Circana Midyear Scans: Craft Dollar Sales -4.7%, Volume -6.3%; Declines Ease in L4W

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Summer is finally summer-ing, washing away some of craft beer’s negative trends, according to the latest monthly report from market research firm Circana.

Craft remained in the red in the last four weeks (L4W, data ending July 13), with dollar sales (-4.7%) and volume, measured in case sales, (-6.3%) in Circana-tracked off-premise channels (multi-outlet plus convenience) both failing to keep up with 2024 comps. However, craft’s declines decelerated compared to the previous L4W (data ending June 15), when dollar sales were down 6.7% and volume declined 8.4%.

Halfway through 2025, craft beer dollar sales are now down 4.7% year-to-date (YTD), with slightly steeper volume declines (-6.3%). Those losses are on top of soft 2024 comps with craft dollar sales (-3.3%) and volume (-4.9%) also recording declines in the first half of last year (YTD, data ending July 14, 2024).

Craft’s latest declines continue to outpace total beer (dollar sales -3.1%, volume -4.7% YTD). In the L4W, beer category dollar sales declined 3.5% year-over-year (YoY), while volume was down 4.8%.

Craft recorded the fourth largest mid-year declines in Circana-tracked channels, with assorted leading the way (dollar sales -29%, volume -30.5% YTD), followed by domestic premium (dollar sales -6.3%, volume -7.5%) and hard seltzer (dollar sales -6%, volume -8.7%).

Other beer segments in decline YTD in Circana-tracked channels include:

  • Imports, dollar sales -2.7%, volume -4.4%;
  • Domestic sub-premium, dollar sales -1.7%, volume -3.7%;
  • Flavored malt beverages (FMBs), dollar sales -2.4%, volume -4.4%;
  • And hard cider, dollar sales -0.5%, volume -1.2%;

FMBs have had one of the most drastic changes in scans in the first half of 2025 (H1) compared to H1 2024. A year ago, the segment recorded the second-largest percentage growth YTD behind NA (dollar sales +8.9%, volume +7.5%, data ending July 24, 2024). Imports have also seen their tides change for the worse, with dollar sales (+4.9%) and volume (+3.6%) growing YTD at this time last year.

The two segments to record growth YTD through H1 2025 include domestic super premium (dollar sales +2.6%, volume +2.7%) and non-alcoholic (NA) beer (dollar sales +22.5%, volume +24.4%). The two segments were also the only two to record a decline in average price per case YTD: NA -$0.57, to $35.99; domestic super premium -$0.30, to $30.36.

Hard seltzer is leading in H1 2025 price increases, with the average price per case up $1.19, to $40.55. Price hikes over $1 were also recorded by the assorted segment (+$1.03, to $48.08).

Other price increases include:

  • Imports +$0.70, to $37.66;
  • Domestic premium +$0.33, to $25.12;
  • Domestic sub-premium, +$0.39, to $19.99;
  • FMBs, +$0.85, to $41.27;
  • Craft, +$0.65, to $43.81;
  • And hard cider, +$0.35, to $48.92.

Total beer price has increased +$0.50 YTD, to an average price of $30.94 per case.

Craft’s YTD declines are steepest in grocery, with dollar sales down 6.8% and volume declining 7.9%. Declines accelerated in the L4W (dollar sales -7.7%, volume -8.8%).

Declines were slightly less drastic in c-stores (dollar sales -1.4%, volume -3.1% YTD). The segment also recorded YoY dollar sales growth in the channel in the L4W (+0.8%), while volume was down 1.1%.

11 of Top 30 Craft Brands Growing YTD

Eleven of the top 30 craft brands YTD have increased dollar sales and volume in multi-outlet and convenience through H1 2025. Nine of those 11 brands also increased dollar sales in the L4W, showing improvement compared to the previous four-week period (data ending June 15), when only five of the 11 recorded growth both YTD and in the L4W.

The nine in the black YTD and in the latest four weeks include:

  • No. 2 Kirin-owned New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA, dollar sales +4.5%, volume +2.8% YTD; dollar sales +5.5%, volume +2.9% YoY in the L4W;
  • No. 3 Voodoo Ranger Juice Force, dollar sales +10.6%, volume +9% YTD; dollar sales +13.8%, volume +12.2% L4W;
  • No. 8 Anheuser-Busch InBev’s (A-B) Elysian Space Dust, dollar sales +6.2%, volume +6.4% YTD; dollar sales +6.5%, volume +5.4% L4W;
  • No. 13 Voodoo Ranger Tropic Force, dollar sales +33%, volume +31.8% YTD; dollar sales +3.4%, volume +1.8% L4W;
  • No. 16 A-B’s Goose Island Tropical Beer Hug, dollar sales +27.8%, volume +25.2% YTD; dollar sales +31.2%, volume +27.4% L4W;
  • No. 17 Monster-owned Cigar City Jai Alai IPA, dollar sales +2.7%, volume +3% YTD; dollar sales +2.3%, volume +2% L4W;
  • No. 19 A-B’s Wicked Weed Pernicious IPA, dollar sales +23.7%, volume +24.7% YTD; dollar sales +14.9%, volume +14.8% L4W;
  • No. 21 Heineken-owned Lagunitas a Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’, dollar sales +3.9%, volume +1.3% YTD; dollar sales +15.8%, volume +18.1% L4W;
  • No. 25 Georgetown Bodhizafa IPA, dollar sales +7.5%, volume +1.5% YTD; dollar sales +5.9%, volume -0.5% L4W.

On the heels of its brand refresh this spring, No. 29 Sierra Nevada Big Little Thing also recorded YoY dollar sales gains in the L4W (dollar sales +3.1%, volume -2.2%). However, its YTD trends remain in the red through H1 (dollar sales -1.3%, volume -3.5%).

