World's Most Popular Beers: 'The Drinks Business' Names Top 10 Biggest Brands Of 2011

The World's Most Popular Beers

The Drinks Business profiled the world's most popular beers for 2011 in its annual Brands Report this past summer, and the results may surprise you.

The publication analyzed 2011 case sales for a slew of top-ranked beer brands and whittled it down to a list of 10. The list includes plenty of familiar brands -- Budweiser, Bud Light, Corona Extra -- but U.S. drinkers have likely never heard of the world's most popular brew.

We're not going to ruin the surprise. Scroll down to find out what the most popular beer in the entire world was in 2011.

10. Asahi Super Dry
beer
Volume 2011: 12.3 million barrels
Volume 2010: 12 million barrels
Change 10-11: 2.5%

Japanese lager Asahi Super Dry is the most popular beer in its home country and has gained popularity in Europe as well.

9. Brahma
beer
Volume 2011: 17.4 million barrels
Volume 2010: 18 million barrels
Change 10-11: -3.4%

AB InBev owns Brazilian brand Brahma, which has called on mainstream superstars like Jennifer Lopez in television advertisements.

8. Miller Lite
2012-09-26-miller_light.jpeg
Volume 2011: 18 million barrels
Volume 2010: 18.2 million barrels
Change 10-11: -1.1%

America's number four beer affirms the U.S.'s growing taste for light beer.

7. Coors Light
beer
Volume 2011: 18.2 million barrels
Volume 2010: 14.5 million barrels
Change 10-11: 25%

The second-most popular beer in the country not only surpassed Budweiser in popularity, in 2008 it replaced the brand as the official beer of NASCAR.

6. Heineken
heineken_divided
Volume 2011: 26 million barrels
Volume 2010: 24.8 million barrels
Change 10-11: +4.8%

More vigorous markets in Africa and Russia helped Heineken sell more beer at higher prices than last year in the third quarter.

5. Skol
skol
Volume 2011: 29.5 million barrels
Volume 2010: 30.2 million barrels
Change 10-11: -2.3%

Skol, which is owned by AB InBev, has yet to tap into the U.S., U.K. and Chinese markets, but it's currently growing in popularity in Africa and South America. It's enjoyed particular success in Brazil.

4. Corona Extra
corona
Volume 2011: 30.4 million barrels
Volume 2010: 27.9 million barrels
Change 10-11: 9%

Corona Extra was one of Grupo Modelo's most popular beers until AB InBev bought the company in 2008. The sale has helped propel AB InBev's prominence in the drinks business even farther.

3. Budweiser
budweiser
Volume 2011: 38.7 million barrels
Volume 2010: 37 million barrels
Change 10-11: +4.5%

Sales outside the U.S. for Budweiser jumped 20 percent in 2011, thanks to a successful global expansion campaign launched by AB InBev.

2. Bud Light
budlight
Volume 2011: 45.4 million barrels
Volume 2010: 47.4 million barrels
Change 10-11: -4.4%

Bud Light is the top-selling beer in the U.S. and popular abroad as well. Earlier this year, AB InBev also launched Bud Light Lime-a-Rita, which HuffPost sampled with good results.

1. Snow Beer
snow beer
Volume 2011: 50.8 million barrels
Volume 2010: 52 million barrels
Change 10-11: -2.36%

You may have never heard of this Chinese pale ale, but Snow Beer is about twice as popular as Bud Light.

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