I Tried 11 Cheap Beers And Ranked Them Worst To Best

With so many types of beer, it can easily become overwhelming to choose your Friday night sipper. Sometimes, instead of reaching for the best IPAs for beginners or even just opting for a notoriously popular beer, it's easier to narrow down the search with one quantifying characteristic in mind: cheap. It's hardly an exaggeration to say cheap beers are the backbone of the beer-sphere, offering no-frills formulas that get the job done without breaking the bank. But the selection for cheap beers alone is pretty vast in and of itself, and even that could prove daunting if you're new to the game.

Of course, just because you're imbibing on a budget doesn't mean the brew has to taste bad, which is why I've put 11 popular cheap beer brands to the taste test, narrowing down the absolute best ones. Considering that most of these beers are very similar in their base formula — water, yeast, barley, and hops being the core ingredients found across the bunch — my focus here was determining which brand managed to take such a no-frills base to make it taste, well, not cheap. Key factors I considered in this ranking were the beer's flavor (whether said flavor was watered-down), and the general effervescence of the liquid (because a good brewski, no matter how cheap, should be crisp and bubbly, not dull and flat). 

As a note, though I mention the price occasionally to highlight just how cheap some truly are, the exact price doesn't ultimately play a role in determining the ranking. Everything on this list generally qualifies as cheap, but to be more concrete, every option on this list costs $10 or less for a 6-pack (though many are cheaper than that).

I once held such a fondness for Bud Light. It reminded me of my early college days, when I often reached for it simply because I didn't know any better, and it was widely available. Nearly a decade later, I can't say that I still see Bud Light in the same light, and after trying it for this ranking, I don't think my relationship with the brand will reignite anytime soon.

I'm certainly not the first person to point out the watered-down, lackluster nature of Bud Light, and I surely won't be the last. But in case you truly haven't tried Bud Light before, trust me when I say it's one cheap beer you're better off skipping. You can tell by the color just how diluted the liquid is, and it genuinely tastes more like beer-flavored water than actual beer. I wish I could describe some flavor notes at play or highlight the crispness of the beer, but alas, there's just nothing good to say here. For all these reasons, Bud Light comes in last place in the cheap beer race.

Of all the beers that may qualify as cheap, one might argue that Stella Artois is a higher-end variety on that list. Nonetheless, Stella is indeed a cheap beer, and after sampling it for this article, it's not one I can say is a good cheap beer.

Although I poured all the beers in a similar fashion — tilting the opening downward so the liquid would pour down the side of the glass — I got a whole spectrum of foam heads and bubbly aftermath. Stella's foam head stuck out to me for being distinctly bitter-tasting and generally very unpleasant. There was also so much foam that it was hard to ignore it and focus on the beer. Once I did get to the actual liquid, I can't say I was enjoying it any more than the foam. I will at least assent that Stella had a little more flavor going on than Bud Light. It was just hints of bitterness and slight yeasty notes, but it's something. Overall, though, Stella didn't leave a lasting impression (other than that bitter foamy head), so it's landing pretty low in the ranking.

Trader Joe's is notorious for being a treasure trove of fun foods and drinks, with many of them being positively beloved within the TJ's community. But if there's one enduring product that more accurately fits into a polarizing category, it would be Trader Joe's Simpler Times lager. There's no denying the value here — you can get a 12-pack for only $8.49 — but the beer's flavor makes me question if the price tag is even worth it.

There's one word that comes to mind when I drink TJ's Simpler Times: yeast. Yes, yeast is an essential part of any good beer, and sometimes a little yeasty kick is a good thing. However, when I tell you that yeast overwhelms Simpler Times in a way that feels almost impossible to fathom, I'm only slightly exaggerating. I'm sure there's someone out there who absolutely loves the deal they're getting with this beer and that robust yeast flavor, but I need a little more balance for a cheap beer to be worth it. A little crispness or a slightly bubblier profile could perhaps make this one more successful. I have to at least give it a bit of credit ahead of the lower-ranked beers on this list, because there is at least quite a bit of flavor going on in Trader Joe's Simpler Times lager.

I directly compared Budweiser with Trader Joe's Simpler Times lager a while back, and the results were a bit mixed. I ultimately favored the TJ's lager for its accessibility (to me personally, since I shop there so often) and ultra-low price point, but in terms of flavor, I slightly preferred Budweiser. And, when sampling both beers once again for this ranking, the flavor sentiment remained true — but that's not to say that I'm exactly singing praises to Budweiser.

There's something very classic and old-school about Budweiser to me, and the flavor of the lager really reflects that. This is the type of no-frills beer that feels very akin to Bud Light, but with a little more strength in the flavor department. When I sampled this brew, I specifically noted a toned-down yeast flavor, but one that still crept up as an aftertaste. I also noted a strong level of carbonation with this beer, which made it feel nice and light. Other than those somewhat strong points, Budweiser's flavor is considerably watery, and it simply can't compete with stronger cheap beers on this list. 

Busch Light is one of those beers that you can find just about anywhere, but its ubiquitous nature doesn't necessarily equal quality. I'm certainly not going to sit here and pretend like Busch Light is a beer I've ever willingly sought out in the past, but after trying it for this ranking, I was pleasantly surprised by one key aspect. 

While Busch maybe doesn't have the strongest flavor of the bunch (we'll touch on that in a minute), it did have a delightfully bubbly, carbonated texture that made it stand out. You can see the effervescence in the picture — a level of bubbliness that organically came about without the excess foamy head on top. Ultimately, though, I couldn't rank Busch any higher because it doesn't have much to say in the flavor department. Sure, it's a little stronger than something like Bud Light, and it doesn't have that overly yeasty flavor like Simpler Times; but it is also pretty watery and relatively lackluster in its own right. 

