Chef

Twisted

<p>Now that pub gardens are a genuine possibility again, the nation&#8217;s favourite beer is a matter of pressing concern.</p>
<p>After 12 months and counting of enforced bar-abstinence, no one wants their first proper pint to be a flat, lifeless dribble of piss.</p>
<p>Never has the need to know what&#8217;s top-quality been more urgent.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-1263096510" src="https://cdn.twistedfood.co.uk/2021/04/MBANT7-scaled.jpg" alt="Pouring a pint in the pub" width="2560" height="1707" />[[imagecaption|| Before we all return to the pub, we need to establish what is the nation&#8217;s favourite beer (Credit: Alamy/Isabella Ostelli)]]</p>
<h2>What is the nation&#8217;s favourite beer?</h2>
<p>Fortunately for any anxious pub-goers unsure where to invest that precious first pint, we have some useful data.</p>
<p>Information from <a href="https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2020/11/12/Best-selling-alcohol-brands-2020">The Morning Advertiser</a>&#8216;s annual drinks list now reveals which lagers are the most popular in the pub.</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">READ MORE: <a href="http://twistedfood.co.uk/dominos-voted-uk-least-favourite-pizza">Domino&#8217;s voted the UK&#8217;s least favourite takeaway in shocking new survey</a></h4>
<p>Featuring several of the biggest brands in the world, the list is a reminder that artisanal brewing has a long way to go before it can challenge the big dogs.</p>
<p>Ahead of the most hotly anticipated mass pub-opening ever, here are the top 12 most popular beers in British pubs. True beer connoisseurs might want to look away.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-1263096513" src="https://cdn.twistedfood.co.uk/2021/04/AMDPEM-scaled.jpg" alt="what is the nation's favourite beer" width="2560" height="1707" />[[imagecaption|| Carling is the nation&#8217;s favourite beer (Credit: Alamy/PSL Images)]]</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">1. Carling</h3>
<p>As much as it might shock beer purists, Carling is by some way the most popular pint in the country.</p>
<p>According to The Morning Advertiser&#8217;s information, Brits put away a whopping 1.7 million Hecto Litres (HL) of Carling in 2020.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>READ MORE: <a class="in-cell-link" href="https://twistedfood.co.uk/bartenders-hate-mojitos-drinks-bar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Why do bartenders hate making mojitos? 7 drinks you should never order</a></strong></p>
<p>Considering that pubs were closed for a good chunk of the year, that stat makes for even more impressive reading.</p>
<p>However, while the weight of numbers is certainly impressive, it doesn&#8217;t fix the fact that Carling has been known to taste like a bubbly ashtray.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-1263096516" src="https://cdn.twistedfood.co.uk/2021/04/EDBNDJ-scaled.jpg" alt="Fosters pint" width="1707" height="2560" />[[imagecaption|| Fosters sold over a million HL in 2020 (Credit: Alamy/Universal Images Group North America LLC)]]</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">2. Fosters</h3>
<p>It might be about as authentically Australian as an Outback Steakhouse, but famous Down-Under-themed lager Fosters remains incredibly popular with British drinkers.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>READ MORE: <a class="in-cell-link" href="https://wp.twistedfood.co.uk/wp-admin/post.php?post=12609026&#038;action=edit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Best hangover food revealed – here&#8217;s what to eat the next day after drinking</a></strong></p>
<p>Second only to Carling, Brits quaffed an impressive 1.02 million HL of the so-called &#8220;amber nectar&#8221; in 2020.</p>
<p>That&#8217;s approximately 600,000 barrels, or about 4.5 million koalas, for anyone who&#8217;s counting.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-1263096517" src="https://cdn.twistedfood.co.uk/2021/04/DG82YP-scaled.jpg" alt="Carlsberg pint" width="2560" height="1817" />[[imagecaption|| Despite its advertising, Carlsberg is probably the third most popular lager in the UK (Credit: Alamy/Barry Mason)]]</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">3. Carlsberg Danish Pilsner</h3>
<p>Carlsberg Danish Pilsner might have a strong case for being one of the more premium options on this list.</p>
<p>Given the competition, however, that might not be saying much.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>READ MORE: <a class="in-cell-link" href="https://twistedfood.co.uk/worst-shot-to-drink" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What is the worst shot to drink? When vodka goes wrong</a></strong></p>
