In battle of the beers, this brand is tops

When it comes to generating a positive perception among consumers, Boston Beer Company's Samuel Adams is still the beer to beat. That's according to the latest results of research firm YouGov BrandIndex's annual survey of consumer perception rankings.

For the third-straight year, Sam Adams scored the highest among beer brands in the survey. It was followed by Budweiser, Dos Equis, and Heineken, with Corona and Redd's Apple Ale tied for fifth.

MillerCoors' Redd's Apple Ale was a notable new arrival to the top 10. Redd's, which first saw national distribution in 2013, has seen increased exposure of late with the release of two new flavors, Redd's Wicked Mango and Redd's Green Apple Ale.

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But Redd's ascension to the list was bitter sweet for MillerCoors, which saw its flagship Miller Lite fall out of the top 10. That drop is in contradiction to a comeback of sorts for the brand, which according to industry tracker IRI grew sales 1.9 percent to $1.9 billion in the 52 weeks ending Jan. 25. (IRI figures do not include bar and restaurant sales.)

The recent uptick in sales reverses a steady decline for the Miller Lite brand and coincides with a return to its original white-label packaging, made famous by the "tastes great, less filling" ad campaigns of the 1970s and 1980s.

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Another brand of note, Guinness, might have beer drinkers around the world raising a pint of its iconic stout in celebration of St. Patrick 's Day on Tuesday. Still, the Diageo-owned brand fell two spots from last year, to ninth.

YouGov BrandIndex's survey asks respondents "If you've heard anything about the brand in the last two weeks, through advertising, news or word of mouth, was it positive or negative?" For the 2015 survey, 7,000 adults age 21 and over were interviewed over the past 12 weeks. Scores range from 100 to minus 100, with zero equaling positive and negative feedback.