We Asked 10 Brewers: What’s Your Go-To Macro Beer? (2025)

While we could sing the praises of various craft beers until the cows come home, sometimes nothing hits like a familiar, mass-produced brew. Sure, there are many people who pride themselves on sticking to local options, but macro beers wouldn’t be macros if they weren’t so accessible and widely beloved.

Even some of the most accomplished brewers in the world have a soft spot for ubiquitous, cheap suds. After a long day of double dry-hopping and sweating over brew kettles, not everyone wants to pop open a barleywine or barrel-aged saison. In these instances, the more refreshing and less thought-provoking the beer is, the better.

Curious to see if your tastes align with those of industry vets? We tapped 10 brewers from across the country to find out what macro beers they reach for when the mood strikes.

The best macro beers, according to brewers:

Miller High Life
Labatt Blue
Guinness
Coors Banquet
“Whatever is freshest”
Negra Modelo
Pabst Blue Ribbon

“My go to Macro is the High Life. I’ve loved Miller High Life beer since high school. Ice cold, shorty, clear long necks, or canned tall boys — doesn’t matter what time of year it is. The High Life never disappoints.” —Annie Johnson, American Homebrewers Association’s 2013 Homebrewer of the Year, Sacramento, Calif.

“Miller High Life. A 12-pack is about $10. It’s always consistent, and it’s better than some ‘craft’ lagers in my opinion. I’d definitely consider it ‘ol’ reliable.’” —Cameron Owen, founder, Hidden Space Brewing, Greenville, S.C.

“I very rarely drink macro beer, but there is one I find myself sipping on at my local dive from time to time: Miller High Life. It has to be in a bottle, otherwise I don’t see the point. The bottle itself is an incredible feat of packaging with its gold foil, clear glass, and meticulous attention to detail in the printing. The beer, too, is spot-on for a light lager: bone dry, highly carbonated, delicately flavored, and quite refreshing.” —Kim Sturdavant, assistant general manager, The Beer Hall SF, San Francisco

“That’s an easy answer for me, and I’m rubbing the scar on my chin for good luck as I answer. I earned it the hard way from my hockey helmet. I grew up playing hockey, both pickup games, pond hockey, but also in high school and college. Any hockey player from the Northeast worth their puck would probably give the same answer, which is Labatt Blue. I don’t taste much hops in this classic beer but I sure taste a whole lot of blood, sweat, and tears.” —Sam Calagione, co-founder, Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, Del.

“My go-to macro beer is Guinness. I’m a strong proponent of ‘think global, drink local’ so I support our Oregon breweries the most. I rarely drink the same beer twice in a month, and we have a great variety here. I prefer ales over lagers, yet most macro beers are lagers, so by default, my favorite macro beer is Guinness because it packs a flavorful punch. It’s the only macro beer you’ll find in my fridge.” —Teri Fahrendorf, founder, Pink Boots Society, Portland, Ore.

“When thinking about macro beer, there are plenty of great American options. But if I’m at a bar and I see Guinness, it’s almost impossible to not get it. Even though it’s obviously a dark beer, it’s somehow more crushable to me than any American light lager — and tastier to boot.” —John Aravich, brewer, Five Dimes Brewery, Red Bank, N.J.

“Given the choice, I’ll drink Coors Banquet beer. It was my go-to beer when I lived in Montana.” —Dan Carey, co-owner and master brewer, New Glarus Brewing Company, New Glarus, Wis.

“If the question is ‘what’s your go-to macro beer?’ then the best answer from any qualified beer drinker would be ‘whatever is freshest.’ Fresh American-style lager beer can really be a treat. I started my brewing career 20 minutes from the Canadian border in Bellingham, Wash. The Kokanee beer we were able to purchase was fantastic. On a trip to Puerto Vallarta, I remember my friends and I drinking all the Tecate at the corner store and I could swear there was a hoppy taste in Tecate that I could never find again when I got home. Now that I’m in McMinnville, Ore., there is no fresh lager beer except what we brew at the brewery. Every once in a while I’ll have a Modelo or a Busch, but they’re all old tasting.” —Kevin Davey, co-owner, Heater Allen Brewing and Gold Dot Beer, McMinnville, Ore.

“Negra Modelo, preferably in a bottle with a lime on the beach. It’s honestly very approachable and consistent in terms of quality and taste. It’s pragmatic both from a pairing perspective and cost. Plus, I always ask for it in a bottle because I don’t trust poorly cleaned draft lines.” —Missy Begay, co-founder and creative director, Bow & Arrow Brewing Co., Albuquerque, N.M.

“My go-to macro beer is PBR. Some weeks after working around craft beer all day, it’s nice to drink something familiar that you can enjoy without thinking too much about the liquid — something that’s just easy and tastes the same every time.” —Shawn Cannon, head brewer, Free Will Brewing Co., Bucks County, Pa.

*Image retrieved from Anton Ivanov Photo – stock.adobe.com

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