Category: Beer

The 10 most-consumed alcoholic drinks have been identified

Insider Monkey’s list of the 10 most-consumed alcoholic drinks have been identified in a new list that outlines which tipples we favour most.

The analysts at the investment advisors Insider Monkey drew from their deeper dive report of the ‘20 Most Consumed Alcohols in the World’. Here is a list of the top 10, for your review.

1. Beer
Global market size in 2022: US$793.74 billion

Beer is the most consumed alcohol in the world. In fact, after water and tea, beer is the most popular drink in the world. According to reports, in the 2022 brewing year, global beer production ended up increasing slightly year-on-year by 1.3% to 1.89 billion hectolitres. However, the market is yet to return to its pre-pandemic levels when production peaked at 1.91 billion hectolitres in 2019. The category has also evolved with consumer tastes as brewers look to satisfy the thirst of their audience. Plus, the overall demand for premium and low-calorie beers, the rising popularity of craft beer, and the continued expansion of distribution networks in emerging countries are all expected to continue driving growth in the global beer sector over the next few years.

2. Wine
Global market size in 2022: US$441.6 billion

The rising demand for premium and luxury wines has been reported alongside the growing popularity of wine tourism which have become key factors driving growth. According to the analysts, global wine consumption in 2022 was estimated to be at 232 million hectolitres, marking a decrease of 1% compared to the previous year. Year-on-year, wine consumption around the world has decreased at a regular rate and yet this can be mainly attributed to the decline in China’s consumption, which has lost an average 2 million hectolitres per year since 2018.

3. Liqueurs
Global market size in 2022: US$128.9 billion

Liqueurs, which are essentially distilled spirits that are sweetened with sugar or syrup, and often also contain fruit, herbs, and oils, can be sweet or bitter depending on the flavours used.

4. Baijiu
Global market size in 2022: US$95.21 billion

Baiju plays a prominent role in China’s drinking culture and has done so ever since the Ming Dynasty. It is most distilled from sorghum, although other grains – including rice, wheat, corn, and millet – are also available in blends throughout the country. Last year, consumers in China consumed US$91 billion worth of baijiu, yet it remains less well-known outside the nation.

5. Whisky
Global market size in 2022: US$64 billion

As millennials are increasingly beginning to experiment with different drinks and assisting in the rise of ‘cocktail culture’, the use of whisky as a premium ingredient has increased in bars. 2022 was hinted to be a great year for Scotch whisky and exports of Scotland’s native spirit hit US$7.5 billion last year, the highest figures ever. Whisky exports by volume also rose, with the number of 700ml bottles shipped overseas up by 21%, to 1.67 billion.

6. Vodka
Global market size in 2022: US$25.98 billion

Vodka continues to be the most consumed spirit in the US and has been since 1970. Around 78.1 million cases of the spirit were sold in America in 2021 and by 2022, 28.1 million 9L cases were sold globally.

7. Cider
Global market size in 2022: US$17.9 billion

Cider has risen in popularity significantly over the last decade and can also flex with the seasons. In the UK, Insider Monkey outlines how cider continues to be a popular alcoholic drinks category with an off-trade value sales growth in the UK of 5.2% over the past year. Some 47.8% of all British households now regularly buy cider – up from 45.5% last year.

8. Rum
Global market size in 2022: US$17.4 billion

While rum sales are still dominated by major producers, many consumer preferences are said to be moving away from value options and towards an appreciation for craft and aged rums instead. Made from fermented sugar cane juice, rum also provides a key function in cocktail culture.

9. Gin
Global market size in 2022: US$15.3 billion

There are, reportedly, three main reasons for gin’s continued popularity – taste, versatility, and the variety now available. The UK is the largest exporter of gin in the world and, according to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) data, gin exports from Britain hit US$879 million last year, up from US$651 million in 2021.

10. Tequila
Global market size in 2022: US$14.7 billion

Tequila’s popularity has been on the rise for years, and in 2021 it surpassed whisky in retail sales. The analysts found that the growth in popularity of Tequila can primarily be attributed to several factors, including the expansion of the premium spirits sector as well as the introduction of new flavours, and a greater social media presence.

WSET to launch two new beer qualifications in 2024

Wine & Spirit Education Trust “WSET”, is set to launch two new beer qualifications February 2024: Level 1 Award in Beer and Level 2 Award in Beer.

The new beer qualifications have been created and set up by WSET’s Product Development team which is led by Sara Hobday, head of Product Development for Beer Qualifications. The team includes Mirella Amato, one of only 22 Master Cicerones, and Stuart Howe, Technical Development Manager for the Institute of Brewing & Distilling.

Beer will be WSET’s fourth qualification area following wine, spirits and sake, and the first new subject stream since 2014 when sake was introduced.

These two new courses will provide both trade professionals and beer enthusiasts the product knowledge and tasting skills to become more beer-confident. Initially launching online and in-person in select markets, including the UK, United States, Canada and Australia, the courses will explore the main types and styles of beer, key methods of production, tasting techniques and food pairings.

Michelle Brampton, WSET CEO, said: “Extending our qualifications to encompass beer is an exciting time for WSET and a natural fit for us as leaders in global drinks education. Bringing over 50 years of educational experience to the beer category, our new Level 1 and 2 Awards in Beer will bring a unique and interactive approach to tasting and learning. We hope people will be inspired to pursue their passion for beer, whether for career or personal development using our courses to build their knowledge.”

