Beer with foam on wooden tray

How Come People Aren't Drinking As Much Beer?

NEWS

BY CAMRYN TEDER

Beer has long been one of the most popular alcoholic drinks, but the drink is on the decline. In 2023, the U.S. saw its lowest levels of beer consumption in over a generation.
It started with the slow downfall of draft beer as drinkers began opting for canned or bottled beers instead. According to Bon Appétit, only 9% of U.S. beer sales featured kegs.
While there are a few reasons for this trend, it can mostly be traced back to the pandemic, when people got comfortable drinking canned beer in the comfort of their own homes.
In addition, the craft beer boom of the 2010s created hundreds of new beers to choose from, and customers may be getting overwhelmed
and opting for simpler drinks.
Beer once felt accessible, but now, the category is difficult to approach and digest. Many drinkers are diving into wine and the new world of ready-to-drink cocktails instead.