13 Cheap Beers That Still Hit The Spot

As far as beverages go, few things have stood the test of time quite as well as the idea of cracking open an ice-cold beer at the end of a long day. It's the perfect accompaniment to sitting on the couch and watching the game, for sipping on while you work the grill at a summer barbecue, or simply as a little treat for finishing mowing the lawn. Even compared to a glass of wine or an expertly made cocktail, it's a simple pleasure that is unsurpassed.

But while the idea of a refreshing brew hasn't changed, what's in your hand probably has. Thanks to the craft boom of the last decade, there have never been more options in the beer aisle. And even though we all appreciate having such a wide selection to choose from, it's also nice to have a fallback go-to beer when you're not looking to spend too much. As a Certified Cicerone, I'm happy to tell you there are plenty of picks you can find practically anywhere that taste great and won't break the bank. Based on pricing around the New York City area, these are some of the best cheap beers you can get.

Most of the craft beer boom has involved new breweries springing up and becoming an industry darling within years. However, there are a few exceptions to the phenomenon, including Narragansett. When super hoppy IPAs and rich imperial stouts were dominating taprooms, this legacy brand experienced a revival that saw it rise in popularity well beyond its historic Rhode Island roots. Now, the same beer immortalized 50 years ago in "Jaws" remains a shining example of an affordable, crowd-pleasing beer that works on a budget.

Besides its price, which is just under $6 for a six-pack, it's not hard to see why this beer continues to fly off the shelf. It's a beautifully crafted American adjunct lager that provides just enough of a vaguely sweet malty backbone to build a personality without overwhelming the senses. Most importantly, each sip is capped by a clean, crisp finish that makes it endlessly refreshing. As a New England product, it should probably come as no surprise that a can of Narragansett and a clam or lobster bake are a match made in heaven. Then again, it's not half bad without any food to pair it with, either.

Most drinkers' experience with Coors products over the past few decades has likely been sipping its marquee light beer. But while it may be rolling out of the same brewery, there's very little this storied classic has in common with its higher-selling sibling. Like many of the other beers on this list, Banquet is a legacy product that waned in popularity before finding a new audience among younger drinkers. In this case, you can trace the history of this recipe all the way back to Golden, Colorado's mining rush in the 19th century, when the brew was the refreshment of choice for workers making their way back above ground after their shifts ended.

Cracking one of these beers today can serve as an immediate reminder as to why this product has stood the test of time. Unlike its Light counterpart, one sip reveals rich layers of flavors of banana bread and bubblegum buttressed by a malty backbone with just a hint of sweetness. But even with something actually going on taste-wise, this beer remains deeply refreshing and easy-drinking. When you realize you can have that experience for the same low price of bland light lagers, around $9 for a six-pack, it also becomes something of a no-brainer.

When it comes to relatively modern beer styles, cream ale is one that can actually pride itself on being built to be refreshing. It brings in the best of both worlds, combining warm-fermenting ale yeast and cold lagering during fermentation. When done correctly, this yields an incredibly polished finished hybrid product with all the bright, exciting flavors you'd expect from an ale that are polished and smoothed out by the cooler temperatures. And despite the potentially misleading name (no, dairy products aren't typically used to make these), breweries who choose to tackle this style usually add it to the production lineup when they're looking for the next crowd pleaser.

While there's no geographical limitation to where this style gets made, Genesee has emerged as one of the most prolific cream ales on the market. Yes, it's yet another legacy brew that was developed by the New York brewery decades ago that has caught on with a new generation of beer drinkers. But besides the undeniably affordable price point, this classic is appealing thanks to its well-rounded malty flavors with just a hint of those fruity ale notes over a smooth medium body. For me, this is the one beer that stays in my cooler all summer long — especially when I can get a six-pack for just $6.99.

It's hard to overstate just how important Pilsner Urquell is to brewing history. It is literally the very first pilsner ever made, which came about when a Bavarian brewer was called to the city of Pilsen (in the current-day Czech Republic) to overhaul the city's beer production. Flash forward more than a century and a half and the pale lager style is one of the most emulated around the world — and the brewery who can lay claim to creating it is still one of the very best versions.

