Beer Institute: April Beer Supply -5.8% as Import Volume Falls 14.9%

Domestic tax paid shipments fell back in the red in April, declining 3% year-over-year (YoY), to an estimated 12.1 million barrels, according to the Beer Institute (BI), citing figures from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).

U.S. brewers have shipped more than 45.45 million barrels of beer year-to-date (YTD) through the first four months of 2025, marking a 6.5% decline, or the loss of nearly 3.16 million barrels, compared to the same period in 2024.

The latest decline follows a nearly flat March (+0.4%, to 12.5 million barrels), which remains the only positive month for tax paid shipments so far this year, after an 8.7% decline in January and 15% loss in February.

TTB shipment numbers are estimates and could be adjusted as more data comes in.

Total industry supply declined 5.8% in April, despite “some weeks in April” showing “signs of industry stabilization, including the Easter holiday,” BI chief economist Andrew Heritage wrote.

“The beer industry is being weighed down by external, cyclical factors,” Heritage added. “However, the key summer months are still ahead and there’s reason to believe that the industry will cycle the summer stronger than last year.”

YTD supply is now down 3.6%.

Total volume figures were impacted by a significant drop in April beer imports, which declined 14.9% YoY, according to data from the Department of Commerce. Total imports are now down 4.9% YTD, to 13.19 million barrels.

“Despite the significant decline compared to April 2024, it is worth noting that beer imports outpaced overall imports, which declined by -16.3% in April,” Heritage wrote.

Seven of the top 10 beer import countries by YTD volume recorded a YoY decline, including No. 1 Mexico (-15.1%, to 83.07 million gallons, or 2.68 million barrels). Mexican beer imports are now down 3.9% YTD, to 339.62 million gallons (10.96 million barrels).

The declines come amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration and continued macroeconomic pressures on Hispanic shoppers, who account for half of leading Mexican importer Constellation Brands’ consumer base.

Other top 10 countries with April declines include:

No. 2 Netherlands, -8.8% YoY, -4.3% YTD;
No. 5 Canada, -84.5% YoY, -80.5% YTD;
No. 7 Italy, -76.4% YoY, -50% YTD;
No. 8 Guatemala, -3% YoY, +14.2% YTD;
No. 9 United Kingdom, -33.5% YoY, +11.5% YTD;
And No. 10 Jamaica, -59.3% YoY, -26.1% YTD.

Three top 10 countries recorded YoY increases:

No. 3 Ireland, +90.3% YoY, +15.2% YTD;
No. 4 Germany, +10.6% YoY, +22% YTD;
And No. 6 Belgium, +68.2% YoY, +24.5% YTD.

Heritage added that “imports of no-alcohol beer remained strong” (+0.8% YoY and +30.0% YTD).

“Imported NA beer from the Netherlands has grown by 10.3% and from Mexico by 172.5% in 2025,” he added.

Imports remain the largest beer segment by YTD dollars in NIQ-tracked off-premise channels, holding 26.7% share of total beer dollar sales through May 17, according to data shared by 3 Tier Beverages. The segment’s dollar sales are about flat YTD (+0.4%), while volume is down 1.2%.

In the last four weeks, import trends have worsened slightly, with dollar sales declining 0.6% YoY, and volume down 2.2%.

State shipments to wholesalers were down 3.9% in April, to more than 15.67 million barrels. State shipments have now declined 5.7% YTD, to 56.82 million barrels, marking a loss of more than 3.46 million barrels compared to 2024.

The latest decline was in spite of YoY growth from Texas, the largest state by YTD shipments. The Lone Star State increased April shipments 4.5% YoY, to more than 1.86 million barrels. However, the state remains down YTD (-5.9%, to 6.49 million barrels).

Nine other states recorded YoY shipment growth in April: