The Corona coup: How Constellation sells so much bad beer

Corona is now the fifth bestselling beer in the U.S., selling more than double the amount of Heineken, the next most popular import. It’s growing while the rest of the beer business is drying up or being siphoned off by new small-batch brewers. Last year, Corona sales rose 4 percent.

Here’s the curious thing: Corona is not very good—at least by most critical accounts.

After 3,200 reviews at RateBeer.com, Corona has a grade of 1.69 out of 10. The Beer Advocate gives Corona an “awful” rating of 55 out of 100 and the following description: “faded aromas of sulphur, faint skunk, mild cooked veggies.”

Not only is Corona not very good—it’s one of the worst Mexican beers. Here’s how the folks at Beer Advocate rank other suds from south of the border.

Bohemia 77
Negra Modelo 77
Dos Equis Amber 72
Victoria 68
Modelo Especial 66
Pacifico 63
Tecate 60
Sol 58

Oddly enough, Constellation makes and distributes four of those brews: Negra Modelo, Victoria, Modelo Especial, and Pacifico.

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