No. 4 Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing (dollar sales +1.1%, volume -0.3%) and No. 6 A-B’s Kona Big Wave (dollar sales +1.2%, volume +2.1%) are both in the black YTD, but recorded declines in the L4W: dollar sales -0.7%, volume -3.3% YoY; and dollar sales -2.6%, volume -0.9%, respectively.

All other top 30 craft brands are in the red both YTD and in the L4W, including No. 1 craft brand Molson Coors’ Blue Moon Belgian White: dollar sales -8.9%, volume -13.6% YTD; dollar sales -8.8%, volume -14.9% in the L4W.

Other top 10 brands in decline include:

  • No. 5 Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, dollar sales -5.3%, volume -6.7% YTD; dollar sales -6.4%, volume -8.9% L4W;
  • No. 7 Gambrinus-owned Shiner Bock, dollar sales -6.4%, volume -6.8% YTD; dollar sales -5.1%, volume -5.8% L4W;
  • No. 9 Leinenkugel’s Shandy, dollar sales -14.6%, volume -16.1% YTD; dollar sales -9.5%, volume -10.9% L4W;
  • No. 10 Lagunitas IPA, dollar sales -6.2%, volume -8.3% YTD; dollar sales -0.6%, volume -1.3% L4W.

Among the remaining top 30 craft brands, eight recorded double-digit declines YTD:

  • No. 18 Samuel Adams Boston Lager, dollar sales -10.2%, volume -11.3% YTD; dollar sales -13.1%, volume -14.1% L4W;
  • No. 20 Blue Moon Light, dollar sales -12.5%, volume -13.3% YTD; dollar sales -21.5%, volume -22.3% L4W;
  • No. 22 Voodoo Ranger Hoppy Pack, dollar sales -24.4%, volume -25.4% YTD; dollar sales -10.7%, volume -12.6% L4W;
  • No. 23 Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA, dollar sales -16.5%, volume -17.4% YTD; dollar sales -14.9%, volume -15.5% L4W;
  • No. 24 Voodoo Ranger Fruit Force, dollar sales -46.7%, volume -47.1% YTD; dollar sales -35%, volume -24.8% L4W;
  • No. 26 New Belgium Fat Tire, dollar sales -23.5%, volume -14.1% YTD; dollar sales -26.5%, volume -26% L4W;
  • No. 27 Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra, dollar sales -16.4%, volume -17.5% YTD; dollar sales -14.3%, volume -16.9% L4W;
  • No. 28 Bell’s seasonal, dollar sales -14.8%, volume -14.4% YTD; dollar sales -4.7%, volume -4.6% L4W.

Other top 30 craft brands in decline included:

  • No. 11 Boston Beer Company’s Samuel Adams seasonal, dollar sales -8.8%, volume -9.7% YTD; dollar sales -7.8%, volume -9.3% YoY;
  • No. 12 Duvel USA-owned Firestone Walker 805, dollar sales -8.1%, volume -10.9% YTD; dollar sales -13%, volume -17.2% L4W;
  • No. 14 Founders All Day IPA, dollar sales -6%, volume -6.7% YTD; dollar sales -4.8%, volume -5.9% L4W;
  • No. 15 Kirin-owned Bell’s Two Hearted, dollar sales -3.2%, volume -4.5% YTD; dollar sales -0.3%, volume -1.1% L4W;
  • No. 30 Rhinegeist Truth IPA, dollar sales -0.9%, volume -1.9% YTD; dollar sales -2.8%, volume -2.9% L4W.

Within grocery, five other brands cracked the top 30:

  • No. 24 Sierra Nevada Hazy IPA variety pack, dollar sales +106.3%, volume +105.8% YTD; dollar sales +4.2%, volume +2.1% L4W;
  • No. 26 Samuel Adams variety pack, dollar sales -18.7%, volume -20.4% YTD; dollar sales +4.6%, volume +2.7% L4W;
  • No. 28 Golden Road Mango Cart, dollar sales +20.7%, volume +21.8% YTD; dollar sales +8.2%, volume +7.7% L4W;
  • No. 29 Sapporo-Stone’s Stone IPA, dollar sales +2.4%, volume +5% YTD; dollar sales +2%, volume +4.5% L4W;
  • No. 30 Sierra Nevada seasonal, dollar sales -8.6%, volume -9.2% YTD; dollar sales -6.4%, volume -8.8% L4W.

Within c-stores, five brands cracked the top 30 that did not make the overall multi-outlet top 30 list:

  • No. 25 Goose Island Big Juicy Beer Hug, dollar sales +144.2%, volume +142.9% YTD; dollar sales +38%, volume +37.3% L4W;
  • No. 26 Voodoo Ranger IPA, dollar sales -31.3%, volume -32.3% YTD; dollar sales -22.4%, volume -23.5% L4W;
  • No. 27 Samuel Adams Boston Lager, dollar sales -8.9%, volume -9.7% YTD; dollar sales -6.6%, volume -6.9% L4W;
  • No. 28 Fiddlehead IPA, dollar sales -0.6%, volume +0.6% YTD; dollar sales -6.6%, volume -6.9% L4W;
  • No. 30 Sweetwater 420 Extra Pale Ale, dollar sales +8.1%, volume +7.4% YTD; dollars sales +34.8%, volume +26.4% L4W.

Circana does not include NA craft brewery Athletic in its craft roundup. The company is the 17th largest beer vendor by YTD dollar sales, and has recorded the largest dollar sales gains among the top 25 vendors: dollar sales +23.3%, volume +25% YTD; dollar sales +16.3%, volume +16.9% YoY in the L4W.