Wine remains the strongest performing qualification for the WSET with candidates making up 88% of its student base in the last academic year.

Overall, in the academic year 2022-23, 143,000 candidates enrolled for a qualification, up 22% from the previous year, with courses offered by over 700 course providers in 78 countries.

The largest markets for WSET are:

USA – 27,000 candidates, up 17% vs the previous year

UK – 24,000 candidates, up 19% vs the previous year

China – 13,000 candidates

 

Town of Cardston, Alberta lifts prohibition law after 121 years

Cardston in Alberta, one of Canada’s few remaining dry towns, has recently voted to remove laws forbidding the sale of alcohol.

It was announced that last week the town council voted in favour of allowing “limited liquor sales.” The historic decision resulted in voting 5-2 in favour of a bylaw allowing restaurants and recreation facilities to apply for a liquor license.

The Mormon-founded town has maintained its Prohibition laws long after the rest of the province axed them in 1923, with previous attempts to have the ban lifted, in 1957 and 2014.

“Do I have fears? I do. But I trust the people,” said Cardston mayor Maggie Kronen. “Changes can be good, changes can be bad — we shall see.”

According to the 2021 census, 62% of Cardston’s residents are Mormons, belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which forbids the consumption of alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine.

It will still be some months before the first alcoholic drink is served at a Cardston restaurant as applications for liquor licenses will take some time to process.

US Adults 55+ are drinking more alcohol according to research

The percentages of 18 to 34-year-olds, who report that they either don’t drink, drank the past week, or sometimes drank more than they should, are all lower than they were 20 years ago, according to research conducted by American analytics company Gallup.

Yet, drinking on all three metrics has trended up among Americans 55 and over, while holding fairly steady among middle-aged adults.

These results were based on an analysis of Gallup trends on Americans’ self-reports of their alcohol drinking habits. To allow for reliable analysis of the trends by age, the data was reviewed in three three-year time periods: 2001-2003, 2011-2013 and 2021-2023.

  • Adults under the age of 35, 62% reported that they drink alcohol, down from 72% two decades ago; and
  • Drinking has increased among adults aged 55 and older, from 49% to 59% in the same 20-year period.

This shows that drinking habits among younger adults may be on a downward trend, while the opposite can be said of people 55+. According to the research, there are still more drinkers under the age of 35 (62%) than in the 55 and over category (59%).

While these groups on either end of the age spectrum now report similar drinking rates, those in the middle, aged 35 to 54, maintain a higher drinking rate, at 69%, on par with the prior 67% readings for this age group.

The same trend can be seen among those classed as regular drinkers. Younger adults who drink are less likely than they were in the past to say they had an alcoholic drink within the past seven days, down from 67% to 61% over the last two decades. Older adults, aged 55 and over, have done the opposite, with figures rising from 63% to 69%.

Among all Americans (both drinkers and nondrinkers), fewer than four in 10 young adults (38%) now appear to be regular drinkers, on par with older adults (40%) with middle-aged adults (48%) more likely.

Research Results:  https://news.gallup.com/poll/509501/six-americans-drink-alcohol.aspx

CGA’s December’s “US Consumer Impact Report” reveals that bars and restaurants are essential for driving awareness of drinks brands

CGA by NielsenIQ’s latest consumer research reveals that bars and restaurants are essential for driving awareness of drinks brands, with 61% of consumers more likely to look for new brands in the on premise as opposed in stores and 54% stating they’ve made an in-store purchase of a brand that they first tried in the on premise.

CGA’s Consumer Impact report highlights 1,600 consumer behaviors across Florida, Texas, California and New York. The latest research highlights that the frequency of visits to the on premise have remained stable, with 4 in 5 consumers visiting bars and restaurants 3 or more times in the last three months. Plans for visiting also remain very positive with around 73% of US consumers planning to go out in the next weeks.

Consumers continue to seek out new experiences in bars and restaurants, with consumers more likely to first try a new Spirits or Beer brand in the on premise over an in-store purchase – underlining how important venues are in building brand awareness and encouraging trial.

Trial of new drinks brands in bars and restaurants is highly likely to compel consumers in their purchasing decisions in the off premise too – with 54% of consumers agreeing they have made a purchase in store of brands that they first tried in the on premise. 3 in 5 consumers also agree that they are likely to look for new brands in store if they’ve already tried them at a bar or restaurant.

Not only are on premise purchases informing in-store buying behaviors, they also help to build loyalty – with two thirds of consumers agreeing that if they try a new brand they like in a bar or restaurant, they will continue drinking it on subsequent visits.

Ahead of the holiday season, two thirds of US consumers are planning to visit the on premise throughout this period, with 3 in 10 planning to visit on New Year’s Eve specifically. These consumers are planning to visit a range of food- and drink-led venues, with neighborhood bars, fine dining and sports bars leading the list of most popular venues, while beer is the drink of choice for New Year’s Eve.

Moving into the new year, almost 2 in 5 US consumers predict they will visit the on premise more or much more often than they did in 2022, while half plan to maintain their current frequency of visitation. A third of consumers predict their spend in bars and restaurants will increase over the next 12 months, with 2 in 5 consumers willing to spend more for better quality drinks compared to 2022 – providing significant opportunities for premium drinks brands.

Source: CGA Strategy

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