We Asked 11 Brewers: What’s Your Go-To Cheap Beer?

Some craft beer drinkers may turn their noses up at bargain brews, but brewers can see the beauty in a well-made and affordably priced thirst-quencher. That’s why you may see the people who know beer best reaching for something reliable at half the price of their craft counterparts. That may be because these beers are deceptively delicious or hold nostalgic weight, but sometimes, the price is just right.

To find the best affordable beer options, we ask 11 brewers which cheap beer is their go-to. The brewers we spoke with all had different reasons for why their picks hold space in their hearts, whether they be accessible ales or classic lagers. Their answers called back fond memories, emphasized drinkability, and even invoked worker solidarity.

Here are the cheap beers the pros are reaching for these days.

The best cheap beer, according to brewers: Utica Club Coors Banquet Breakside Wanderlust Negra Modelo Narragansett Modelo Miller High Life

“My go-to is Coors Banquet. Cheap and reliable.” —Heather Opheim, lead brewer, Deviant Wolfe Brewing, Sarasota, Fla. 

“Miller Lite has long been my go-to, dive-bar beer when I can get it. But I can’t in good faith drink Molson Coors amidst the strike with Teamsters Local 997 of Fort Worth. While craft beer production workers face unionization challenges of our own, it’s always in our mutual benefit to support our macro counterparts. Until the strike is resolved and workers are fairly compensated, I’ll be seeking out New York’s own Utica