Top brews for Super Bowl Sunday

Mintel analyzes Americas’ beer preferences
Chicago (January 25, 2010)—With this year’s Super Bowl teams just determined, another type of competition is brewing in homes, supermarkets and liquor store aisles across the country: which beers should we buy for Super Bowl Sunday? Mintel, a leading market research company, dissects people’s beer-drinking habits to see which brands and bottles are most likely to come home victorious.
Domestic versus ImportedChugging down an ice-cold brew during the game is an all-American pastime, and it turns out many Americans opt for domestic beers over imported brands. Nearly half of Mintel’s beer-drinking survey respondents (44%) said they prefer domestic beer, with another 13% saying their preference lies with domestic microbrews or craft beers. Only 24% said they prefer to drink imported beer. What’s behind this preference? Taste and loyalty: 42% say domestic “just tastes better” than imported, and 53% report being “very loyal” to domestic beer.
Light versus RegularHealth and diet trends encouraging people to consume fewer calories have struck a chord with beer drinkers. Nearly a quarter of domestic beer drinkers (24%) say they drink light beer all the time, while another 26% say they drink it most of the time. But for imported beer, the tables turn: 91% of imported beer drinkers say they drink regular compared to only 37% who drink light or low-calorie imported beer.
Men versus WomenMen definitely dominate the beer world: 60% drink it compared to only 36% of women (who are more likely to drink spirits or wine). So what do men want? Full flavored beer. Over half of men (51%) say they look for full flavored brews, compared to 42% of women who seek out lighter flavored beers. Men are also less interested in low calorie beer (21%) than women (33%).