Generic Beer: Where To Buy Your Favorite Brews

If you were of drinking age in the 1970s or 1980s, you might remember a certain cheap, generic beer that went by the name of Beer. Sold in plain white cans with black lettering, it was available at supermarkets and convenience stores for mere pennies. Today, you won't find Beer on shelves, but that doesn't mean generic beer is completely extinct. In fact, some retailers have upgraded the packaging and branding of their own generic beers, such as Big Flats at Walgreens and Moe's Tap Room from Kroger stores. So, if you're looking to buy generic beer today, these might be good places to start your search.

Generic beer in supermarkets

Generic beer, which was popular in the 1970s and 1980s, was a cheap, unbranded lager sold in plain white cans with the word "BEER" in bold black lettering. It was originally brewed by the Falstaff Brewing company and later by other S&P-owned industrial brewers. The generic branding and packaging allowed companies to cut costs and pass the savings on to consumers. While generic beer in its original form no longer exists, some modern retailers have introduced their own versions of generic beer with more attractive branding and packaging, such as Big Flats at Walgreens and Moe's Tap Room from Kroger stores.

Supermarkets typically offer a wide variety of beers at varying price points, including craft beers, imported beers, and own-brand beers. While some supermarkets have improved their beer selections in recent years, others continue to offer mostly standard options. Here is a breakdown of the beer selections at some popular supermarkets:

• Marks & Spencer: Marks & Spencer has significantly upgraded its beer selection, offering a house version of Oakham Citra and clearly declaring the brewers on their own-brand craft beers.
• Waitrose: Waitrose offers the most interesting selection of beers in a wide variety of styles, including beers from Thornbridge and an unusual selection of Belgian imports.
• Booth's: Booth's supermarkets, available in the north, rival indie specialists with their extensive selection of beers from brewers not typically seen in supermarkets, all at competitive prices.
• LIDL: LIDL's range was revamped in 2015 but soon returned to mediocrity, dominated by fancily packaged Hatherwood brand beers produced at various UK breweries.
• ALDI: ALDI's own-brand craft beers in pretty 330ml bottles promise cutting-edge flavours but deliver conservative tastes. They are ideal for those who want to appear edgy without spending a lot.
• Tesco: Tesco has recently introduced beers from several craft breweries, including Fourpure, Oskar Blues, Redwell, Stone, Thornbridge, and Vocation, at competitive prices. However, some of their craft beers are actually from large companies, such as the Scandinavian Wolf Warning cans from Kopparberg cider.
• Sainsbury's, Morrison's, and ASDA: These supermarkets offer a large range of beers online, but in practice, the selection is less impressive, with mostly familiar bottled ales and a fallback range of solid BrewDog beers.
• Co-op: After much anticipation, Co-op launched a new range of nicely packaged craft beers made by Robinson's of Stockport, which are not particularly strong or flavourful.

When shopping for beer in supermarkets, it is important to be mindful of packaging trickery and value for money. "Value" beers are often weak and not a good deal in terms of alcohol content. Also, watch out for unusual bottle or can sizes, as they can be harder to compare prices for. Some supermarkets sell genuine Czech lager at a bargain price, which is usually a good deal. German wheat beer is also a safe bet, as it is hard to get wrong, and many supermarkets have decent own-brand options.

Generic beer in convenience stores

Generic beer, often evoking memories of the classic supermarket brew from the 70s and 80s, with its old-school pull tab tops and white cans with black lettering, just saying "Beer", is making a comeback. While today's beer market is dominated by craft beers with fancy packaging and premium prices, there is a growing demand for affordable, no-frills beer.

Convenience stores have recognised this demand and are increasingly offering their own branded beers or partnering with local breweries to provide exclusive brews. For example, Kwik Trip, a convenience store chain, collaborated with Karben4 Brewing to create Glazer Bean beer, a chocolate coffee stout made with Kwik Trip's own Cafe Karuba dark-roast coffee. Similarly, Wawa, another convenience store chain, released its first branded beer in partnership with 2SP Brewing Co. in 2018, offering a Wawa Winter Reserve Coffee Stout.

In addition to these branded options, some convenience stores are going back to basics with generic beers. Walgreens, for instance, released Big Flats 1901 Premium American Lager, brewed by the Winery Exchange, which retails for just $2.99 for a six-pack. This trend is expected to grow as consumers seek more affordable options, and convenience stores are well-positioned to cater to this demand.

