Cheap beer sits at the heart of American gatherings, from tailgates to weeknight pizza runs. While affordability drives sales, Taste often gets left behind. According to a June 2025 Consumer Reports blind tasting, many of the lowest-priced lagers also earned bottom marks for flavor and drinkability.
Critics at The Takeout observe that the “value” is increasingly questioned as drinkers demand more from their six-packs. With so many familiar brands still dominating coolers, knowing what not to buy can save more than just money—it can salvage your whole social experience.
Behind the Rankings – How “Worst” Is Measured
No list like this is plucked from thin air. Sites like BeerAdvocate, The Takeout, and Chowhound aggregate expert panels, user reviews, and industry-wide taste tests. As Chowhound’s 2025 survey details, beers are ranked not just by taste but by consumer regret, palatability when warm, and reviewer willingness to buy again.
Recurring gripes include off-notes, weak body, and metallic or “wet cardboard” aftertastes. So, while some debate is inevitable, these brands consistently underperform against the competition, landing them on avoidance lists coast to coast.
1. Bud Light – Where Did the Flavor Go?
Bud Light may outsell its peers, but flavor has gotten lost. “Drab bodied and forgettable” was the verdict in BeerAdvocate’s latest crowd scoring of 47/100; “awful” as of July 2025. Chowhound’s taste testers ranked Bud Light dead last among cheap beers this year, noting its “watery, bland” flavor.
Even The Takeout’s national panel concurred that if you must drink it, chill it down and add a lemon. Brand power keeps Bud Light strong, but that’s no longer enough for many.
2. Keystone Light – Only for the Desperate
Keystone Light has long courted the college crowd with unbeatable prices. Yet BeerAdvocate is harsh with one reviewer writing “Terrible, watery, virtually nonexistent flavor,” while Chowhound compared it to “eating a taquito that’s sat on the roller all day”.
On Reddit, drinkers joke that its main draw is not being out of beer altogether. Even those seeking pure affordability gripe that Keystone Light’s thinness and bite make two sips too many. When a beer is popular for its price, and not its profile, the crowd’s consensus rings loud.
3. Budweiser Select 55 – Less of Everything (Including Taste)
Ultra-light means barely-there. Budweiser Select 55’s slim stats entice calorie-counters, but its user satisfaction is practically invisible. BeerAdvocate reviewers are merciless, calling it “shredded cardboard in water” and warning of its “clear, urine color” and “almost zero flavor”.
The Takeout bluntly called it “the worst beer ever made,” basing this on hundreds of tasters nationwide. For those who truly love beer, this is more of a cautionary tale than a viable low-calorie option. Consumer Reports scores echo the lack of enthusiasm.
4. Natural Light – Cheap and Cheerless
Natural Light—lovingly, “Natty”—is a fixture at large parties and broke-weekend get-togethers. Yet its reputation is shaky. Chowhound’s 2025 ranking labels Natty Light “corn-tea watered down,” and untold Reddit stories bemoan its sour finish and thin body.
BeerAdvocate’s panel summarized the consensus that it’s “not the worst, but no one’s idea of a win.” This lingering aftertaste of disappointment keeps Natty Light widely known and equally widely avoided for anyone with more than rock-bottom expectations. Price alone doesn’t redeem it.
5. Milwaukee’s Best Ice – Low Cost, Lower Applause
A familiar sight in bargain bins, Milwaukee’s Best Ice has won awards, but most of its online feedback is, regrettably, far less celebratory. BeerAdvocate’s panel found “skunky flavors” and dubbed it “absolutely garbage” even when fresh, with others describing its flavor as “powerfully starchy” or “carbonated Cheerios”.
The Takeout’s 2025 run-down concurs that there’s a reason this beer sells by the case, not the bottle—most folks get stuck with leftovers.
6. Icehouse – Cheap Chill, Cold Reality
Icehouse promises strength for your dollar, but it rarely delivers on enjoyment. Drawing on BeerAdvocate and Untappd reviews, The Takeout notes Icehouse is “not terrible, but worth the extra $1.25 to upgrade.” One reviewer likened the taste to “metallic and like poison”—a sentiment captured by focus panels at major beer expos.
While affordability matters, most critics and regular drinkers recommend saving your money for something even better, calling out its “weird grainy malty taste, and nothing else.”
7. Natural Ice – Buzz Without Reward
Higher alcohol isn’t always an asset. Natural Ice delivers a potent punch for those on a budget, which is both its selling point and downfall. Chowhound’s July 2025 review called it “metallic dirty water with a brassy aroma,” tallying a chorus of unhappy customers.
Reddit polls confirm that Natural Ice is cautiously approached even among college drinkers. “Barf in a can” is more than just a meme; it’s a recurring reality, according to panelists at multiple taste tests this year.
8. Busch Light – America’s Afterthought
Busch Light appears nationwide at grill-outs and fishing trips, but the consensus is hardly glowing. Deadspin’s 2025 ranking slotted Busch as “forgettable to the last drop,” echoing comments from Chowhound about its see-through, near-flavorless character.