Unlike the mass-produced light lagers that dominate the U.S. market, Pilsner Urquell still has the complexity that made it a global sensation without sacrificing refreshment. The use of traditional Saaz hops brings a soft mintiness to the flavor profile, working in tandem with well-integrated and nuanced light grain and cracker notes before a clean, crisp finish. Many in the brewing industry still see it as the gold standard for the widely-replicated style, even as domestic producers have stepped up their game to release flavorful light lagers of their own. But even as an import, you can still get your hands on one for a little less than $2 a can, making it a much better bargain than other brews abroad. Pop one open, pour it into a Pilsner glass, and enjoy.

Miller High Life has a reputation that tends to precede it. While it may have the self-appointed title as "the Champagne of beers" (a cute nickname that actually landed the brand in some legal trouble in Belgium in 2023), it's been an affordable staple for well over a century. It's not just the retro branding that has turned it into something of a cultural fixation in recent years, either: The beer itself is a beautifully crafted product, right down to the specialized hop extract developed by Miller that allows it to be sold in clear bottles without immediately spoiling the product. Normally, a brown bottle or can is needed to prevent beer from getting "lightstruck" and developing off flavors.

If there is a true comparison with French sparkling wine here, it probably comes down to the beer's positively vivacious carbonation that tickles the tongue and helps balance out the subtle malty sweetness. This also comes in big to help provide a crisp finish that practically begs you to take another sip. And despite its sudden trendiness, you can still get your hands on a six-pack of those classic bottles for just over a buck a beer.

Coming up with a unique method or process can be one of the best ways for a product to stand out. In the beer world, that distinction is one that certainly falls on Rolling Rock. The Latrobe, Pennsylvania, brewery marketed itself on the large glass-lined tanks it used to ferment the product, a relative novelty at the time that helped mitigate spoilage and provide more consistent batches than wooden casks that were harder to sanitize. Couple that with the decision to sell beer in sturdy green bottles and you've got the basic gist of the lore that has made this a staple at bars and in beer stores for decades.

But even though the brand has been in the hands of global brewing conglomerate AB InBev for nearly 20 years, you'd be unlikely to notice anything different about how the product actually tastes. With an appealing light-medium-bodied mouthfeel and subtle hoppiness, the pale lager is still far more complex and interesting than your standard light beer while still being a quintessential "crushable" option. And while the beer may not be rolling out of Pennsylvania anymore, you can still try the glass-lined tank-produced brew of the beer by picking up the canned version of the product (which only runs you about $11 for a 12-pack, too).

It's not uncommon for an area to have a cherished, affordable, locally made beer that dominates its tap lines, but very few have the extraordinary reputation that Spotted Cow has built up over the last two decades. Even in a state with as much brewing history as Wisconsin, it has become something of a local darling and a major point of pride. Undoubtedly, part of the brew's allure is that it is famously not distributed anywhere outside of its home state, which keeps it distinctly rooted in local culture—as well as something for visitors to look forward to when they're ordering at the bar or picking something up from the beer aisle.

Anyone who has tried the beer also understands this local devotion isn't blind. Spotted Cow is a uniquely refreshing option that just happens to be on the lower end of the price range. While it's often referred to as a cream ale, the brewing team at New Glarus maintains that it's actually an American farmhouse ale made with a blend of three malts (including pilsner) that gives it spectacular depth and traditional German ale yeast that adds subtle complexity. The brewers opt not to filter the product, leaving the yeast in the bottle and keg to fine-tune its work right to the moment of consumption. Simply put, this unique everyday beer is worth the trek to try at least once — and a six-pack goes for just about $9!

Not all cheap beers have to be close to a century old. Montucky Cold Snacks is one of the more recent additions to the fridge, having hit the market barely a decade ago. Despite its youth, the Montana-branded (but Wisconsin-brewed) beer has still managed to become a popular option for those who want a refreshing beer without having to spend too much to get it.

Besides its undeniably competitive price point (where you can get a six-pack of larger 16-ounce cans for around $8), there's plenty to love about this "lawnmower" beer. It's nice and light on the palate, with unfussy grain and malt flavors providing just enough heft to make it a worthwhile sipper. In many ways, it's arguably one of the best replacements for the watery macro light lagers that also dwell in this price range but with much more character and complexity. Because of this, it's also a nice "gateway" beer for anyone who is looking to branch out from their usual cheap option for something a little more exciting.

