National Beer Wholesalers Association Chief Economist Lester Jones discusses September Beer Imports posted by the U.S. Department of Commerce on November 6, 2016. There was a pleasant September surprise, as total volumes posted a 14 percent increase – measured from September 2015 vs. September 2016. The year-to-date volumes now stand at more than 7 percent for the nine months 2016.

Learn more: https://www.nbwa.org/resources/september-beer-imports-post-pleasant-surprise

NBWA Beercast Episode 1: September September Beer Imports Post Pleasant Surprise

National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) Chief Economist Lester Jones discusses wholesale trade data indicating that the beer industry may be seeing the first signs that inventories may be slowly coming back into alignment with sales.

Learn more: https://www.nbwa.org/resources/monthly-wholesale-trade-data-indicate-inventories-becoming-more-aligned-sales

NBWA Beercast Episode 2: Monthly Wholesale Trade Data

National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) Chief Economist Lester Jones discusses the U.S. cider market, which is set to end the year well below 2014 and 2015 record-setting volumes.

Learn more: https://www.nbwa.org/resources/us-cider-market-2016-and-beyond

NBWA Beercast Episode 3: The U.S. Cider Market 2016 and Beyond

At the end of the year, many companies are completing employee evaluations and planning for new positions for 2017. National Beer Wholesalers Association Chief Economist Lester Jones takes a quick look at labor market statistics for an idea of where the beer wholesaling industry might be headed in the new year.

NBWA Beercast Episode 4: Job Openings, New Hires and Employee Turnover in Wholesale Trade

NBWA Chief Economist Lester Jones discusses new data from the U.S. TTB on the number of permitted breweries, which hit another all-time high for 2016 with 7,190 total permits as of December 31, 2016. The new permit count means the TTB issued 1,110 new permits in 2016. While this count is slightly below the 1,142 new permits issued in 2015, it is still strong and is the third straight year the country added more than 1,000 newly permitted breweries. The brewery expansions parallel the business cycle expansion from 2010 to 2016 and stand out in an economy that has been sluggish and subpar relative to past business cycles. Despite all the negative rhetoric of the past six years, new breweries have continued to find growth opportunities in the beer market.

NBWA Beercast Episode 5: Permitted Breweries Hit Another Record in 2016

NBWA Chief Economist Lester Jones analyzes consumer prices, which are on the rise for most goods and services. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index (CPI) for February, the CPI for all goods and services increased by .01 percent from January to February, and 2.8 percent over 12 months. This steady and consistent increase in the general price level has occurred for the past 18 months and is no real surprise with increased levels of employment and wage growth around the country.

Taking a deeper dive into the data show some interesting dynamics across the alcohol beverage segment. The continued trading up by beer consumers into higher-priced segments since 2008 translates into a consistent increase in the beer CPI relative to wine and spirits.

NBWA Beercast Episode 6: February 2017 Consumer Prices

NBWA Chief Economist Lester Jones explains how beer brands, as part of the total alcohol beverage industry, not only compete against each other for consumer attention and dollars, but they also must compete against wine and spirits in the larger market for adult liquid refreshment. 

In this beercast, Jones explains how the total per capita demand for alcohol is very stable and predictable over time, which means no individual segment or brand actually creates any new demand for alcohol. The consumption of alcohol beverages is predictable and constant, and most legislative and policy changes are simply designed to rearrange market shares among the existing players.

NBWA Beercast Episode 7: Rearranging Deck Chairs: Total Alcohol Consumption Trends

To help explain the 2016 inventory accumulations and the beer industry's subsequent poor performance starting off 2017, NBWA Chief Economist Lester Jones offers a look at some of the long-run trends in the alcohol beverage market. Inventory to sales trade data provide long-run insights into the dynamics of the alcohol beverage marketplace and help take the focus off the short-run fluctuations that tend to dominate the industry trade press.

NBWA Beercast Episode 8: Beer Distribution Inventories: Long-Run Trends & Short-Run Fluctuations

With the Memorial Day weekend marking the unofficial start to the summer beer season, there are many signs that the beer market can overcome its first quarter doldrums. Putting the hopes of warm, sunny and pleasant weather aside, basic economics also should lend a hand to second quarter volumes. NBWA Chief Economist Lester Jones shares how weather, jobs and consumer sentiment can all impact beer sales.

NBWA Beercast Episode 9: Summer Beer Season

How does the beer industry impact the U.S. economy? National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) Chief Economist Lester Jones explains the findings of a new report, Beer Serves America. The economic study highlights how the U.S. beer industry – from brewers and beer importers to beer distributors and retailers – generates more than 2.23 million jobs, providing $103.3 billion in wages and benefits to American workers and families.

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