BeerAdvocate’s average user hovers between “bland” and “barely-there”—yet affordability means Busch Light’s coolers will never truly empty. Still, more and more reviewers urge, for pennies more, your taste buds will thank you.
Why So Many Stick With “Bad” Beer
Marketing muscle matters. Beverage Industry Magazine notes legacy labels like Bud Light, Keystone, and Natty Light pour tens of millions into sports sponsorships and visibility nationwide. For many buyers, these breweries still represent tradition and comfort on a budget, regardless of lackluster flavor reviews.
Even as recent surveys show a sharp rise in consumers willing to pay more for premium taste, massive advertising remains their defensive line, keeping these brands alive in coolers from coast to coast.
Not All Cheap Beers Are Created Equal
While these eight brands draw flak, not every budget beer is a bust. Large-scale surveys from Food & Wine and BeerAdvocate celebrate outliers like Miller High Life and Pabst Blue Ribbon: affordable, but satisfying even to seasoned drinkers.
In blind tests, both classic brands routinely outperform their similarly priced rivals. The lesson? A couple of extra dollars shifts any casual gathering from regret to rave.
The Ripple Effect – Flavor Shapes the Fun
Cheap beer isn’t just about taste … it steers memories. Chowhound’s party panel heard the same story: weak, metallic options leave gatherings flatter and prompt guests to cut the evening short.
Conversations, laughter, and toasts fade into silence when a forgettable brew is on hand. With better choices easily in reach, why risk it?
Crowd Wisdom – The Internet Has Spoken
If you need proof, scan Reddit or BeerAdvocate’s forums. Hundreds of users each month agree that skipping “bottom-barrel” lagers is a decision they wish they’d made sooner. Shared stories span ruined barbecues, “beer for beer’s sake” regret, and the universal vow to read reviews next time.
It all circles back to one lesson: crowdsourced wisdom is powerful. When thousands of drinkers say the same thing, it’s worth listening to.
Are You Paying for Brand, or Experience?
Deadspin’s massive 2025 list indicates that the “best-known” names are often “the least cherished” by actual beer-lovers. These household labels charge for familiarity, but their meager BeerAdvocate scores and lukewarm taste test results reinforce that brand alone doesn’t guarantee a good night.
Savvy spenders are increasingly flipping the script and choosing well-reviewed cans, not just the cheapest familiar option.
How to Avoid the Common Traps
Want to dodge disappointment? Use trusted resources like Consumer Reports, BeerAdvocate, Chowhound, and even Reddit threads dedicated to beer ratings.
Drinkers who consistently look for a single up-to-date review before buying consistently make better picks. Mix-and-match packs, now widely available, are another low-risk way to try before buying a whole case.
From Regret to Revelry – Making Each Sip Count
Minor upgrades yield big payoffs. A recent The Takeout survey showed that 73% of respondents found their social experience improved when the beer was slightly better than “the default.”
Event hosts reported more positive feedback when they switched to highly rated brands. It’s proof that a bit of research translates into much bigger cheers.
Industry Trends – Flavor on the Rise
Beverage industry analysts note a dramatic recent swing that more Americans, especially under 40, are abandoning mass-produced lagers for flavor-forward alternatives.
Food & Wine reported in 2025 that value-conscious drinkers drive demand for better-tasting, wallet-friendly cans, forcing even the most prominent brands to reconsider their recipes. This “taste-first” revolution means fewer excuses for ending up with a bland bargain.
Surviving Social Pressure – With Style
It takes confidence to bring something new to the next party or tailgate. Reddit users say being “the one with the good beer” earns instant popularity, and that a single well-chosen six-pack often steals the show.
Taste panels and blind test results back them up: be the friend who upgrades the cooler, and the night improves for everyone.
The Bottom Line – Buy Smart, Drink Well
This year’s critics, panelists, and everyday drinkers agree that serving good beer isn’t just a bonus; it’s how you turn a regular gathering into something memorable. Take it from BeerAdvocate’s bottom-ranked list or Chowhound’s annual taste test: if these eight brands pop up in someone’s “avoid” roundup, they’ve earned their spot the hard way.
Skip them, and your budget and friends will notice the difference. The message in 2025 is clear—choose what’s proven, leave the leftovers behind, and let each toast actually taste like a reason to celebrate.
Raise Standards Without Raising Your Spend
Smart shopping isn’t about snobbery, it’s about real satisfaction and making every purchase count. In 2025, according to the latest CGA consumer survey, nearly half of U.S. beer drinkers say value is just as important as flavor. Trusted guides and national taste tests clearly signal which brews consistently deliver good times and which ones fall flat.
With rising premiumization trends, more Americans seek authentic taste for every dollar spent. Choose wisely, let optimism guide your next pick, and watch the good memories and better cheers flow; your wallet and your friends will thank you.