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US drinkers show preference for imported beer for first time
In 2024 imported beers ranked ‘more popular’ with US consumers than American-brewed beers for the first time, reveals new data. But with Trump about to take residence in the White House, will this change?
US beer drinkers have traditionally favoured American-brewed beers. However, according to new data released by online research data and analytics group YouGov, imported beers outperformed domestic brews in 2024 for the first time in terms of popularity (not tangible sales).
The gigantic YouGov survey, which harvests the opinion of 24 million US consumers, measures the ‘popularity’ of a product in terms of consumer awareness, brand perception and loyalty.
In this case, a beer’s popularity score was calculated by ascertaining the total number of consumers who “have heard of” a product, and then assessing the proportion of people who view that product “positively”.
The vast research project, carried out continually with results published every 90 days, reveals that the top three most popular beers in the US in Q3 of 2024 were Guinness, Modelo and Corona.
In fourth place sat Heineken.
US calling
It is not until fifth place that an American beer makes an appearance in the popularity rankings. Samuel Adams, the flagship product of the Boston Beer Company, outranked the likes of Budweiser, Coors and Miller. Described by its branding team as “approachable, complex, and smooth with the perfect balance of caramel malt sweetness and spicy hop bitterness”, Samuel Adams was first brewed in 1984 and was a driving force in the American craft beer revelation.
Just behind Samuel Adams in the popularity stakes is Blue Moon, a Belgian-style wheat ale brewed in Denver, Colorado, by a sub-division of US company Molson Coors, headquartered in Chicago.
Of the top 10 most popular beers in the US during the third quarter of 2024, only five American-made beers feature (Blue Moon, Miller, Coors and Miller High Life), all of which ranked lower for popularity than imported brews from Ireland, Mexico and Holland.
The Trump effect
It is well documented that President-elect Donald Trump, who takes up residence in the White House on 20 January, wants to encourage the US populace to consume more American-made goods, whether those be beers, cars or baseball gloves. In 2019 Trump signed an executive order that required federal agencies to purchase products using more American components.
“We want to build, create, and grow more products in our country using American labour, American goods, and American grit,” he said. “When we purchase products made in the USA, the profits stay here, the revenue stays here, and the jobs — maybe most importantly of all — they stay right here in the USA.”
During his previous presidency (2017-2021) Trump was committed to increasing the impact of the Buy American Act to the fullest extent possible.
This time around, he has already promised to put tariffs of 25% on Mexican goods imported into the US, a decision which could have ramifications for best-selling beers Modelo and Corona. While both Mexican beer brands are owned by America’s own Constellation Brands, all Modelo products are currently brewed in Mexico, and Corona is still primarily brewed in Mexico, though additional brewing outposts in the UK, Germany and China may provide a way around the tariffs.
The most popular beers in the US
*popularity is the % of people who have a positive opinion of a beer
1.Guinness
2.Modelo
3.Corona
4.Heineken
5.Samuel Adams
6.Blue Moon
7.Miller
8.Stella Artois
9.Coors
10.Miller High Life
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