There's a good chance you've seen Sapporo's large format cans staring you down in the beer aisle before. The Japanese import has long been a fixture at restaurants and grocery stores across the U.S. But in recent years, the company has pushed even more into the American market with the acquisition of the craft industry favorite Stone Brewing. Now, the company is moving the production for domestic beers from Asia and Canada stateside at breweries in Virginia and California, resulting in some seriously fresh-tasting lager.

Its popularity likely comes thanks to its refreshing and straightforward flavor profile, which is built off a clean malty backbone with biscuity hints and a smooth medium body. Not coincidentally, these characteristics also make it a fantastic pairing with practically any dish you throw at it. It probably goes without saying that it might be worth revisiting this suddenly local import to reacquaint yourself. Fortunately, doing so will still cost you less than $2 per beer.

For many beer drinkers of a certain age, there's a good chance that Sierra Nevada was the very first craft beer they ever tried. The California brewery was one of the first to see runaway success in the earliest days of the craft movement and has played an absolutely instrumental part in helping to shape its development. Today, the company has expanded its production to include a large facility in North Carolina, which not only helps it meet demand but also ensures you'll be getting some of the freshest beer possible no matter where you live.

Even with so many fantastic choices to pick from in the brewery's lineup, its flagship pale ale still stands out as the true breakaway star. A beautiful copper color in the glass (which has nothing to do with the alcoholic content as some might think), it still features all of the hop-forward aromatics and flavors that helped kickstart American drinkers' palates decades ago when it was first released. At $11.99 for a six-pack, it's easy to get your hop fix for a lot less than the price many craft IPAs run for lately. If you want to ensure you're going to have the best tasting experience, just be sure to check the "packaged on" date printed on the bottle or can so you know it's as fresh as can be.

Any beer fan knows that having a complex and flavorful beer at the ready is every bit as important as a light, easy-drinking one. Negra Modelo presents one of the best examples of what switching over to the dark side can do for you. The Mexican import is in the style of a Munich dunkel (or dark lager), which pours a beautiful chestnut brown in the glass.

The first sip is often a bracing moment where a symphony of flavors hit the palate at once. Notes of toasted nuts, fresh brown bread, bananas foster, and sugar biscuits come together over a silky medium body and linger long through the finish. Still, the robust profile isn't overbearing or off-putting, making this a great option for someone who might be dipping their toe into new, darker styles. Its unique flavors also make it an unparalleled pairing option at a barbecue or even along with you dessert course. All in, this standout beer from south of the border still only costs around $10 for a six-pack.

If you're from the Midwest, there is next to zero chance you haven't come across a can or pint of Hamm's at some point in your life. The regional lager is a fixture at bars and beer stores where its loyal fanbase—who cheekily refer to themselves as "Hammpions," no less—lovingly partake in the storied brand. While it once boasted a much larger distribution and production network, the brand exists today under the ownership of Molson Coors.

There's something especially impressive about a beer like Hamm's that can be both widely appealing and consistently refreshing. With subtle bready aromas and a satisfying grainy quality on the palate, it has plenty of personality that have helped to enshrine its position in its local market. Because of this, it's also the kind of beer you'd probably keep stocked at home as the perfect spontaneous refreshment, but it's also an ideal crowd-pleaser that would work well at a get-together. In either case, it's practically a steal at just $6.99 for a six-pack of 16-ounce cans.

Out of all the styles that have played a hand in the craft beer movement, arguably none have been quite as impactful as the IPA. But while it might remain as popular and delicious as ever, filling up your fridge with the hop forward style can be pretty pricey. Fortunately, New Belgium has been able to crack the code when it comes to keeping the style affordable.

Besides running for roughly $12 for a six-pack, this beer also holds it own in one of the most crowded categories of beer. Bright, inviting citrusy aromas precede a deliciously lush set of flavors on the palate, including pineapple, orange, coconut, gummy fruit, and peach. What makes this beer stand out is how balanced it remains through the finish, completely skipping the harsh bitterness that can come with this style. At the very least, this is one of the best ways to get your hop fix without having to pay out the nose. And again, remember to check those dates printed on the can to ensure you're getting a fresh pack!