An extensive examination of nationwide drinking trends has illuminated the distinct regional tastes and varying levels of enthusiasm for beer across the United States. Utilizing a full year of search interest data, the report details how preferences differ drastically from coast to coast, highlighting which states search for beer the most and which specific brands dominate regional markets.
The findings, published in a report by Innerbody Research, analyzed 12 months of Google Trends metrics across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The comprehensive study evaluated search behaviors to map out the geographic distribution of beer enthusiasm, revealing a clear regional divide while determining the most favored labels in every jurisdiction.
At the national level, Wisconsin secured the highest ranking in beer enthusiasm for the second year in a row, while Midwestern states firmly established themselves as the nation’s beer capital by capturing seven of the top ten positions. Conversely, coastal hubs and states in the West and South demonstrated substantially lower levels of overall search interest.
New York settled into the lower-middle tier of the national rankings, placing 36th among all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The Empire State recorded a search interest index score of 37.13, indicating a comparatively subdued volume of online search activity regarding the major beer labels analyzed in the study.
Despite its modest overall interest ranking, New York exhibited a distinct taste preference by naming Stella Artois as its most popular beer. The Belgian lager proved to be a dominant contender across the Eastern Seaboard and beyond, claiming the top spot in a total of 12 states as well as Washington, D.C.
The analysis pointed out that New York’s results may have been shaped by the specific scope of the evaluation. Several regional staples that boast devoted local followings throughout the state—such as Brooklyn Lager, Saranac, and Genesee—were not included among the 36 prominent national and international brands selected for the study's dataset.
A striking contrast emerged between New York and its immediate neighbor to the south. Pennsylvania placed seventh overall in the nation with a search interest score of 72.92, nearly doubling New York's figure. Researchers highlighted Pennsylvania's deep-rooted brewing traditions, including its status as the home of Yuengling, which has operated since 1829 as the oldest active brewery in the United States.
On the national stage, Michelob Ultra emerged as the overall most popular beer in the country. Rather than relying on concentrated regional dominance, the brand maintained broad, consistent search interest across the entire nation, officially securing the top position in three individual states: Alabama, Nevada, and Oklahoma.
While Michelob Ultra celebrated broad national appeal and Stella Artois captured numerous state titles, other brands struggled to attract consumer attention. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Milwaukee's Best registered the lowest overall interest among all 36 prominent beers evaluated in the dataset.
Wisconsin's first-place finish was anchored by a commanding search interest score of 98.53, leading the national field by a wide margin. The report emphasized that the Midwest's overwhelming presence at the top of the leaderboard is supported by a rich cultural foundation, largely shaped by historic German brewing heritage and a long-standing concentration of traditional taverns, breweries, and beer halls.
Joining Wisconsin in the top tier were several other Midwestern and Western states. Wyoming placed second overall with an index of 86.54, followed by Kansas at 82.40, Nebraska at 81.77, and Iowa at 76.37. New Hampshire captured the sixth spot with a score of 74.25, while Pennsylvania finished seventh at 72.92. North Dakota followed in eighth place with 71.75, South Dakota placed ninth at 70.54, and Missouri rounded out the top ten with a score of 67.79.
In contrast, the state with the lowest measured search enthusiasm was Alaska, which registered an index score of just 4.41. Utah followed closely with a score of 15.41, while Georgia recorded the third-lowest interest at 18.56. Other states completing the bottom ten included Washington at 25.20, Mississippi at 26.16, California at 26.19, Virginia at 26.69, Maryland at 26.93, Oregon at 28.00, and Hawaii at 28.53.
Innerbody Research included an important caveat regarding states with low search index scores, noting that minimal search activity on Google does not automatically indicate an absence of beer culture. Because the evaluation strictly tracked 36 high-profile national and global labels, regions with thriving craft brewing cultures—such as the Pacific Northwest and California—likely had their local interest distributed across hundreds of independent breweries not captured by the study's parameters.
To construct the rankings, researchers began by compiling a broad list of prominent beers based on cumulative national search volumes before narrowing the scope to 36 key brands. They then examined 12 months of regional search queries through Google Trends, applying proportional weighting based on cumulative search volumes to determine final state and brand scores.
Ultimately, the research provides a detailed window into the varied habits and beverage choices of American consumers, illustrating how historical brewing roots, brand recognition, and local preferences continue to shape beer culture across the United States.
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