U.S. adults select beer as their alcohol of choice 35 percent of the time. Craft breweries exceed nine thousand nationwide while global production reaches 1.92 billion hectoliters. The statistics that follow cover consumer trends, employment figures, and revenue totals.
Key Takeaways
- U.S. 35.1% of adults prefer beer as alcohol choice 2023
- U.S. craft breweries numbered 2,753 in 2013 growing to 9,730 by 2022
- U.S. beer industry employed 1.6 million workers in 2022
- U.S. beer industry economic output reached $117.6 billion in 2022
- Global beer production 1.92 billion hectoliters in 2022
Beer demand remains strong worldwide, supported by steady brewery growth and rising consumer interest in craft brews.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consumer Demographics & Trends26 stats
01
U.S. 35.1% of adults prefer beer as alcohol choice 2023
02
41% of U.S. beer drinkers aged 21-34 in 2022
03
Low/no-alcohol beer consumption up 28% globally 2022
04
62% of U.S. millennials drink craft beer weekly 2023
05
Women represent 38% of U.S. craft beer drinkers 2022
06
Off-premise beer sales 78% of U.S. volume 2022
07
25% rise in hard seltzer shifting from beer 2022
08
Hispanic consumers 20% of U.S. beer market growth 2022
09
51% of Gen Z prefer flavored beers 2023
10
U.S. beer per capita consumption 26.9 gallons 2022
11
Premium beer segment grew 5% in U.S. 2022
12
67% of consumers seek local breweries 2023
13
Craft beer drinkers visit taprooms 3x more 2022
14
35.1% adults prefer beer U.S. 2023
15
41% beer drinkers 21-34 U.S. 2022
16
No/lo beer up 28% global 2022
17
62% millennials weekly craft 2023
18
Women 38% craft drinkers U.S. 2022
19
Off-premise 78% volume U.S. 2022
20
Hard seltzer shift 25% from beer 2022
21
Hispanics 20% growth U.S. 2022
22
51% Gen Z flavored beers 2023
23
Per capita 26.9 gal U.S. 2022
24
Premium segment +5% U.S. 2022
25
67% seek local breweries 2023
26
Taproom visits 3x craft drinkers 2022
Interpretation
Consumer Demographics & Trends Interpretation
While younger generations are still enthusiastically sudsy—flocking to craft, flavors, and local taprooms—the industry is soberingly aware that nearly four in ten of its future aficionados are women, a quarter of its casual drinkers are being lured by seltzer, and everyone, from Gen Z to their elders, is increasingly eyeing the no-lo option, proving that the modern beer market is a complex pour of tradition, innovation, and calculated diversification.
02 · Category
Craft & Specialty Brews13 stats
01
U.S. craft breweries numbered 2,753 in 2013 growing to 9,730 by 2022
02
Craft breweries hold 13.4% U.S. market share 2023
03
Non-alcoholic craft beer up 50% sales 2022
04
51 U.S. states have craft breweries 2022
05
Sour beer category grew 45% in craft segment 2022
06
IPA remains 45% of craft beer sales U.S. 2022
07
Over 9,000 craft breweries in U.S. 2023
08
Hazy IPA style up 70% in craft production 2022
09
Gluten-free beer market in craft doubled 2022
10
Barrel-aged craft beers increased 30% 2022
11
Pastry stouts popular in 25% craft taprooms 2023
12
Organic craft beer sales rose 15% U.S. 2022
13
Session IPAs gained 20% craft market share 2022
Interpretation
Craft & Specialty Brews Interpretation
The American craft beer scene has exploded into a delightfully chaotic and experimental adult playground where hop-heads still reign supreme, but they're now happily sharing the sandbox with sour sippers, health-conscious sippers, and pastry-loving pioneers all elbowing for a tap handle.
03 · Category
Employment & Economics30 stats
01
U.S. beer industry employed 1.6 million workers in 2022
02
Breweries supported 297,000 direct jobs in U.S. 2022
03
Beer industry paid $39 billion in wages in U.S. 2022
04
Global brewery workforce over 10 million in 2022
05
U.S. craft brewers employ 168,000 people in 2022
06
Beer sector generated $37 billion in tax revenue U.S. 2022
07
Germany brewery employment 130,000 in 2022
08
U.S. beer wholesalers employ 183,000 in 2022
09
Industry spending $6.9 billion on advertising U.S. 2022
10
U.S. breweries paid $7.4 billion in federal taxes 2022
11
Global beer tourism supports 2.5 million jobs
12
U.S. suppliers to beer industry 1.3 million jobs 2022
13
Average brewery wage $65,000annually U.S. 2022
14
Beer industry exports supported 45,000 U.S. jobs 2022
15
Induced jobs from beer industry 442,000 in U.S. 2022
16
1.6M workers U.S. beer industry 2022
17
297K direct brewery jobs U.S. 2022
18
$39B wages beer industry U.S. 2022
19
Over 10M global brewery workforce 2022
20
168K craft brewer jobs U.S. 2022
21
$37B tax revenue beer U.S. 2022
22
130K brewery jobs Germany 2022
23
183K wholesaler jobs U.S. 2022
24
$6.9B advertising spend U.S. 2022
25
$7.4B federal taxes breweries U.S. 2022
26
2.5M jobs beer tourism global
27
1.3M supplier jobs U.S. 2022
28
Avg wage $65K brewery U.S. 2022
29
45K export jobs U.S. 2022
30
442K induced jobs U.S. 2022
Interpretation
Employment & Economics Interpretation
The beer industry is a formidable economic engine, proving that while a single job may be about pouring pints, 1.6 million of them, plus $39 billion in wages and $37 billion in taxes, is really about pouring prosperity.
