Not Guinness, Not Stella Artois: This Is 2026's Most Recommended Beer Brand

There are countless beer brands to choose from, styles to reach for, labels to ooh and ahh over. So what is the beer that's actually the most recommended in 2026? The answer may surprise you! Market research company YouGov published a ranking of the most recommended alcoholic beverage brands (among other products) in 2026 based on online surveys of customers. These surveys asked questions such as, "Which of the following brands would you recommend to a friend or colleague?"

It's not Guinness or Stella Artois. Believe it or not, the most recommended beer brand in 2026 is Sam Adams. It was a close race, though — just a few tenths of a percentage point separated the top four alcoholic beverage brands of the year. Sam Adams' "positive recommend" score was 88.7%, while Guinness's was 88.6%, Stella Artois' was 88.5%, and Don Julio's was 88.4%.

It's interesting to note that while the category listed the top 10 most recommended alcoholic beverage brands, the top three are beer brands. Blue Moon and Heineken also appear on the list, coming in at No. 5 and No. 9, respectively. And all five of these rank fairly high on our list of the 45 most popular beers. But when it comes to beer, there's no doubt that Americans like ours with a side of patriotic history.

Part of what makes Sam Adams so great is that the brand is always releasing fun and different varieties and seasonal offerings. The Brewer Patriot Collection launched in 2026 in conjunction with the country's 250th anniversary. The brand also released new NA Octoberfest and Apple Spice Ale beers that hit all the right autumnal notes this fall.

But even its classic Boston Lager is a hit with fans. "Sam Adams makes some really good beers. Boston Lager is my absolute favorite beer to pair with food. Especially a good steak or burger," one Reddit user wrote. Another gave it what we're pretty sure is a compliment: "If aliens landed on Earth and asked me, 'What is beer?' I would probably serve them a Boston Lager. It's not too bitter, not too sweet, pretty neutral in color and weight. It's the beeriest beer I've ever beered." Yet another fan summed up the ubiquitous popularity of Sam Adams quite nicely: "When I am feeling burnt out on 'new beer,' Sam Adams is my go to. ... Sam Adams is a good choice. Always pleasant and always satisfying."