American Lager

American lager or North American lager is pale lager which is made and consumed in North America. Pale lager originated in Europe in the mid-19th century, and moved to America with German immigrants. As a general trend outside of Bavaria and the Czech Republic where the beers may be firmly hopped, pale lager developed as a modestly hopped beer, and sometimes used adjuncts such as rice or maize - and this was also true in America.

Worldwide, the best-known American lager is likely Anheuser-Busch's Budweiser, though prominent brands are also made by MillerCoors (South Africa/United States/United Kingdom). Pale lager is the predominant choice among America's largest brewing companies, however it is usually not found in microbreweries throughout the USA.

This beer style is defined by inclusion in categories like "American-Style Light Lager", "American-Style Low-Carbohydrate Light Lager", "American-Style Lager", and "American-Style Premium Lager" at the World Beer Cup or "North American Style Lager", "North American Style Premium Lager" at the Canadian Beer Awards.