OK. From non-alcoholic beer to margaritas made with zero-proof tequila, the Amor Prohibido, like *** margarita, spicy, so we’re starting with lime juice. Love that, fresh every day, rimmed with tajin and salt mixed, and we’re sure there’s no alcohol in this. I am sure. Hope you enjoy it. It’s one of my favorites. This is really good. At the Penrose in New York City. Beautiful non-alcoholic drinks like these. Selling just as fast as the real booze. So what does demand look like with your non-alcoholic drinks compared to like your regular cocktails on the menu? I have noticed, especially this year, *** big uptick on *** Saturday night where we’re packed and you assume everyone’s drinking. I look around and I’d say 25% of the room has an NA beer. The past couple of years has been *** really big jump. It’s not just happening here. Research from Gallup shows US adults are. Drinking the least they have in the past 90 years, we spoke with Women’s Health executive editor Abigail Cuffy to better understand the trend. Cheers, cheers. I went to my local Target the other day and I was really surprised to see *** dedicated NA section that was more than just like canned lemonade. Like there were beers, there were canned Moscow Mules, there was even *** bottle of NA tequila. Why do you think. Non-alcoholic spirits and beverages are just everywhere right now. They’re everywhere because people want them. We know that people are drinking less in general, Gen Z in particular. Some of it is health related, some of it is energy, mood, sleep, just seeing what life is like when they drink *** little bit less. Why do you think people are gravitating more towards non-alcoholic options? I think there’s an awareness that maybe. Generations didn’t have we love alcohol, we love to the things that it does bring we’re in *** bar, yeah, we get it and we love it, but I think it’s nice to have an option and it’s nice to not ask questions and not have to wonder why someone’s not drinking. It’s just we have this available to you and like no questions asked. One important thing to keep in mind, particularly when it comes to non-alcoholic beer or spirits, non-alcoholic. May not always mean alcohol free. There is *** chance that some drinks can still contain very small traces of alcohol. If you are trying to avoid any, any alcohol, what you want to look for on *** label, whether it’s spirits or beer, you want to look on the label for zero alcohol or 0.0% ABV, and that will tell you there is nothing in it. As of 2025, the non-alcoholic beverage industry was worth about $3 billion with the market size in the US expected to reach $5 billion in the next few years. One thing is for certain, non-alcoholic options like these are here to stay. Reporting in New York, I’m Ali Desinski.
Americans are drinking less beer. Here’s why and how the impacts are being felt nationwide
U.S. beer market sales fell 3% in 2025, decreasing from $116.8 billion to $113.1 billion. Total beer production dropped from 158.1 million barrels to 148.3 million barrels — the lowest in the past decade. Beer production began declining in 2022 and has continued to fall since then.What is causing beer production to drop?Several factors are contributing to the decline in beer production, according to Matt Garcia, staff economist for the Brewers Association.For starters, consumer demand for beer is declining as more beverage options become available, like non-alcoholic and THC-infused beverages. Customers are also spending less time outside their homes and attending fewer social occasions where they would typically drink beer.The decline in beer demand has led to lower production. Brewers try to align production with sales, so when sales fall, they produce less to reduce waste. Beer has a shelf life of six months, causing brewers to regularly adjust their inventories, according to Garcia.At the same time, beer prices have risen, helping keep sales revenue from falling as sharply as production. Higher inflation has increased production costs, and tariffs on key materials have made brewing more expensive, causing many brewers to raise prices. What’s going on with craft beer?Craft beer sales fell about 3% from the previous year, with the market producing roughly 22 million barrels of beer. About 60% of breweries reported declines in production. Craft beer accounts for 13% of total beer production.Last year, the industry saw a net decline of 307 breweries, reducing the total number of operating breweries from 9,835 to 9,528.Only five states saw net growth in the number of craft breweries, while the rest, including the District of Columbia, recorded declines.Colorado had a net decline of 33 craft breweries, the most of any state, while Pennsylvania had a net gain of five.Historically, craft breweries expanded rapidly throughout the 2010s. The industry experienced its first decline last year. Despite the recent closures, there are still more craft beer consumers today than in previous decades, Garcia said.PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=
U.S. beer market sales fell 3% in 2025, decreasing from $116.8 billion to $113.1 billion.
Total beer production dropped from 158.1 million barrels to 148.3 million barrels — the lowest in the past decade. Beer production began declining in 2022 and has continued to fall since then.
What is causing beer production to drop?
Several factors are contributing to the decline in beer production, according to Matt Garcia, staff economist for the Brewers Association.
For starters, consumer demand for beer is declining as more beverage options become available, like non-alcoholic and THC-infused beverages. Customers are also spending less time outside their homes and attending fewer social occasions where they would typically drink beer.
The decline in beer demand has led to lower production. Brewers try to align production with sales, so when sales fall, they produce less to reduce waste. Beer has a shelf life of six months, causing brewers to regularly adjust their inventories, according to Garcia.
At the same time, beer prices have risen, helping keep sales revenue from falling as sharply as production. Higher inflation has increased production costs, and tariffs on key materials have made brewing more expensive, causing many brewers to raise prices.
What’s going on with craft beer?
Craft beer sales fell about 3% from the previous year, with the market producing roughly 22 million barrels of beer. About 60% of breweries reported declines in production. Craft beer accounts for 13% of total beer production.
Last year, the industry saw a net decline of 307 breweries, reducing the total number of operating breweries from 9,835 to 9,528.
Only five states saw net growth in the number of craft breweries, while the rest, including the District of Columbia, recorded declines.
Colorado had a net decline of 33 craft breweries, the most of any state, while Pennsylvania had a net gain of five.
Historically, craft breweries expanded rapidly throughout the 2010s. The industry experienced its first decline last year. Despite the recent closures, there are still more craft beer consumers today than in previous decades, Garcia said.
