Like in most of the world, beer has been an integral part of American culture since the beginning. Even prohibition was not able to fully stop the sale of beer, only pushing it underground. In 2023 the United States was the second
with a production volume of about 193 million hectoliters, following only China. Craft beer has become an increasingly important part of the American market.
Declining domestic production
As
consumption of beer in the United States has continued to decline, so has
production volume. From the peak in 1990, production volume has fallen by 19 percent, reaching a new low of 165 million barrels in 2023. Despite the decline in production, the
number of breweries in the country has continued to grow, with 2023 registering the most breweries ever at 9,906. This seeming incongruence between declining production and increasing breweries makes more sense in light of the fact that the vast
majority of breweries are producing relatively small amounts of beer. Sixty-seven percent of breweries are producing between one and 1,000 barrels a year. Large brewers are comparatively rare.
Domestic beer is king
In 2023, about 68 percent of
U.S. beer consumption was attributable to domestic beer. The Bud brand, which includes Bud Light was the
top selling brand of domestic beer with sales of over 5.3 billion U.S. dollars. Among
imported beer, Modelo and Corona were the preferred brands. Both brands are produced in Mexico by Grupo Modelo but distributed by Constellation Brands in the United States.
Craft beer
Until the pandemic, craft beer had seen a steady upward trend in its
share of beer sales in the United States. Craft's share of sales rebounded in 2021 as lockdowns ended but declined again in 2022, potentially due to cost of living increases and craft beer's typically higher price. In 2023, that share remained virtually unchanged. Despite this stagnation,
retail sales of craft beer grew in 2023 to 28.9 billion U.S. dollars, also an effect of higher prices. As fewer Americans reach for beer, premium options like craft beer have largely retained their market by appealing to consumers who want something special when they do indulge.
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