Domestic vs. Imported Beer – What’s the Difference?

There are hundreds of styles of brewing beer all over the globe. You’re either looking to try another kind of beer or want to know the difference between domestic and imported beer.

Either way, this article is for you. The short answer is that domestic beer is brewed within the country, while imported beers are not made in the United States.

Let’s talk more about the difference between the two. Domestic vs. Imported beer — let’s get into it.

Domestic vs Imported Beer and 2 guys saying cheers

Domestic Beers

The United States is where domestic beers are made. This means that any list of beers made in the United States should include well-known brands like Miller, Budweiser, Coors, and Michelob.

Depending on its color, beer can have a wildly different flavor. The pale-colored beers have less alcohol and are made with pale grains.

This changes the taste of the beer so that it isn’t as strong. Bud Light, Blue Moon, and Coors Light are all examples of these kinds of beers.

Interestingly, Bud Light Platinum has one of the highest alcohol levels in light-colored domestic beers.

People also wonder if Blue Moon is considered a domestic beer, and yes, it is. MillerCoors (now MolsonCoors) from the United States and Molson Coors in Canada produce this wheat ale.

Bitterness is a part of beers that have been brewed for longer. People have said that these beers taste bitter and strong, like black coffee.

Some examples of these beers are Samuel Adams and Yuengling, both small-batch brews. Most beers made in the United States are pale ales or lighter beers.

Most dark beers are imported, but there are many different kinds of imported beers.

Some of the most popular domestic beer brands, which people often write on chalkboards across the country during happy hour, are:

  • Budweiser (even though Labatt’s brewery in Canada acquired the license to make Budweiser in the 1980s)
  • Coors 
  • Blue Ribbon
  • Michelob 
  • Pabst  
  • Busch
  • Miller

You can also steam crabs and shrimp in domestic beer and grill brats on the grill. Fans of imported beer could probably say the same thing. Here are some great imports:

  • Labatt Blue
  • Stella Artois 
  • European pilsners like Heineken, Becks and Lowenbrau.
  • British ales like Harp, Bass, and Guinness (an Irish-British merger that happened in 1997) are very popular.
  • Corona, Dos Equis, and Tecate are all Mexican beers.

Imported Beers

On the other hand, imported beers can come from many different places, like Mexico, the Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, or Germany. Most beers that are brought in from other countries come from Mexico.

Corona Light is the most popular Mexican beer imported to the US. Still, Modelo, Dos Equis, and Sol Cerveza are also very popular.

Most of these beers are lighter, but countries like Ireland and Germany also make dark beers. German beer gets its dark color and flavor from the roasted grains used to make it.

In order to achieve this, the grain is cooked until the enzymes break down the starches and transform them into sugar.

This darker brew is made by roasting the grain before heating it. Guinness, one of the most well-known dark beers, is made in Ireland.

Brewer’s yeast, roast malt extract, barley, hops, and water are used to make Guinness. The secret to this beer’s dark, rich flavor is that the barley grain is malted and roasted.

Most dark beers are brought in from other countries, like Germany and Ireland.

Here are a few examples of imported beers:

  • Corona
  • Heineken 
  • Labatt Blue 
  • Amstel
  • Modelo Especial
  • Guinness Foster’s 
  • Tecate 
  • Beck’s
  • Bass Ale

Imported Beers

Choosing your Beer

Think about what you like the most when deciding what to drink. People often start with domestic types because they are the most common and may not know much about the other types.

Domestic is also often the cheapest, which is a big draw for people who don’t have a lot of money to spend on alcohol. Many people also choose imports when they want something similar to something made in their own country but a little less common and basic. 

Craft beer can be prevalent when people want to support local businesses and are tired of or not happy with the taste of basic beers. Craft is a great place to try out new kinds of beer. 

Having a craft is a great way to learn about a new place’s culture, especially when traveling. It gives you a chance to sample regional delicacies and malts.

Bengals Liquor is a good choice in Daytona Beach to buy beer, wine, liquor, lottery tickets, and much more. They have a wide range of domestic and imported beers.

Bengals Discount Liquor Store is also run by a family and is open seven days a week. It has 2,800 square feet of spirits, drink mixes, energy drinks, and sodas. 

They also have a wide range of tobacco accessories. These include pipes, cigars, lighters, pipe and chewing tobacco, Hookahs, rolling papers, cigarettes, and E-cigarettes.

Related Reading: How Long Do You Chill Beer In The Fridge? – Check Them out Here

Final Thoughts on Domestic vs. Imported Beer

Different brewing styles produce different flavors of beer, whether imported or domestic. All that matters is that you choose what caters to your taste buds.