| | + | Beer is by far the most-consumed [[alcoholic beverage]] in the [[U.S.]], where "the annual beer consumption per capita in the entire country was 23.5 gallons" in 2021.<ref name="Y">https://finance.yahoo.com/news/25-u-states-highest-beer-073337153.html#:~:text=In%202021%2C%20the%20annual%20beer,of%2024.2%20gallons%20per%20capita.</ref> The most by region was consumed in the [[Midwest]]. There were a total of "9,709 breweries operating in the United States in 2022, up 3.5% from 2021."<ref name="Y"/> |
| | Beer was a staple on the Mayflower and colonists began home brewing early. Even Harvard College had its own brew house. Having greater stability in processing and storage, rum and whiskey soon became more common. With the coming of lager in 1842, however, new interest in brewing - by people with such names as Schaefer, Schmidt, Best, Pabst, Anheuser, Miller, and Busch - revitalized the popularity of beer. Milwaukee's supply of natural ice made it a prime location for the brewing industry, and by the 1870s beer had become America's drink of choice. Anti-German feelings combined with opposition to alcohol led to Prohibition. After an interlude in the 1920s when [[Prohibition in the United States|Prohibition]] closed the breweries, they reopened in 1933. By World War II beer was no longer seen as "German" and was readily available to troops who continued to drink it when they returned to the United States. | | Beer was a staple on the Mayflower and colonists began home brewing early. Even Harvard College had its own brew house. Having greater stability in processing and storage, rum and whiskey soon became more common. With the coming of lager in 1842, however, new interest in brewing - by people with such names as Schaefer, Schmidt, Best, Pabst, Anheuser, Miller, and Busch - revitalized the popularity of beer. Milwaukee's supply of natural ice made it a prime location for the brewing industry, and by the 1870s beer had become America's drink of choice. Anti-German feelings combined with opposition to alcohol led to Prohibition. After an interlude in the 1920s when [[Prohibition in the United States|Prohibition]] closed the breweries, they reopened in 1933. By World War II beer was no longer seen as "German" and was readily available to troops who continued to drink it when they returned to the United States. |
| | Major league baseball featured beer in its refreshment offerings and the working class found beer, baseball, and the saloon "places" of refuge and camaraderie. Since that time, beer has remained America's alcoholic drink of choice because of its appeal to the working class.<ref>Rudin (2002)</ref> | | Major league baseball featured beer in its refreshment offerings and the working class found beer, baseball, and the saloon "places" of refuge and camaraderie. Since that time, beer has remained America's alcoholic drink of choice because of its appeal to the working class.<ref>Rudin (2002)</ref> |
| | The major national brands have been consolidated and are now controlled by two international conglomerates based in Europe. Since 2002 MillerCoors has been owned by SABMiller, which is based in London. Since 2008 Anheuser-Busch (maker of Budweiser) has been owned by [[AB Inbev|Anheuser-Busch InBev]], based in [[Belgium]]. Today there are thousands of locally owned "microbreweries", and imports are important from Europe, Mexico and Japan. | | The major national brands have been consolidated and are now controlled by two international conglomerates based in Europe. Since 2002 MillerCoors has been owned by SABMiller, which is based in London. Since 2008 Anheuser-Busch (maker of Budweiser) has been owned by [[AB Inbev|Anheuser-Busch InBev]], based in [[Belgium]]. Today there are thousands of locally owned "microbreweries", and imports are important from Europe, Mexico and Japan. |