(NEXSTAR) – New data reveals that Michelob Ultra has overtaken Bud Light as the most popular draft beer in U.S. bars and restaurants, marking a significant shift in consumer preferences. Draftline Technologies, a software provider for beverage distributors, found that Michelob Ultra now leads in the number of tap handles across beer venues in the country.
Jennifer Hauke, founder of Draftline Technologies, stated in a report that Michelob Ultra’s rise to the top has been years in the making. “The rise of Michelob Ultra as the leader by number of tap handles on draft reflects shifting consumer preferences,” Hauke said. “Michelob Ultra has been on a path to surpass Bud Light as the #1 brand on draft (by total taps) for a number of years. The news is Michelob Ultra did it—we have a new #1.”
The shift comes roughly a year and a half after Bud Light lost its title as the best-selling beer in the U.S. to Modelo Especial. In July 2024, Michelob Ultra also surpassed Bud Light to become the second-best-selling beer, dropping Bud Light to third place.
The decline in Bud Light’s market share is widely attributed to backlash surrounding its controversial 2023 partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The collaboration led to calls for a boycott from critics, but also drew ire from some of Mulvaney’s supporters and members of the LGBTQ+ community, who felt the brand had not adequately defended the activist during the controversy.
“For a company to hire a trans person and then not publicly stand by them is worse in my opinion than not hiring a trans person at all because it gives customers permission to be as transphobic and hateful as they want,” Mulvaney said in a TikTok video in June 2023.
Hauke also pointed to Michelob Ultra’s alignment with broader health-conscious and premium beer trends as contributing to its surge in popularity. “It’s important to note that Michelob Ultra’s rise has been years in the making,” she added.
While Anheuser-Busch InBev, which owns both Bud Light and Michelob Ultra, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Draftline’s findings, a company spokesperson told CNN that the brewer is “proud” to have two of its beers as the first- and second-most-popular drafts in the country. The spokesperson further emphasized that Bud Light remains “more than 30% bigger than the next closest draft competitor.”
Draftline Technologies’ report was based on data from over 1 million beer taps across 40 states. Hauke noted that the company tracks between half and two-thirds of all beer systems in the U.S., according to their own estimates.
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