Hamm's is one cheap beer brand that only came onto my radar in recent years, but it's one I've come to appreciate. Don't worry, I'm not going to sit here and try to argue that Hamm's is the best of the cheap beers — it is coming in sixth place after all, which isn't exactly an amazing placement — but it's crisp, reliable, and it gets the job done. 

My favorite thing about Hamm's is definitely its crisp quality, and I'd argue that it nails that lightness and sparkling nature better than most of the beers on this list. Its downfall is, of course, its relatively lackluster flavor. There's not a whole lot going on here, although I do have to credit Hamm's with at least providing a slightly yeasty aftertaste. I certainly find Hamm's mild flavor to be a little more acceptable here than with something like Bud Light, which is straight-up watery, but Hamm's at least has a little something going on. 

If there's a single brand out there that feels the most quintessential of all the cheap beers, I'd argue that Miller Lite might be it. Now, don't get me wrong, there are plenty of brews better than Miller — that's why it's coming in fifth place and not first — but Miller Lite has such a neutral, inoffensive flavor profile that isn't necessarily bland, so I have to at least give credit where it's due to such a baseline beer.

What I like most about Miller Lite is that it manages to avoid being too watery or bland while also not leaning too hard into an overly yeasty or bitter territory. I do think there's a little bit to be desired with the carbonation level of this brew, and I struggled to find it quite as light and refreshing as some of the others on this list. So, with all that in mind, Miller Lite managed to break into the top five, and I can safely say that I certainly wouldn't be mad if I showed up to a party where it was available.

Out of all the Coors variations, I have to acknowledge Coors Banquet as being a classic option that, in my humble opinion, you can't go wrong with. Although Coors may not be my personal favorite or go-to cheap beer, it's one that I definitely don't have any unpleasant memories with. And, after revisiting it for this ranking, it's the one that I might consider stocking in my fridge from time to time.

Something that stands out about this brew, especially compared to those bland, more watery ones in the mix, is that it has a distinct malty flavor. Now, it's not necessarily the strongest or most complex malty depth, but it makes for a more interesting sip for sure. Coors also has a nice level of carbonation and a bit of a yeasty aftertaste, but not one that I found offensive. Like Miller Lite, Coors is one of those staple cheap beers that manages to pack a little more complexity, and for that reason, it nabbed the coveted fourth place spot on this list.

It's true that Pabst Blue Ribbon has been a longtime go-to for me whenever I stock my fridge with cheap beer, but I still went into this ranking playing a fair game. I was only going to place PBR where I felt it most accurately belonged, and after comparing it with the other 10 brews on the list, third place felt like the best spot.

Obviously, I still think very highly of PBR based on my ranking, but there were a few that managed to edge it out. To focus on the positives of this beer, I have to highlight its crispness. There's something about PBR that's downright refreshing, and it has just the right level of effervescence and foam to make for a light, crisp beer that doesn't feel heavy. I'm not going to say that PBR has the most robust flavor profile, but it also doesn't taste watered down. It just tastes like a classic, no-frills, refreshing cheap beer, and one that I can always count on to go down easy and get the job done. 

Something that struck me about Yuengling from the second I poured it into a glass was just how deeply amber the color of the liquid was. Compared to something ultra-watery (again, looking at you Bud Light), the difference in color is night and day. And, fortunately, that color difference also translated to flavor, and Yuengling left me feeling very impressed overall.

Out of all the beers on this list, I'd argue that Yuengling had the most malty depth to it, even more so than Coors, which is a huge perk for me. I get that not everyone wants that malt flavor profile, but the nice thing about Yuengling is that it somehow didn't feel bogged down by such a flavor. The brew had a surprising lightness to it, despite the deep amber color, and nice bubbles to keep things from feeling too heavy. Perhaps this brew wasn't quite as refreshing as some others on this list, but it made up for it in a more robust flavor profile — a pretty easy choice for second place.

When a given brand is dubbed "The Champagne of Beers," even if it's a self-proclaimed title, you're naturally going to expect it to stand out among the rest. And, after trying all these cheap beers, I genuinely think Miller High Life is the best of the selection. Would I go as far as to liken it to Champagne? Perhaps not, but it's at least got a top-shelf sparkling wine quality to it.

What stands out the most about High Life is its impeccable balance between crispness and flavor. Certain beers on this list were stronger in the flavor department but were perhaps less refreshing, while others had nice bubbles but basically tasted like water. High Life manages to hit both nails on the head, delivering a bright, subtly malty and yeasty profile while being perfectly carbonated and not at all heavy. This is the type of beer you can sip on your porch after a long day and never get tired of. It's the type of cheap brew that would please just about any palate at a party, and one that somehow manages to be no-frills but still pack something a little bit special. It's a great beer choice in general, and in the world of cheap brews in particular, it's a no-brainer.

When you're comparing a number of beers that ultimately have very similar flavor profiles and ingredient inclusions across the board, it's crucial to pay close attention to differences wherever you notice them. In the case of cheap beers, those differences largely cropped up in terms of wateriness, yeastiness, maltiness, and carbonation. So, when conducting the ranking, these characteristics were what I carefully considered and compared. Less successful brews were either too watery, too bland, or too flat, and some, like Simpler Times, far too yeasty. Those in the middle managed to get at least a few components right, be it a more robust flavor profile but less carbonation, or vice versa. The highest-ranked ones are those that managed to get it just right, balancing a bubbly, carbonated viscosity with a pleasant, classic cheap beer flavor profile.

In terms of how I sampled the beers, I would try a handful at a given time, and then take specific notes on each one as I went. I tried the beers over the course of a few days, and when I could, I returned to certain brews if I needed more clarity on what it had to offer. And, finally, I made sure to try all the options nice and cold, because the only thing worse than a bad cheap beer is a bad, warm cheap beer.