Breweries NAICS 312120

Oct 13, 2025 - New King of Beers

• Michelob Ultra is now the top-selling beer in the US, overtaking Modelo Especial, CNBC reported in September. The light lager claimed the title of the best-selling beer in retail channels in the 52 weeks ended Sept. 14, parent company Anheuser-Busch announced, citing data from consumer research firm Circana. The beer was also the top seller in bars and restaurants, according to Nielsen IQ data for the 52 weeks ended July 12. Michelob Ultra’s ascent returns an Anheuser-Busch beer to the top spot. In 2023, the company’s Bud Light brand lost the title to Modelo amid a consumer backlash against the brand and growing cultural cachet for Modelo. Previously, Bud Light had held the title as the US’s top-selling beer for more than two decades. Modelo brewer Constellation Brands recently reported weaker demand from Hispanic consumers, a key segment of its customer base, per CNBC.
• Citing the volatile and challenging environment for breweries, Constellation Brands chief executive expressed cautious optimism that the beer business may be nearing the bottom of its dive even as consumers remain under pressure, Beer Business Daily reports. In remarks to analysts, Constellation Brands’ CEO Bill Newlands said the company, maker of the Modelo Especial and Corona brands, is watching closely for signs of stabilization after a summer of soft depletions and weaker takeaway in key Hispanic markets. Newlands cited unprecedented volatility in the beer market and noted that the company’s results are significantly worse in ZIP codes with high Hispanic populations than in the general population, suggesting that ICE activities and job losses in states like California may be impacting Hispanic consumer spending. Meanwhile, both Hispanic and non-Hispanic consumers are facing economic pressure amid rising prices for beer.

• The percentage of US adults who say they consume alcohol, including beer, has fallen to 54%, the lowest level in Gallup’s nearly 90-year trend, the polling firm reported in August. Gallup’s annual Consumption Habits survey, conducted in July, found the figure fell to 62% in 2023 and to 58% in 2024, before reaching 54% today. The downward trend coincides with recent research indicating that any level of alcohol consumption may negatively affect health, a sharp reversal from previous recommendations that moderate drinking could offer some protective benefits. More than a third (38%) of US drinkers cite beer as the alcoholic beverage they consume most often, exceeding the 30% who name liquor and 29% who name wine. The survey also found that men are far more likely than women to reach for a beer (52% vs. 23%).
• US craft brewers are suffering under tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, the CATO Institute reported in July. With canned beer accounting for about 75% of packaged craft beer by volume, craft brewers are especially sensitive to tariffs on aluminum and steel imports imposed on all countries by the Trump administration, which doubled to 50% in June. Most craft breweries are small and less able to absorb rising costs than larger breweries. Notably, the producer price index for aluminum can manufacturing rose 1.5% from March to May. “Costs for kegs, brewhouses, tanks, and even building infrastructure are climbing fast,” according to the Brewers Association. Moreover, switching to bottles is not an easy fix and bottles are hard to procure as big brewers switch to them crowding out smaller buyers. Ingredient prices, including specialty hops, are also rising due to tariffs.