The Best Brands of Alcohol

Some of the biggest and most recognisable brands on Earth are alcohol brands. Let’s take a look at the best brands of alcohol out there today:

10. Carlsberg

Best known for its Carlsberg and Elephant lagers, Carlsberg boasts a tradition stretching back to the 19th century. Its original Copenhagen brewery was bombed during World War II but it continued with production in other countries including Estonia. Europe’s third-best selling beer brand after Heineken and Stella Artois is also available in India.

9. Molson Coors Brewing Company

An American joint venture between Molson and Coors, set up in 2005. In terms of production volume it ranks as the one of the largest brewers on Earth with brands including Coors, Carling Black Label, and Miller Lite also under its belt. Products are available in well over 100 countries and especially popular among expats.

8. Pernod Ricard

What people might not know is Pernod Ricard owns a stable of brands called Seagram, specially made for the Chinese market. At one point it also owned Absolut Vodka before selling it to Swedish company Vin & Sprit in 2008. Other Pernod alcoholic interests include Chivas Regal whisky and Jameson Irish Whiskey while its wine operations provide labels such as Jacob’s Creek and Clos Du Val. It has at least 43 different locations within 25 countries, all in various cities and are looking for new opportunities, especially in Africa.

7. Kweichow Moutai

With a brewery in the company headquarters, Moutai is one of China’s top 10 nationally famous brands and the best-selling Chinese alcohol on Earth. The brand’s popularity elsewhere has evolved more recently; exports have grown rapidly over recent years with Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan customers all drinking up Thai rice wine at around $1bn per year in each market according to figures featured on CNN. With major production technology as well as concentrating its efforts towards marketing operations it could soon feature even higher on this list.

6. Suntory Holdings

Based on the island of Kyushu, Japan’s Suntory is an alcoholic drinks manufacturer which also brews, distils and markets its own products. In terms of alcoholic drinks Suntory Holdings is best known for brands like Jim Beam Whiskey and Maker’s Mark Bourbon while it also has a massive amount invested in still wine with companies such as Penfolds Wines coming under its care too. Its operation based in Osaka is entirely devoted to making Thai rice wines though another growing initiative is making higher quality still wines in one of its manufacturing facilities based in the Yamanashi Prefecture.

5. Diageo

Diageo is a UK-based company with nearly 170 brands which generate a great deal of revenue every year. On its website, Diageo claims to serve as many as 1bn people per week on all five continents in over 180 countries from its labels including Guinness, Captain Morgan Rum and Johnny Walker Whisky while also making non-alcoholic drinks. Based out of London it mainly operates across Europe (especially Great Britain) though has sizable client bases throughout Asia Pacific region too.

4. Kirin

Only a handful of businesses on the planet come close to Kirin’s global reach because of its production interests in brewing, soft drinks and above all else alcohol. Originally it was known as Nippon Carbon but after merging with Japan’s two other main brewers- Kirin Brewery and Japan Consumers Co-operative Beer (Hamochi) it expanded over Korea, Peru, Russia are also some emerging international markets upwards of Asia Pacific too besides Costa Rica where a brewery belongs to it as well. Based out of Yokohama in Japan as far back as the 1880s, after a couple of more name changes it finally settled on its present Kirin Brewery Company Limited and remains there at the moment.

3. Asahi

Despite being one of Japan’s biggest drinks companies, Asahi is becoming better known outside of Asia in recent years.A commercial success story famous among business circles the world over, Asahi was made popular by its dry and flavourful lager as well as winning export deals with Holland in the 1980s. Formerly known as the Tokyo Beer Company, this Japanese beer brand is so popular its name means ‘morning sun’ in Japanese. The company was founded back in 1889 and has offices throughout Japan plus China while it also exports to over 50 countries around the globe including Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

2. Heineken

After experimenting with brewing in 1864, Heineken beer came to be when the founder purchased a local Amsterdam brewery and continues to sell products made all over the world. Its well-known brands high up on each of its corners from brands including Heineken, Murphy’s Irish Stout to Desperados Beer. Heineken is the best-known beer in the Netherlands, known for its refreshing taste and deep amber color. The company prides itself on its global reach, and has recently started branching out into the Asian market.

1. Anheuser-Busch InBev

The biggest brewing company in the world which also owns Budweiser and Stella Artois beer brands it operates in virtually every corner of the globe. It was established in 2008 with the merger of two brewing giants, Anheuser-Busch and InBev. The company is a household name in the United States where it operates 50 breweries across the country. It has a large presence in Europe and South America, as well.

So, there you have it. These are some of the biggest and most well-known brands in terms of alcohol on Earth at this point in time. Some people might be surprised to see Heineken ahead of Diageo but its growth over the past years has been phenomenal.The future is looking good for the company as it continues to expand its portfolio and increase its reach. Diageo has a very strong position in various markets across the world, which will be tough to beat by any of these brands. But this doesn’t mean that they won’t try. Which company has the best brands in your opinion? Which one do you prefer to drink and why? Let us know.