<p>The beer that was once dubbed &#8220;probably the best in the world&#8221; is now resigned to the bronze medal position on Britain&#8217;s drinking table, with 575,000 HL.</p>
<p>Still, when it comes to taste, it comfortably beats number four&#8230;</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-1263096518" src="https://cdn.twistedfood.co.uk/2021/04/KEM58N-scaled.jpg" alt="nation's favourite beer" width="1977" height="2560" />[[imagecaption|| Coors Light is more commonly associated with bottles than pints (Credit: Alamy/urbanbuzz)]]</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">4. Coors Light</h3>
<p>It might have one of the most iconic advertising campaigns in recent memory, but not even an old, shirtless Jean Claude Van Damme can save Coors Light from a flavourless fourth spot on the list.</p>
<p>Perhaps when the most positive thing that an advert can legally say about a product is that it&#8217;s cold, we should all take it as a warning.</p>
<p>Still, 463,000 HL is nothing to be sniffed at.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-1263096519" src="https://cdn.twistedfood.co.uk/2021/04/Screenshot-2021-04-07-at-16.32.26.png" alt="Stella Artois pint" width="484" height="563" />[[imagecaption|| Stella Artois glasses have a distinctive shape (Credit: Alamy/David Levenson)]]</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">5. Stella Artois</h3>
<p>Belgium&#8217;s attempt to make British beer-drinking chic was always going to struggle to pay off.</p>
<p>However, despite its mid-tier popularity, Stella Artois still does impressive numbers.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>READ MORE: <a class="in-cell-link" href="https://twistedfood.co.uk/most-expensive-drinks-on-earth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What is the most expensive drink in the world? Outrageously priced booze</a></strong></p>
<p>The Belgian giant is actually up one place in the 2020 rankings, rising to fifth in the country. With 461,000 HL poured, it&#8217;s hot on the heels of JCVD and the world&#8217;s (allegedly) most refreshing beer.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-1263096520" src="https://cdn.twistedfood.co.uk/2021/04/DXF87B-scaled.jpg" alt="Peroni pint" width="2560" height="1706" />[[imagecaption|| Peroni is the sixth most popular pint in the UK (Credit: Alamy/Tref)]]</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">6. Peroni</h3>
<p>Much like Carlsberg, Peroni has done a masterful job of styling itself as the choice for discerning drinkers.</p>
<p>Perhaps this explains why it always seems to cost £5 plus for a pint.</p>
<p>Despite the price tag, however, Peroni is still an incredibly popular choice.</p>
<p>In 2020, for instance, customers necked 450,000 HL of the stuff, placing it in a respectable sixth position.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-1263096521" src="https://cdn.twistedfood.co.uk/2021/04/G5WKEP-scaled.jpg" alt="Amstel nation's favourite beer" width="2048" height="2560" />[[imagecaption|| Amstel sold 350,000 HL of beer last year (Credit: Alamy/Kay Roxby)]]</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">7. Amstel</h3>
<p>Maybe it&#8217;s because of its previous Champions League sponsorship, but Amstel always seems to conjure up memories of ill-advised midweek pints.</p>
<p>This also might explain why the Heineken subsidiary outperforms its parent brand.</p>
<p>In 2020, Amstel sold nearly 350,000 HL of beer in British pubs.</p>
<p>This places it one position higher than the equivalent 2019 list, suggesting that its popularity is only going up.</p>
<p><img class="size-full wp-image-1263096522" src="https://cdn.twistedfood.co.uk/2021/04/CXKCB4-scaled.jpg" alt="'<yoastmark" /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">8. San Miguel</h3>
<p>San Miguel has always been an enigmatic beer. This impression is reinforced by its impressively bizarre advertising strategy, that always seems to revolve around &#8220;journeys&#8221;, &#8220;discovery&#8221; and &#8220;voyaging&#8221;.</p>
<p>After a year when we&#8217;ve all been stuck on the sofa, this messaging might seem extra smug.</p>
<p>However, Brits don&#8217;t seem to have been too irritated by the Spanish lager, with pubs selling 326,000 HL of San Miguel in 2020.</p>
<p>For once, pompous talk of journeying with a beer may actually have struck close to home.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-1263096523" src="https://cdn.twistedfood.co.uk/2021/04/D4GADX-scaled.jpg" alt="Tennents Beer" width="2560" height="1707" />[[imagecaption|| Tennents is the ninth most popular beer in the country (Credit: Alamy/colinspics)]]</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">9. Tennents</h3>
<p>It might be the ninth most popular beer in the country, but I don&#8217;t think I&#8217;ve ever had a pint of Tennents.</p>
