by Jessie O'Bryan
When it comes to brewing beer, hops, barley, and malt get all the attention. But behind each pint, there is another important ingredient: shiny steel and aluminum. Thanks to the new 25% import tariff on those critical materials, these essential products got a whole lot pricier.
“Tariffs on steel [will] have impacts across the board for brewers, including increased prices for fermenters, steel tanks, brewhouses, kegs, and building materials,” said Katie Marisic, Senior Director of Federal Affairs at the Brewers Association.
We asked Marisc to answer some practical questions on how the imports will affect the industry and how brewers are bracing for impact.
Where is the steel and aluminum coming from?
Canada is the largest supplier of steel (followed by Mexico) and aluminum to the United States, accounting for 23% of the US. steel imports in 2024 and almost 60% of US aluminum imports.
Will domestic manufacturers benefit?
In the long run, if there was a significant investment in US manufacturing of steel and aluminum cansheet to close the gap from imports, there could be benefits to domestic manufacturers. However, if these major investments were to happen, the benefits wouldn't be felt for many years (potentially decades) and doesn't align with the current trends in US manufacturing.
How much do brewers use aluminum cans compared to other materials?
Both producers and consumers of craft beer have been steadily choosing cans as a packaging method. In 2023, the use of aluminum cans as a packaging method grew almost 4% by volume compared to the year prior. Early 2025 data indicates that aluminum cans accounted for approximately 75% of packaged craft beer’s volume and revenue.
How will this impact costs?
Brewers are going to face a challenging dilemma—they may need to decide whether they will raise prices, lose sales, or cut margins. Small brewers are the least able to push back on some of these price increases as they expect their costs will rise and they may have to pass those increases onto consumers.
For a price-elastic product like craft beer, higher costs to consumers would almost certainly lead to a decline in volume sales.
Are there other materials available?
Not at the scale needed in a short time frame. Many brewers only have packaging equipment for a certain package type. So, if a brewery uses a canning line for their packaged product, they most likely do not have the option to suddenly switch to glass bottles or something else without major costs and significant time.
How are brewers preparing for this change?
Brewers are preparing as well as they can. Craft brewers will need to look at their supply chains and identify where they can find savings and/or diversify. There's only so much they can do, so some might be forced to raise prices.
Breweries should connect with their suppliers. The companies that supply the brewing industry have likely been preparing for this. Reach out to them to learn about their strategy for dealing with tariffs and to learn how it could directly affect your brewery.
Are there any policy solutions that could help mitigate the impact?
We will continue to advocate on the industry’s behalf and to educate Congress and the administration about the potential impact on America’s craft brewers. We look forward to working with the administration on taxes and other issues that could benefit the businesses that make their products in the US.