In this article, we’ll break down our picks for the best beers for party, whether you want a classic party beer or something to break away from the norm.
When you’re throwing a party, you really can’t go wrong with beer. A good quantity of easy-to-drink, affordable beer is always a winner no matter what you’re celebrating.
While we normally love to serve up craft beer in our home, when it comes to entertaining a lot of guests, we understand that more is better, and affordable is even better. We also like to pick a session-style beer with a low ABV.
When it comes to picking a beer for your next party, you will be happy to know that you don’t have to settle for one of the big three. Craft brewers have gotten in the game with their version of affordable, low ABV, easy-drinking, party beer. This is great but makes picking a beer harder.
Never fear; we are here to help with our picks for the best beers for your next party.
Table of Contents
Best Domestic Beer for a Party
Coors Banquet Premium Lager – 5.0% ABV
One of the big three has kept to its roots by brewing a more traditional style German lager. Coors Banquet beer is an easy-to-drink golden lager. It is a favorite of beer drinkers far and wide thanks to its malty yet sweet flavor and a nose hinting of baked bread. While affordable and mass-produced, this beer is still flavorful and surprisingly boasts of a higher ABV than some of our craft beer picks.
Best Import Beer for a Party
Stella Artois Lager – 5.0% ABV
This Belgian-produced beer is one of our favorites. This blonde lager is crisp, light, and refreshing. And the name just says, “fancy beer.” It is a little pricier than our domestic pick, but not as much as many craft options. So if you want to step up your party game, but not too much, this is your pick.
Best India Pale Ale Beer for a Party
Founders Brewing All Day IPA – 4.7% ABV
This session IPA is low in alcohol but not light on flavor. There are lots of session IPAs on the market today, and some are just bland. Founders Brewing has settled on the perfect combination of drinkability and taste. This is a well-balanced beer with both malty and hoppy notes and a fruity aroma.
Best Mexican Beer for a Party
Corona – 4.6% ABV
Always a crowd-pleaser and perfect for the beach, Corona is an easy-to-drink Mexican-style Lager, with a base of corn and malts, giving it its distinctive flavor and color. While it seems like a simple beer, take a moment and notice the light hoppy notes and bready flavor. Many people like to dunk a lime wedge in their Corona, so make sure that you have plenty on hand. And of course, don’t forget the chips and guacamole.
Best Stout Beer for a Party
Guinness Dry Stout – 4.2% ABV
This seems like a surprising pick for a party beer, but your first sip of Guinness will surprise you with its light and refreshing flavor. The dark-roasted malts used to make this beer give it flavors of chocolate, caramel, and coffee. Guinness has long been a favorite in pubs, and its low alcohol content means it goes down smooth and is perfect for a party. We should also mention that it is low-calorie (126 calories per 12 ounces), so you won’t have to worry about your waistline when drinking this beer.
Best Bock Beer for a Party
Spoetzl Brewing Shiner Bock – 4.4% ABV
First, let’s clear something up about Shiner Bock. Shiner Bock is not an import. This very delicious beer calls Texas, USA, home, despite its more exotic-sounding name. This traditional German-style Bock is full of caramel, dark fruit, and malty flavors, with mild hoppy notes. The nose of this beer is very robust, but it is an easy drinker and is a sure crowd-pleaser.
Best Session Beer for a Party
Full Sail Brewing Session Premium Lager – 5.0% ABV
Session beers are a reference to a beer that has a low alcohol content. In pub tradition, this means 5% or less ABV. They are perfect beers for mass consumption. Session Premium Lager is one of our favorite low-cost, low-alcohol beers. It is easy to drink but isn’t lacking in flavor or aroma. This beer comes only in bottles, but with the added fun of “Rock, Paper, Scissors” on every bottle cap.
Best Craft Beer for a Party
New Belgium Mountain Time Premium Pale Lager – 4.4% ABV
A tribute to the fresh, cold snowmelt of the Rocky Mountains, this easy-to-drink lager is malt-forward, with a slightly hoppy finish. We like that it is made with the same attention to detail as other New Belgian products. It is a quality craft beer disguised as good-time party beer.
