Packaging Mix

Beer is a fragile product susceptible to damage from exposure to light, heat, oxygen, and other contaminants. As such, proper packaging is critical to ensuring that the beer drinker gets only the finest, freshest beer possible. Packaging innovations can also enhance the enjoyment of beer in other ways, from making it easier to carry to allowing it to stay colder for longer. The Beer Institute works with its members, other allied associations and government agencies to provide a holistic view of the beer packaging landscape.

2024 Packaging Report

The Beer Institute updated Packaging Mix Report is the longest-running source of beer packaging trends dating back to 1981. It is the most comprehensive time series on beer packaging showing the distribution of beer volume by aluminum cans, glass bottles, and keg by state.

The current distribution for 2023 is 64.1% aluminum cans, 26.9% glass bottles, and 8.9% draft. Imported beer remains predominantly packaged in glass bottles, with 55% of imported beer volume.

This year’s report covers three years’ worth of data and shows the recovery of draft beer since the pandemic in 2020. Draft beer currently makes up 8.9% of beer volume, up 3.1 percentage points since 2020. However, draft beer remains below its 2019 level of 10.4%. If you’d like to learn more about the Beer Institute’s efforts to support draft beer or sign up to be a supporter, please visit CHEERSAct.org.

You can click here to view the latest packaging mix report. If you are a member of the media, please contact media@beerinstitute.org with questions.