11 Bush's Baked Bean Varieties, Ranked

You may think that meat is the be-all, end-all of a good barbecue, but that's not totally true. Of course, you want the meat dishes to shine, but it's not a real BBQ if you don't have the right side dishes. You need a good pasta salad, of course, and some sweet corn on the cob. But there's one side dish that's often overlooked: baked beans. Yes, you can totally make them yourself if you have some extra time on your hands. But if you're looking for a shortcut in the barbecue planning process, you might want to pick up some store-bought beans instead, and Bush's is perhaps the most well-known baked bean brand on the market.

Chances are, you've had original baked beans before if you've gone to many BBQs in the U.S. But did you know that Bush's sells a wide variety of different bean flavors? There's seriously something for every palate. I tasted my way through 11 of the brand's baked beans to determine which ones taste best and which you might want to skip over entirely. I judged these beans according to overall flavor, evaluating the additional ingredients in each recipe. After reading this review, you'll have a better idea of which flavor to try next.

Hot honey seems to be everywhere these days, and Mike's Hot Honey is arguably leading the pack in the category. Therefore, it doesn't surprise me to see Bush's Hot Honey Grilling Beans, which are a collaboration between Bush's and Mike's. I do like this brand of hot honey (and the condiment in general), so I was excited to taste this mash-up product. When I took that first bite, though, I was pretty disappointed.

Yes, baked beans tend to be pretty sweet, but the sweetness in this recipe is honestly overpowering. The flavor of the honey (not just the sweetness) is quite pronounced, which almost tastes out of place in a recipe that's ultimately still supposed to be at least somewhat savory. Additionally, I didn't really pick up on any heat at all. Without any spiciness to balance out all that sugar, this flavor of Bush's baked beans absolutely fell flat for me, and I won't be trying it again.

If you take a look at the ingredients list of most baked beans out there, you'll notice that they tend to contain animal products. Some just have pork fat added to the recipe, while others (including many of Bush's products) actually contain whole chunks of meat. Therefore, if you're following a vegetarian diet, you won't be able to eat them. Therefore, we're glad that Bush's has come out with its vegetarian baked beans to fill that gap in the market. On the flavor front, though, it almost feels like it's an afterthought for the brand.

These beans have a noticeable metallic flavor to them that isn't very pleasant. They're also missing the depth of flavor and complexity you find in most of the other varieties on this list. I suppose they're tolerable if you're craving baked beans and want to choose a meat-free variety, but I certainly wouldn't ever choose these based on their flavor alone.

Take a look at the sugar content of most baked beans, and you'll see that it's quite high. That's immediately evident when you taste them, too — they have a distinct sweetness to them that balances the savoriness of a good barbecue spread. But not everyone wants to have that much sugar in a side dish. That's ostensibly why Zero Sugar Added Bush's baked beans exist. This product offers a less-sweet version of the original product, which is definitely a solid option for those who are watching their sugar intake or just prefer a flavor profile that isn't too sweet.

But even though I like my beans less sugary than most, I find that these beans just aren't flavorful enough. There's a subtle savoriness there, but other than that, it just seems like this is a normal can of beans, just with a strange aftertaste. If you really don't want extra sugar in your bean side dish, you might just be better off making a bean side salad instead. It'll probably be more satisfying, and it allows you to skip the sugar in a more natural-tasting way.

In theory, Bush's Boston Recipe baked beans sound like they'd taste good. The label says that they're made with molasses and pork — a savory-sweet combination that should be a match made in heaven. However, these weren't my favorite beans of the bunch. While they're not as bad as some of the worst-ranked flavors listed here, I found that this flavor, like the vegetarian beans, also has a strange metallic flavor to it that really turned me off after the first bite.

But it's not just that metallic note that makes these Boston Recipe beans subpar compared to the better-ranked varieties on this list. I was hoping for more pork in the mix, but it seems like the meat in this recipe is negligible. Considering how much meat appears in other cans of Bush's baked beans, I found this lack to be disappointing. The molasses flavor is too prominent as well, perhaps because of the lack of saltiness and savoriness from the pork.

Bush's baked beans are an iconic grocery store product, and most people who have tried them before have been introduced to the brand through the original flavor. Although this isn't my favorite flavor of the bunch, the Original baked beans are a classic for a reason. They have a really lovely combo of sweet and savory flavors, thanks to the inclusion of both bacon and brown sugar. And because you're getting actual chunks of bacon in every spoonful, you can really pick up on that saltiness despite how these baked beans are quite sweet. The inclusion of brown sugar makes for a complex, rich flavor profile that you won't find in every brand of baked beans.

If you've only ever had Original Bush's before (and you like baked beans), then you probably think they're great. For a lot of people who grew up with this brand, they're the blueprint. However, with more exciting flavors in Bush's lineup, this variety doesn't qualify to be included in the top half of this ranking.

