The Top 50 Importers and Exporters of Beer in the World

Beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage in the world. In fact, after water and tea, beer is the most commonly consumed drink around the globe. How big is the beer industry? The global beer market was valued at $680.9 billion in 2021 with a projected growth of 7% from 2022 to 2030, according to Grand View Research. Where does all that beer come from, and where does it go? The team at How Long to Cook analyzed worldwide beer import and export data to showcase the top players in the world of beer. You will discover how much beer is imported to the U.S., what country exports the most beer, and much more!

What Is the Beer Capital of the World?

What country drinks the most beer? One way to determine which country is most enthusiastic about beer is to take a look at worldwide beer import data. The country that imports the most beer is the United States. How much beer does the U.S. import? A staggering $5,743,426,872 worth of beer! Not only does America top the beer imports by country chart, but it does so by an impressive margin of more than $4 billion.

Here are the top ten countries that import the most beer:

1. United States: $5,743,426,872

2. France: $1,140,852,065

3. United Kingdom: $661,825,741

4. Italy: $647,819,335

5. China: $594,802,398

6. Netherlands: $539,141,779

7. Germany: $427,623,362

8. Canada: $378,160,366

9. Russia: $336,525,976

10. Spain: $335,548,594

What Is the Most Popular Beer in America?

According to major online alcohol retailer Drizly, the top-selling beer in the United States is Bud Light. The best-selling imported beer in the United States is Corona Extra Mexican Lager.

How Much Beer Do Americans Drink per Capita?

The National Beer Wholesalers Association reported that U.S. consumers aged 21 or older consumed 26 gallons of beer per person in 2020!

What Country Exports the Most Beer?

The biggest exporter of beer overall is Mexico, which exports a mind-blowing $4,891,308,502 worth of beer each year! Determining what country has the best beer is subjective, but who exports the most beer in the world is very clear-cut: Mexico tops the beer exports by country chart by an impressive margin of nearly $3 billion. Popular Mexican beers include Corona, Modelo, and Dos Equis. In fact, Corona is the best-selling beer produced in Mexico, the best-selling imported beer in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, and one of the five most-consumed beers in the world. Why is Mexican beer so popular? Part of the appeal is the mild and refreshing taste of their lagers. They are smooth and easy to drink, especially on a hot summer day. Add a squeeze of lime and you’ll find yourself in a breezy paradise!

The biggest exporter of beer in Europe is Belgium, which exports around $2.08 billion worth of beer each year. Many beer enthusiasts and casual drinkers alike deem Belgian beer as the best in the world. Why is Belgium beer so good? Beer aficionado site 52Brews provides delicious insight into why Belgian beer is so popular: “Belgian beer is so good because of the taste, the mastery behind the brew (think hundreds of years of Trappist monk knowledge combined with modern technology), and the fact that most Belgian beers are fermented twice. So with that being said, Belgian beer is carrying centuries of wisdom and flavor!”

Here are the top ten countries that export the most beer:

1. Mexico: $4,891,30,8502

2. Belgium: $2,078,057,788

3. Netherlands: $2,076,114,029

4. Germany: $1,279,933,173

5. United States: $503,094,170

6. France: $366,791,660

7. Czechia: $307.652.812

8. Ireland: $294,373,717

9. Spain: $274,016,318

10. Denmark: $268,601,038

The Top 50 Importers and Exporters of Beer in the World

Beer is the world’s 216th most traded product. U.S. retail sales of craft beer increased 21% from 2020 to 2021, reaching $26.8 billion. Global craft beer sales are projected to reach $554.3 billion by 2027.

Top 50 Importers of Beer

Top 50 Exporters of Beer

Sources:

The Observatory of Economic Complexity (https://oec.world/en/profile/hs/beer#trade)

USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (https://www.fas.usda.gov/commodities/beer)

Brewers Association (https://www.brewersassociation.org/statistics-and-data/national-beer-stats)