Anheuser-Busch InBev is the world’s largest brewing company in terms of revenue. It achieved this status with a revenue of $57.8 billion in 2022.
It owns some of the most famous beer brands of today: Becks, Budlight, Stella Artois, Budweiser, Michelob, Busch, and many more.
This company holds a massive part of the global beer market thanks to its numerous brands. Chances are, your favorite beer is owned by Anheuser-Busch. Of course, that’s not a bad thing, but it makes you wonder what beer is not owned by Anheuser-Busch.
As you can understand, beers that aren’t owned by Anheuser-Busch are typically owned by other brewing companies. Let’s take a look at these brewing companies and their most notable beers.
1. Molson Coors
As one of the biggest brewing companies in the world, Molson Coors has a wide selection of beers, the most famous being Miller Lite. Interestingly enough, in 2016, Anheuser-Busch agreed to a merger with SABMiller, the brewing company that produced Miller Lite.
As part of regulatory approval for this merger, SABMiller’s U.S. operations, including the Miller brand, were sold to Molson Coors.
So, even though some people believe that Miller belongs to Anheuser-Busch, that’s not the case.
The most popular products within the Miller brand that were sold to Molson Coors include Miller Lite, Miller High Life, Icehouse, Magnum, Miller64, Miller Genuine Draft, Mickey’s, Steel Reserve, and Olde English 800.
These are part of a diverse portfolio of brands that Molson Coors acquired from the Miller brand. This acquisition not only included these well-known Miller beers but also expanded Molson Coors’ range of beverage options significantly.
Some other Molson Coors beer brands are:
- Molson (Molson Ice, Molson Canadian, Molson Canadian Light, Molson Golden, Molson XXX, Molson Export, Molson Special Dry, Molson Canadian 67 IPA, Molson Stock Ale, Molson Ultra, and several others)
- Coors (Coors Light, Coors Organic, Coors Seltzer, Coors Gold Lager, Coors Original, Coors Edge, and several others)
- Carling
- Keystone (Keystone Light and Keystone Ice)
- Red Dog
- Old Vienna
- Henry Weinhard’s
- Creemore Springs
2. Grupo Modelo
Best known for its Corona beer, Grupo Modelo is a Mexican brewing company with several international brands and a couple of local ones. Since the late 1990s, Corona has been among the most popular imported beers in the USA.
In addition to Corona, the company produces several other well-known brands, including:
- Pacifico
- Estrella Jalisco
- León
- Modelo (with variations like Modelo Especial, Modelo Light, Modelo Negra, and Modelo Reserva)
- Victoria
Each of these brands has its unique flavor profile and market presence, contributing to Grupo Modelo’s status as a key player in the international beer market.
3. Heineken
Originating in the Netherlands, Heineken is Europe’s largest brewing company and also one of the largest brewing companies in the world.
Before Anheuser-Busch acquired and merged with SABMiller, Heineken was already ranked below them. Following the merger, Heineken became the second largest brewer globally.
Heineken is known for producing various iconic beers. For example, its flagship and namesake brand – Heineken, is one of the most popular beers in the world. Some other notable Heineken beer brands are:
- Birra Moretti
- Tecate
- Amstel
- Cruzcampo Brewery
- Zlatý Bažant
- Botchkarev Brewery
- Krušovice Brewery
- DB Breweries
- Almaza Brewery
- Al Ahram Brewery
- Skopje Brewery
4. Carlsberg
Currently the 6th largest brewing company in the world, Carlsberg is a Danish multinational company owning more than 500 beers, mostly in Europe and Asia. Carlsberg’s flagship and namesake beer brand, Carlsberg, is sold in over 140 countries.
Other big beer brands that are owned by Carlsberg are:
- Tuborg
- Holsten
- Sommersby Ciders
- Kronenbourg
- Grimbergen
- Falcon
- E.C. Dahls
- Lav
- Super Bock
- Mythos
- Farris
- Jacobsen
These brands contribute to Carlsberg’s global presence and reputation in the beer industry.
5. Groupe Castel
Groupe Castel is a European brewing company with a significant presence in the African beer market. However, it doesn’t have as many different brands as other companies on this list.
The company, primarily known for wine, also produces beer, with major beer brands including Castel and Flag. Groupe Castel’s beer operations are a notable part of its business, especially in Africa
6. China Resources Snow Barrels
If you are interested in Asian beers, you should check out the beer brands owned by China Resources Snow Barrel (also known as CR Snow), which is the largest brewing company in China.
Its principal brand is Snow, which holds the distinction of being the biggest-selling beer in the world by volume. Besides Snow, CR Snow’s other brands include Blue Sword, Singo, Huadan, Huadan Yate, Tianjin, Green Leaves, New Three Star, Largo, Löwen, Shengquan, Sip, Shenyang, Yingshi, Yatai, and Zero Clock.