<p>This is even more impressive, considering the Scottish-based brand sold 309,000 HL of beer in 2020.</p>
<p>Rest assured, I have made a mental note to give it a go in order to have something witty to say when the 2021 list is released.</p>
<p>Who says it&#8217;s not possible to broaden your horizons in the pub?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-1263096524" src="https://cdn.twistedfood.co.uk/2021/04/JG6BP8-scaled.jpg" alt="Birra Moretti" width="2560" height="1707" />[[imagecaption|| Birra Moretti&#8217;s popularity is only increasing (Credit: Alamy/Home Bird)]]</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">10. Birra Moretti</h3>
<p>Just like the other Italian entry on this list, Birra Moretti is doing a stellar (no pun intended) job of looking premium.</p>
<p>But unlike Peroni, it&#8217;s also managing to seem slightly more affordable.</p>
<p>Having it both ways is never an easy juggling act for a beer.</p>
<p>However, with 280,000 HL sold last year and a rapid rise up the rankings, Birra Moretti is pulling it off so far.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-1263096585" src="https://cdn.twistedfood.co.uk/2021/04/BGN15N-scaled.jpg" alt="Heineken beer" width="2560" height="1734" />[[imagecaption|| Heineken is surprisingly low on the list of the nation&#8217;s favourite beers (Credit: Alamy/Kristoffer Tripplaar)]]</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">11. Heineken</h3>
<p>As one of the biggest beer brands in the world, it&#8217;s slightly surprising to see Heineken so low.</p>
<p>It might taste like you&#8217;re drinking from a shower gel bottle, but there&#8217;s no doubt that the iconic Dutch brewer is a top dog in the industry.</p>
<p>Still, it just goes to show that customers are prepared to pay a premium for taste.</p>
<p>Just ask anyone self-satisfyingly swigging a Peroni.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-1263096586" src="https://cdn.twistedfood.co.uk/2021/04/EDBNCP-scaled.jpg" alt="what is the nation's favourite beer" width="2560" height="1707" />[[imagecaption|| Just 184,000 HL of Kronenbourg were sold last year in the UK (Credit: Alamy/Universal Images Group North America LLC)]]</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">12. Kronenbourg</h3>
<p>Finally on the list of Britain&#8217;s most popular beers, we have Kronenbourg.</p>
<p>Again, it might surprise some to see a beer pushed by &#8216;King&#8217; Eric Cantona so low in the rankings, but the British public are unequivocal in their judgement.</p>
<p>As it so happens, I don&#8217;t mind Kronenbourg, and so would happily count my pint among the 184,000 HL poured last year.</p>
<p>However, there&#8217;s no doubt that most Brits would rather guzzle a Carling than go near a Kronenbourg. Go figure.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-1263096582" src="https://cdn.twistedfood.co.uk/2021/04/beer-839865_1920-1.jpg" alt="beers in a field" width="1920" height="1280" />[[imagecaption|| With pubs about to reopen, beer will soon be back on the menu for many (Credit: Pixabay)]]</p>
<h2>Our verdict</h2>
<p>However strongly you may or may not feel that Carling and Fosters are about as tempting as two-day-old tea, the British public are pretty unanimous in their beer choices.</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">READ MORE: <a href="http://twistedfood.co.uk/twisted-guides-these-are-the-best-10-takeaways-in-london">London&#8217;s best takeaway revealed – Twisted&#8217;s top 10 favourites</a></h4>
<p>While we might struggle to understand why someone might order a Coors over a Kronenbourg, or any of these over an actual nice beer, it&#8217;s obvious that we are in the minority and need a long, hard look in the mirror.</p>
<p>I, for one, wish to take this opportunity for pubby introspection and go and try a pint of Tennents. Maybe then I&#8217;ll be suitably prepared for when things finally reopen.</p>


Now that pub gardens are a genuine possibility again, the nation's favourite beer is a matter of pressing concern. After 12 months and counting of enforced bar-abstinence, no one wants their first proper pint to be a flat, lifeless dribble of piss. Never has the need to know what's top-quality&hellip;

The Nation's Favourite Beer Has Been Revealed And We're Not Sure How We Feel About It

A survey has revealed the nation's favourite beer, with some surprising results for the industry – and we're not sure how we feel about it.

The nation’s favourite beer has been revealed and we’re not sure how we feel about it

09/04/2021

Twisted

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The nation’s favourite beer has been revealed and we’re not sure how we feel about it

09/04/2021

Twisted

Save article

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