Bud Light is no longer the top draft beer in America's bars, according to a new report.
That spot is now being held by another Anheuser-Busch InBev offering, Michelob Ultra, according to a report from Draftline Technologies, which provides data services for beverage distributors. Michelob Ultra overtook Bud Light when it comes to the "number of tap handles" being operated, reported The Hill Tuesday.
Jennifer Hauke, the founder of Draftline Technologies, said Michelob Ultra has been heading for the top spot for years and reflects "shifting consumer preference."
The findings were based on data collected from "just over 1 million lines" at beer venues in 40 states. Hauke said the company tracks "somewhere between" one-half to two-thirds of all beer systems in the U.S.
But the news also comes about a year and a half after Bud Light lost its title of the best-selling beer to Modelo Especial after the backlash over the company's 2023 collaboration with transgender activist and influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
In July, Michelob Ultra pushed Bud Light from second place to third. The latest report indicates that Bud Light has returned to the second-place spot.
Mulvaney's fans and members of the LGBTQ+ community criticized Anheuser-Busch over how it handled the backlash. Mulvaney also slammed the company in June 2023, stating in a TikTok video that for the company to hire a "trans person and then not publicly stand by them is worse, in my opinion, than not hiring a trans person at all because it gives customers permission to be as transphobic and hateful as they want … and the hate doesn't end with me."
However, Draftline Technologies said the rise in Michelob Ultra's popularity reflects a "broader alignment with health-conscious, premium beer trends."
An Anheuser-Busch representative told CNN that the company is proud to have two of its offerings in first and second place for popular draft choices.
"Bud Light is more than 30% bigger than the next closest draft competitor," the spokesperson added.