Big Beer sales down???
Big Beer sales are down? Can that be? In a rather timely post at the Huffington Post, we learn that spirits and craft beer are putting the hurt on big beer sales!
2 oz at the American Craft Beer Festival © by AbsolutSara
In March, beer accounts for half the U.S. market share for alcoholic beverages, with hard liquor scooping up a third with the remaining percent going to wine.
But Ad Age points to Beer Marketer’s Insights figures that have beer shipment volumes falling for three years straight through 2011. For the 52 weeks ending May 26, volumes fell .3 percent — compared to a 3.2 increase for spirits.
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Craft beer, on the other hand, has experienced a boom in popularity with consumers. Craft beer rounded out 2011 with a 13 percent increase in volume. As of May, the total number of U.S. craft breweries numbered an astounding 1,989.
So the Big Beer is losing to the smaller craft breweries? Could be. If anything, it signifies that the big breweries have finally started to notice the smaller craft breweries?
More choice for the well versed taster!
You can read the entire Huffington Post article here.