5 beers Americans aren't drinking

5 beers Americans aren't drinking

Traditional favorites fall out of favor as Americans choose beers that are lighter or have a higher alcohol content.

By Michael B. Sauter and Alexander E.M. Hess, 24/7 Wall St.

No. 5: Old Milwaukee

Brewer: Pabst Brewing
Sales decline (2006-2011): 52.8%
Barrels sold last year: 460,000

Old Milwaukee is brewed by the Pabst Brewing, acquired in 2010 by C. Dean Metropoulos, described by The New York Times as "a veteran food executive known for corporate turnarounds."

Last year, the Chicago Tribune reported that Pabst employees felt Metropoulos' marketing plans were moving the company away from the philosophies and practices that made it successful.

Old Milwaukee sales fell by 12.4% between 2010 and 2011.

No. 4: Milwaukee's Best

Brewer: MillerCoors
Sales decline (2006-2011): 57.1%
Barrels sold last year: 750,000

MillerCoors, a joint venture between SABMiller (SBMRY) and Molson Coors Brewing (TAP), promotes Milwaukee's Best as a beverage "brewed for a man's taste," and asserts that it is "highly drinkable (and) highly affordable."

Consumers haven't seemed to notice: The beer has one of the lowest rankings on BeerAdvocate, a website and magazine that bills itself as a grass-roots network dedicated to supporting and promoting beer.

No. 3: Budweiser Select

Brewer: Anheuser-Busch InBev
Sales decline (2006-2011): 60.8%
Barrels sold last year: 775,000

Introduced in 2005, Budweiser Select claims to offer a "distinctively full flavor," with just 99 calories per 12-ounce serving, roughly the same as Michelob Ultra.

The brand has never sold well, and in 2009, Anheuser-Busch InBev introduced an offshoot, Budweiser Select 55, which the company describes as "the lightest beer in the world with fewer calories than any other beer option currently available."

No. 2: Michelob Light

Brewer: Anheuser-Busch InBev
Sales decline (2006-2011): 66.3%
Barrels sold last year: 425,000

As sales of Michelob Light have dimmed, sales of Michelob Ultra -- a light beer with only 95 calories per 12-ounce serving introduced a decade ago -- have increased by 10.3% over the past five years

No. 1: Michelob

Brewer: Anheuser-Busch InBev
Sales decline (2006-2011): 72.0%
Barrels sold last year 140,000

American consumers have abandoned Michelob, a lager brewed since 1896, at a faster rate than any other beer.

This after Michelob basically invented the "superpremium" category of beers positioned between Anheuser-Busch's flagship Budweiser and many imports.

Check out more of the leading beer brands Americans are no longer drinking at 24/7 Wall St.

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