U.S. brewing companies shipped an estimated 14.8 million barrels of product in September 2021, a 5.1% decline compared to September 2020’s more than 15.6 million barrels, according to the Beer Institute (BI), citing unofficial estimates of domestic tax paid shipments from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).
September 2021 marked the third consecutive month of declines compared to the same period in 2020, as brewers cycle the pandemic comps from the summer of 2020.
“With an abundance in supply leading into the summer, shipments slowed considerably beginning in July, and into August and September, with September domestic tax paid down -5.1% compared to September 2020,” Danelle Kosmal, BI vice president of research, wrote in an email to the trade group’s members. “We should also note year ago comparisons are very strong, with September as one of the strongest performing months of 2020, when domestic tax paid was up +5.1%.”
Prior to July, shipments had increased every month of 2021: January (+5.3%), February (+3.3%), March (+0.9%), April (+8%), May (+7.8%) and June (+0.1%).
“The first half of 2021 was characterized by a strong increase in supply in the industry, coupled with low volumes and comparisons from the first half of 2020,” Kosmal wrote.
Year-to-date through September, domestic suppliers have shipped nearly 129.4 million barrels of product, a 0.8% increase (more than 1 million barrels) compared to the first nine months of 2020.
The October 2021 domestic tax paid estimate is slated to be released November 29.