It’s the end of an era for Bud Light: The beleaguered brand is no longer the most popular beer on tap at bars. Another Anheuser-Busch InBev beer, Michelob Ultra, has surpassed Bud Light in its share of US draft lines, marking an end to several decades of dominance. That’s according to data from Draftlines Technologies , a company that monitors more than 1 million tap lines.
For many years, Bud Light was the biggest beer in draft share ahead of its growing sister brand Michelob Ultra. The gap started closing in the middle of last year, following a Bud Light boycott sparked by a one-off sponsored Instagram post featuring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney . Beyond the customer boycott, some bars also removed its tap — causing long-term damage to sales.
Since then Michelob Ultra has gained in draft availability, surpassing Bud Light in November and continuing to grow in December, Draftlines data revealed. “Michelob Ultra has been on a path to surpass Bud Light as the no. 1 brand on draft in total taps for a number of years,” Jennifer Hauke, founder of Draftlines, told CNN.
“The rise of Michelob Ultra as the leader by number of tap handles on draft reflects shifting consumer preferences.” A-B InBev didn’t immediately respond for comment. It’s another blow to Bud Light, which sunk to third place in sales at grocery and convenience stores during the summer.
No. 1 is Modelo Especial, made by rival Constellation Brands, followed by Michelob Ultra. In year-to-date.
