Goodbye Modelo — Americans Have A New Favorite Beer

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Goodbye Modelo — Americans Have A New Favorite Beer By Rolland Judd Sept. 23, 2025 2:01 pm EST

An effort two decades in the making has finally come to fruition for Anheuser-Busch. Despite being considered a cheap beer to avoid, according to customer reviews (and ranking near the bottom of our own taste test of America's top-selling beers ), Michelob Ultra has become king of the hill among beer brands. By topping the sales by volume charts for 2025, it has ousted Modelo Especial as America's best-selling beer.

While its lower caloric content certainly appealed to many people, some of Michelob Ultra's success can also be credited to aggressive marketing campaigns, which helped the brand gain notoriety at major sporting events like the FIFA Club