Lagers Lead with Beer Drinkers, According to New Survey from Anheuser-Busch

Leading Brewer Celebrates America's Favorite Style of Beer in Honor of National Lager Day

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Dec 06, 2013, 09:00 ET

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- This National Lager Day, Dec. 10, Anheuser-Busch will raise a toast to America's most preferred style of beer, and for good reason. With ever-increasing interest in beers and brewing, adults still say that lager is their favorite type of beer, according to a new survey conducted by the brewer and KRC Research.

The findings show a preference for lager by a wide margin over ales with the majority citing lager's crisp flavor as the reason.

Beer drinkers have long loved lagers, and the style still reigns supreme. American lagers make up the large majority (75%) of today's overall beer category, according to IRI dataⁱ, with Anheuser-Busch leading the way in the United States, representing nearly two-thirds (63%) of the category.ⁱⁱ Two of the company's flagship lagers, Budweiser and Bud Light, are consistently among the world's leading brands.

The National Lager Day survey of more than 600 beer-drinking Americans age 21 and older affirms a prevailing preference for lagers and reveals more about how they are enjoyed. Key findings include:

Beer drinkers prefer lagers 2-to-1 over pale ales and 3-to-1 over IPAs and stouts.
Two-thirds of beer drinkers like the crisp flavor of lager more than beers with bitter, sweet or fruity flavors.
When it comes to serving style, respondents say enjoying beer in a glass bottle is best (38%), followed closely by beer on draught (32%).

"It's great to see excitement for lagers reaffirmed through the survey results," said Pete Kraemer, head brewmaster, Anheuser-Busch. "They are the most challenging beers to brew, but also the most rewarding. There is nothing I enjoy more than the light, refined flavor complexity of an American lager. And I encourage everyone to raise a toast to America's favorite beer style on National Lager Day."

Whether seeking the clean flavor of Bud Light or the crisp, distinct taste of Budweiser, beer drinkers have confirmed lagers are their favorite by making the two Anheuser-Busch beers among the top-selling in the country.ⁱⁱⁱ

"Lagers have a crisper, cleaner taste than traditional ales and require an immense amount of attention during the brewing process," said Kraemer. "For our brewmasters, the ultimate measure of quality is taste, which is why we taste every batch of beer at every step in the process. The consistent quality of Budweiser and Bud Light are a testament to the talent and training of our brewmasters."

Anheuser-Busch is bringing brewing to life in New York City on the eve of National Lager Day, Dec. 9, with a stop for the mobile Budweiser Brewmaster Tour at Pier 86 at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Launched this fall, the Budweiser Brewmaster Tour brings brewmasters behind every bottle, can and keg of great American lagers to cities across the country. The mobile brewing experience provides consumers their own taste of the art, science and passion that goes into making Budweiser.

For more information on National Lager Day, visit http://newsroom.anheuser-busch.com.

About the Survey
Anheuser-Busch commissioned KRC Research to conduct an online survey of 984 Americans age 21 or older, of which 601 indicated they are beer drinkers. The survey was designed to determine respondents' preferences for various styles and flavors of beer, as well as the times and ways they enjoyed drinking beer. Research was conducted between Nov. 29 and Dec. 1, 2013. The margin of sampling error at the 95 percent level of confidence is +/- 3.12 for the sample.

About Anheuser-Busch
For more than 160 years, Anheuser-Busch and its world-class brewmasters have carried on a legacy of brewing America's most-popular beers. Starting with the finest, all-natural ingredients sourced from Anheuser-Busch's family of growers, every batch is hand-crafted using the same exacting standards and time-honored traditions passed down through generations of proud Anheuser-Busch brewmasters and employees. Best known for its fine American-style lagers, Budweiser and Bud Light, the company's beers lead numerous beer segments and combined hold 47.6 percent share of the U.S. beer market. Anheuser-Busch is the U.S. arm of Anheuser-Busch InBev and operates 12 local breweries, 17 distributorships and 23 agricultural and packaging facilities across the United States, representing a capital investment of more than $15.5 billion. Its flagship brewery remains in St. Louis, Mo., and is among the global company's largest and most technologically capable breweries. Visitor and special beermaster tours are available at its St. Louis and four other Anheuser-Busch breweries. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com.

ⁱ IRI date: rankings year to date through 11/10/13; IRI data: lager segment data 52 weeks ending 11/10/13
ⁱⁱ IRI date: rankings year to date through 11/10/13; IRI data: lager segment data 52 weeks ending 11/10/13
ⁱⁱⁱ IRI date: rankings year to date through 11/10/13; IRI data: lager segment data 52 weeks ending 11/10/13

SOURCE Anheuser-Busch