7. Asahi
Asahi is another Asian (Japan) brewing company. Asahi’s flagship beer brand is Asahi Super Dry, which was introduced in 1987 and became a game changer in the Japanese beer market. Asahi Super Dry is known for its crisp, dry taste, which helped the brand surpass Kirin in sales and profitability.
Asahi also produces other beers, including Asahi Draft, Asahi Gold, Asahi Stout, Asahi Z, Asahi Black, and Asahi Prime Time.
Asahi has bought several brands from Anheuser-Busch, including Grolsch Brewery, Peroni Brewery, Meantime Brewery, Pilsner Urquell, Velkopopovický Kozel, and others as part of its strategic expansion in the European beer market. This expansion has given Asahi a significant market share in various European countries.
8. Boston Beer Company
Boston Beer Company is a well-known American-owned brewery that produces and sells several great beer brands. The most famous beer brand owned by this company is Samuel Adams, also owns several other notable brands. These include Twisted Tea, Angry Orchard, Truly Hard Seltzer, Coney Island Brewing, Angel City Brewery, and Dogfish Head Brewery.
9. Stone Brewing
Stone Brewing (based in the United States) has established itself as a significant player in the craft beer market, particularly known for its high hop content beers and a range of alcohol percentages.
For example, Arrogant Bastard Ale, Stone Delicious IPA, Stone Hazy IPA, Oatmeal Stout, Imperial Stout, and Stone Dayfall. Unfortunately, Stone Brewing Company has retired its first beer, Stone Pale Ale, and you won’t be able to try it.
10. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is known for its diverse range of craft beers and is based in the United States.
Their beers include the iconic Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, as well as other popular choices like Sierra Nevada Torpedo, Sierra Nevada Bigfoot, Nevada Hoptimum, Sierra Nevada Kellerweis, Stout, Kellerweis Hefeweizen. Additionally, Sierra Nevada produces a special beer called Hazy Little Thing.
11. Founders Brewing Company
Continuing with craft breweries, the Founders Brewing Company focuses on making craft-style ale beers, such as Founders Porter, Dirty Bastard, Centennial IPA, Kentucky Breakfast Stout, Backwoods Bastard, All Day IPA, KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout), Nitro Oatmeal Stout, Nitro Pale Ale, Pale Ale, Rubaeus, Red’s Rye IPA, and Solid Gold.
They also have seasonal brews like American Hopped Pilsner and Black Rye, and speciality beers such as Curmudgeon Old Ale, Dark Penance, Double Trouble, and Imperial Stout.
12. New Belgium Brewing
Inspired by Belgian beers, New Belgium Brewing Company produces its own beers, such as The Fat Tire, Mural Agua Fresca Cerveza, La Folie Sour Brown Ale, Voodoo Ranger IPA, Sunshine Wheat, and several other regular and seasonal beers.
13. Yuengling
D.G. Yuengling & Son, based in Pennsylvania, is America’s oldest operating brewery. It is known for producing a variety of traditional American lager beers. It has beers like:
- Yuengling Traditional Lager
- Yuengling Black & Tan
- Yuengling Light Lager
- Yuengling Golden Pilsner
- Yuengling Flight (Light Beer)
- Yuengling Oktoberfest
- Yuengling Porter
- Yuengling Premium Beer
14. Dogfish Head Brewery
Dogfish Head is a pioneering craft brewery known for its “off-centered” ales and creative approach to brewing based in US. It has become famous for its experimental and wide-ranging styles and with beers below:
- 60 Minute IPA
- 90 Minute IPA
- SeaQuench Ale
- Namaste White
- American Beauty Hazy Ripple IPA
- Flesh & Blood IPA
- Palo Santo Marron
- 120 Minute IPA
- Slightly Mighty (Low-Cal IPA)
15. Kirin
Kirin Brewery Company is one of Japan’s oldest and most prominent breweries. It has beers as follows:
- Kirin Ichiban
- Kirin Lager
- Kirin Light
- Ichiban Shibori Stout
- Kirin Ichiban Shibori
- Kirin Tanrei Green Label
16. Bell’s Brewery
Bell’s Brewery is one of the most respected names in American craft beer. It has beer brands like:
- Two Hearted Ale
- Oberon Ale
- Kalamazoo Stout
- Amber Ale
- Hopslam Ale
- Expedition Stout
- Porter
- Third Coast Old Ale
- Lager of the Lakes
17. BrewDog
BrewDog (based in Scotland) has gained international recognition for its craft beers and innovative marketing. Known for pushing boundaries in the beer world and emphasizing a strong brand identity. It owns:
- Punk IPA
- Elvis Juice
- Dead Pony Club
- Hazy Jane
- Lost Lager
- Vagabond Pale Ale
- 5AM Saint
- Jet Black Heart
Conclusion
If you want to drink beers that aren’t owned by Anheuser-Busch, you can choose between hundreds, if not thousands, of beer brands. Even though Anheuser-Busch owns so many beer brands, there are many other successful brewing companies whose beers you should try.
