On December 11th, according to NIQ analysts, although craft beer has widely penetrated bars and restaurants, its popularity among young people in the United States is declining.
A recent study shows that the sales of craft beer have decreased by 10.3% year-on-year, and the market share has been eroded by imported beer by 1.5%. The proportion of consumers aged 21 to 34 purchasing craft beer has decreased by 7% since 2019. Analysts believe that this poses a risk to the craft beer industry as its long-term development relies on young consumers.
The attitude of Generation Z towards craft beer is completely different from that of the older generation of consumers. For them, taste, natural ingredients, and alcohol content are more important than the geographical location or independent history of the brewery. On the other hand, this also provides an opportunity for craft breweries to explain the role they play in promoting diversity and sustainable development.
Research shows that the drinking preferences of Generation Z are different from those of the older generation consumers. Although casual restaurants, bars, and sports bars are the most important sales channels for craft beer, Generation Z prefers places that are vibrant and have a strong sense of experience. These places are the ideal choices to attract them to experience craft beer. Generation Z is unlikely to visit beer houses and restaurants at the Elaga Brewery, so new methods need to be explored to attract them to these places.
In the past 12 months, draft beer accounted for 82.4% of total craft beer sales, but bottled beer is more popular in places frequented by millennials. Prominent labels or wine heads can attract their attention. In addition, millennials attach great importance to recommendations, so craft breweries need to be more proactive in promoting on social media. Bartenders or recommendations on the menu can also affect customers' beverage choices.
According to IWSR data, the alcohol consumption of Generation Z has stabilized and gradually approached the drinking level of the general population. In the autumn of 2025, 74% of Generation Z reported drinking alcohol in the past six months. This proportion is significantly higher than two and a half years ago, in the spring of 2023, when only 66% of Generation Z reported drinking alcohol. In the general population, 77% of people reported drinking alcohol in the fall of 2025, which means the gap in alcohol consumption rates between Generation Z and the general population is only 3 percentage points.
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