One of the flavors I love most in barbecue is smokiness. It's a flavor you normally can't capture unless you're actually grilling, which isn't always an option. Therefore, that layer of smokiness adds a unique complexity that feels like a bit of a novelty to me. That's exactly why I enjoy Bush's Brown Sugar Hickory flavor. The main flavor note I pick up on here is, in fact, hickory. Not only does it have a distinct smokiness to it, but it also has an almost herbal, woody quality that adds even more interest to every bite.

Like Bush's Original flavor, this one is also made with brown sugar. Although that ingredient is specifically called out in the product's name, I don't think this variety tastes as sweet as some of the others listed here. It's definitely not my favorite of the bunch, but if you're looking for smoky complexity in your beans that makes them pair even better with bold, smoked meat, then this flavor might be worth a try.

Now, here is where the flavors start to get a bit more interesting. Bush's Bourbon and Brown Sugar Grillin' Beans have a really bold bourbon flavor to them. I think that gives these beans a nice touch — the bourbon adds complexity and tones down the sweetness without adding too much bitterness to the mix. Again, even the Original Bush's baked beans are made with brown sugar, so that addition isn't anything out of the ordinary. Somehow, though, this flavor combo tastes more balanced.

Something else I like about this variety of beans is the fact that there are also diced onions in the mix. That elevates the flavor even more and adds an additional savory note that prevents these from tasting cloyingly sweet. Still, I think these are a lot more subtle than the higher-ranked varieties on this list, but for bourbon lovers, they're an absolute must-try variety.

If you already know you love Bush's Original baked beans, then you have to try the Country Style variety. This is basically just the same thing as the Original, just amped up a bit more. They're made with bacon, but they also boast extra brown sugar. According to the product packaging, the sauce is also thicker and richer than the Original — and I definitely picked up on that. The thickness and richness of the sauce are major selling points, making each bite feel even more substantial than your typical baked beans.

What I love about this flavor is the fact that you're actually getting quite a bit of bacon in this can. A lot of times, it seems like companies will try to skimp on the more expensive ingredients in a recipe, but that doesn't seem like the case here — those thick, rich pieces of bacon aren't few and far between in this can. There's just so much meat here that you could skip the barbecue entirely and just eat a side of these beans with a salad for lunch.

Some people don't love baked beans because their bold sweetness doesn't leave much room for any acidity. That lack of acidity can make baked beans taste unbalanced sometimes, and you definitely won't want to pile more rich, fatty, and sweet dishes on your plate at a barbecue without some lighter, tangier flavors to keep things tasting refreshing. That's why I love Bush's Homestyle Baked Beans. Yes, they're still quite sweet, but because they're made with a thick, rich tomato sauce, you get a more nuanced flavor in this can. There's just a hint of tang to balance out the sweetness, and it's a huge upgrade from most of the other flavors featured here.

Of course, you still have those typical Bush's ingredients in this can, too. The brown sugar and bacon add more richness to the equation and keep these beans tasting like the classic, just with a tasty little twist. If you feel like baked beans are usually missing the tang you crave, this is the product you should look for on store shelves the next time you're planning a BBQ (or just want to serve some baked beans on the side of whatever you're making for dinner).

For those who really love savory flavors, it's hard to beat Bush's Onion baked beans. This is a flavor combo I adore because it seems like all of the different ingredients are working together in perfect harmony. There are a lot of diced onions in this can of beans, which is exactly how they should be. Sure, they impart a savoriness in the recipe, but they also have a subtle sweetness to them that further complements the brown sugar. You'll also find bacon in this can of beans as well, which helps push the product further toward the savory end of the spectrum.

My one issue with this flavor is the fact that, compared to the other varieties I tried that included bacon, this one didn't seem to have quite as much meat. Because all of the other bacon-containing flavors listed here had plenty of meat in the cans, I assumed that this was just a fluke, but I can't be sure since this is my first time trying the variety.

After tasting Hot Honey Bush's baked beans, I wasn't too excited about the idea of the Maple and Cured Bacon flavor. I was worried that the maple would be far too strong here, with an overpowering sweet flavor that wouldn't allow the bacon to properly shine. I was so, so wrong, though. In fact, this ended up being my favorite flavor of the entire lineup. That maple note is quite strong, admittedly, with a distinct sweetness and a floral-adjacent flavor that adds a lot of depth to the dish. But the cured bacon is also quite salty, which seems to provide the flavor balance that all that maple needs.

Now, should you try this Bush's variety if you don't like much sweetness in your baked beans at all, or if you're not a fan of the flavor of maple syrup? Probably not. That sugariness is quite prominent, and the maple note is pronounced. But if you like those qualities and are just on the lookout for flavor balance, you're probably going to love these beans.

I selected these Bush's baked beans flavors according to availability at a local grocery store in my area. The main factor in this ranking was flavor, and I paid particular attention to flavor balance. The best-ranked flavors on this list were well-balanced between sweetness and savoriness and also had a depth and complexity that the worst-ranked varieties didn't.