelo Especial
4. Corona Extra
5. Michelob Ultra
6. Budweiser
7. Miller Lite
8. Coors Light

What Is Germany’s Most Popular Beer?

Pilsner. By far the most popular type of beer in Germany is pilsner, often known as ‘Pils’. The light-golden beer with the dry hops aroma is highly popular in the North, West and East. The name goes back to the Czech town of Pilsen.

What Is Germany’s Famous Drink?

Jagermeister is the second most popular alcoholic beverage in Germany, after beer. What are these? This herbal liqueur is as complex as it is tasty, containing 56 distinct plants that many think confer therapeutic characteristics to Jagermeister. This digestive was introduced in 1934.

What Do Germans Drink in the Morning?

Barley beers

Germany has a particularly long history of drinking beer for breakfast, and in Bavaria, a tall vase of hefeweizen is the usual companion to the “second breakfast.”

Is Heineken German or Dutch?

Heineken N.V. is a Dutch brewer with a global portfolio of over 170 beer brands, primarily pale lager but also producing other beer styles.

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