Anheuser-Busch has had the top two beers in the country for nearly two decades. However, in 2011, the cold and refreshing Coors Light surpassed Budweiser in sales, taking over the number two spot. Coors Light only sold half a million more barrels than Bud, but the MillerCoors brand continues to grow steadily while Budweiser continues its decline. Coors Light was up 0.8 percent in 2011 to 18.2 million barrels, while Bud was down 4.6 percent at 17.7 million barrels.
“Dethroning the King is a great accomplishment so early in the history of MillerCoors,” a MillerCoors spokesman told the Chicago Tribune. “We will be appropriately celebrating this achievement with our employees and distributors who have worked so hard to deliver an impressive seven consecutive years of growth on Coors Light and then getting back to work to deliver an 8th consecutive year of growth.”
It has not been a good month for Budweiser. First Coors Banquet is rated to taste better by Consumer Reports, then Coors Light takes over as the second best selling beer in America. Budweiser certainly is no longer king.