More related reading
04 · Category
Market Size & Revenue27 stats
01
U.S. beer industry economic output reached $117.6 billion in 2022
02
Global beer market size was valued at $752.3 billion in 2022
03
U.S. craft brewer sales grew 4% by volume in 2022
04
Beer industry contributed $28.2 billion to U.S. GDP in 2022
05
Global beer revenue projected to reach $1.1 trillion by 2030
06
U.S. beer sales volume totaled 5.8 billion cases in 2022
07
Craft beer represented 13.3% of U.S. beer market share in 2022
08
European beer market valued at €150 billion in 2023
09
U.S. brewery count reached 9,730 in 2022
10
Beer market CAGR expected at 4.5% from 2023-2030 globally
11
U.S. beer industry sales hit $121 billion in 2023
12
Asia-Pacific beer market share was 42% in 2022
13
U.S. imported beer sales up 2% in 2022
14
Global craft beer market to grow at 13.8% CAGR to 2028
15
U.S. beer wholesale value $56.8 billion in 2022
16
Mexico beer production value $20 billion in 2022
17
U.S. craft brewery retail sales $28.4 billion in 2022
18
U.S. beer industry economic output $117.6 billion 2022
19
Global beer market $752.3 billion valuation 2022
20
U.S. craft sales 4% volume growth 2022
21
Beer GDP contribution $28.2 billion U.S. 2022
22
Worldwide beer revenue forecast $1.1T by 2030
23
U.S. sales volume 5.8B cases beer 2022
24
Craft 13.3% U.S. beer market 2022
25
Europe beer market €150B 2023
26
9,730 U.S. breweries 2022
27
Beer CAGR 4.5% global 2023-2030
Interpretation
Market Size & Revenue Interpretation
The American beer industry pours a formidable $117.6 billion into the national economy, proving that while craft breweries are the passionate artisans growing at a steady 4%, it’s the relentless global thirst—fueling a $752 billion market heading toward a trillion—that truly keeps the financial taps flowing.
05 · Category
Production & Output26 stats
01
Global beer production 1.92 billion hectoliters in 2022
02
U.S. beer production 171.2 million barrels in 2022
03
China produced 36.5% of world beer in 2022
04
U.S. craft beer production 24.2 million barrels in 2022
05
Germany beer output 80.1 million hectoliters in 2022
06
Brazil beer production 149 million hectoliters in 2022
07
U.S. microbreweries produced 12.1% of beer in 2022
08
World beer consumption 189 billion liters in 2022
09
EU beer production down 2.5% to 366 million hectoliters in 2022
10
U.S. regional craft breweries output 58% of craft beer in 2022
11
Mexico exported 4.5 billion liters of beer in 2022
12
Japan beer production 424 million hectoliters in 2022
13
U.S. total breweries produced 196 million barrels equivalent in 2022
14
U.S. global beer production 1.92B hl 2022
15
U.S. production 171.2M barrels 2022
16
China 36.5% world beer production 2022
17
Craft production 24.2M barrels U.S. 2022
18
Germany 80.1M hl beer output 2022
19
Brazil 149M hl production 2022
20
Microbreweries 12.1% U.S. beer 2022
21
World consumption 189B liters 2022
22
EU production down 2.5% to 366M hl 2022
23
Regional craft 58% craft beer U.S. 2022
24
Mexico exports 4.5B liters beer 2022
25
Japan 424M hl production 2022
26
U.S. total 196M barrels equiv 2022
Interpretation
Production & Output Interpretation
While China industriously produces over a third of the world's suds and Mexico floods the globe with exports, America's beer story is one of behemoths and artisans, where a vibrant craft scene—fueled by small microbreweries and regional powerhouses—shakes up a stable but sluggish global keg, proving that quantity is China's game, but character is still on tap from Munich to Milwaukee.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Marcus Afolabi. (2026, February 13). Brewery Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/brewery-industry-statistics
MLA
Marcus Afolabi. "Brewery Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/brewery-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Marcus Afolabi. 2026. "Brewery Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/brewery-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
26 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level