While the sale of alcohol in grocery and convenience stores is subject to varying regulations and restrictions across different jurisdictions, it is a common practice in the US. The National Alcohol Beverage Control Association notes the financial opportunities presented by alcohol sales for small businesses, with convenience stores contributing significantly to beer sales. However, there are also concerns about excessive consumption and related harms, as well as theft, particularly by minors, associated with the increased availability of alcohol.

Generic beer in the 1970s

During this era, supermarkets and stores stocked these generic beers, which were produced without the focus on craft and pretension that we see today in the beer industry. The beer was affordable and accessible, costing just pennies per can, and offered a straightforward, functional drinking experience. It tasted no different from the big-name labels of the time because, often, it was the same beer, just without the expensive branding and advertising campaigns.

The generic beers of the 1970s were a far cry from the elaborate and expensive craft beers that have gained popularity in more recent times. Today, beer is often marketed as a sophisticated, almost luxurious product, with an emphasis on small-batch production, exotic ingredients, and unique flavours. This shift has led to higher prices and smaller serving sizes, moving away from the straightforward, affordable generic beers of the past.

However, the appeal of inexpensive, no-frills beer remains, and some modern brewers are answering the call for a return to simplicity. For example, Walgreens released Big Flats 1901 Premium American Lager, a nod to the generic beers of yesteryear, with a price point of just $2.99 for a six-pack of cans. This release proves that, even in today's craft beer landscape, there is still a market for the straightforward, affordable beers reminiscent of the generic brews of the 1970s.

Generic beer in the 1980s

While the taste was unremarkable, it was no worse than the big-name beers of the time. In fact, it often tasted exactly the same, as it was made in the same breweries but without the expensive marketing campaigns. This beer was a straightforward, affordable option for those who wanted a drink without the fuss.

Some generic beers of the 1980s included the simply-named "Beer", with its iconic white and black labelling, and Cost Cutter Beer, sold by Kroger for a bargain $1.99 a six-pack. Falstaff also produced a generic light beer in the 1980s, which is now a vintage collector's item.

Today, with the rise of craft beers and their associated costs, there is a certain nostalgia for the cheap, no-nonsense generic beers of the 1980s. Some modern brewers are even starting to bring back this old-school style, offering inexpensive beers without the fancy branding. So, while the 1980s generic beer may not have been the most glamorous, it certainly left its mark on the beer industry and those who enjoyed its simple pleasures.

Generic beer today

Although the classic generic beer, simply called "Beer", no longer exists, the concept of generic beer is still alive today. In the current market, beer is often positioned as a crafty, fancy, and expensive product, with prices increasing as pour sizes and packaging decrease. However, the rise of generic products in the 1970s and 1980s showed that consumers are willing to buy no-frills, cheap beer.

Today, we are seeing a similar trend, with the increasing popularity of inexpensive private-label beers. For example, Walgreens offers Big Flats 1901 Premium American Lager, which retails for $2.99 for a six-pack of cans and $11.49 for a 24-pack. Kroger stores also offer their own generic beer, Moe's Tap Room, which features attractive branding and packaging at a low price. These modern generic beers are adapting to the times with more appealing marketing than their predecessors, while still offering low prices.

The original generic "Beer" was a product of its time, born out of the economic climate of the 1970s. With high inflation and interest rates, consumers were looking for cheaper alternatives to their favourite products. The rise of generic products offered similar items at much lower prices, as they cut costs on elaborate packaging and marketing. "Beer" was a plain white can with the word "BEER" in bold black font, and it could be found at local stores for mere pennies.

The original generic "Beer" was produced by various breweries, including Falstaff Brewing, which was acquired by Paul Kalmanovitz, owner of General Brewing Company, in 1975. Kalmanovitz was known for his focus on profit, and he took advantage of the trend towards generic products by releasing "Beer" with no advertising, no trendy packaging, and a low price point. The beer was an immediate hit, with people choosing it over more expensive, branded options.

Today, we are seeing a similar economic climate, with a potential recession on the horizon. This could lead to a resurgence in the demand for cheap, generic beers. While the classic generic "Beer" may no longer be on shelves, modern generic options are evolving to meet consumer needs, offering both low prices and more appealing branding and packaging.

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