Germany’s long brewing tradition has helped shape American beer culture. Many early U.S. beer brands were founded by German immigrants, but popularity and heritage don’t necessarily guarantee quality. In a ranking of popular German beers sold in the U.S., Beck’s came in last.

The beer received a score of 65 on BeerAdvocate, despite being one of the list’s better-selling options. Reviews often describe its flavor as mediocre or unremarkable. One reviewer summed up the experience bluntly: “Looks good. Smells horrible. Tastes the way it should, but it’s still not for me.”

A reviewer from A Beer Snob’s Cheap Brew Review called Beck’s “a 12-ounce bottle of disappointment.” The reviewer pointed to the brand’s move from Germany to St. Louis, arguing that the change in water and ingredients altered its flavor. Rather than tasting like a premium German pilsner, the beer came across as a generic mass-market lager.

The lawsuit behind Beck’s low ranking

Beck’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch InBev, shifted production from Bremen, Germany, to St. Louis in 2012. But bottles continued to feature phrases such as “German Quality” and “Brewed under the German Purity Law of 1516.” Some customers felt the packaging implied they were buying an imported beer when it was being brewed domestically.

A class-action settlement followed in 2015, with the company expected to pay more than $20 million in consumer refunds. The criticism, as the article frames it, was not that Beck’s had German roots, but that its American-made bottles continued to emphasize German credentials.

Other U.S. beers with German immigrant connections take a different approach. Hamm’s calls itself “America’s Classic” beer, while Pabst Blue Ribbon makes no claim to German origin on its packaging. Shiner Bock, founded by German and Czech immigrants, proudly identifies Shiner, Texas, as home.