Warmer weather is finally here, and with summer just around the corner, many beer fans are looking forward to blonde ales, fruit beers, and saisons to complement their weekend adventures.
That is, if they’re choosing to drink beer in the first place. With many younger consumers turning to nonalcoholic beers and spirits or THC sodas instead of a brew, the beer market has taken a hit. It was down 1.2% in sales in 2024, according to the Brewers Association.Â
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Craft beer is down even further, with sales declining by 4% in 2024. The sector has been on a downward trend for a few years and now faces a new problem on top of that: President Donald Trump’s trade war. He placed a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports back in March, which obviously has a major effect on products sold in aluminum cans.
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That said, there are some beers still selling quite well, and they’re typically the classics that have been around for decades. Anheuser-Busch is one of the brands doing just fine, and now it’s bringing back a limited-edition beer that its customers have quite literally pleaded for on social media.
Anheuser-Busch listens to its customers
Anheuser-Busch has announced that its Busch Light Apple Beer is coming back to store shelves after observing just how high customer demand was to bring it back.
The beer was originally launched in 2020 and Busch went all out to promote it, going as far as to deliver it by helicopter at secret locations around the U.S. and holding a contest on social media for fans to win the coordinates and claim their own haul of free beer.
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But in 2022, Busch took the lager off store shelves, and much like the saga of the Taco Bell Mexican Pizza, people lost their minds. Petitions were started. Facebook groups of mourning fans were made. According to Busch, one in every three comments on their social media posts were customers asking for the Light Apple Beer to make a comeback.
Of course, having made such a big deal of the beer when it debuted, Busch had to design some fanfare for its return as well. This time around, the beer maker is holding a contest for fans to win $800 to spend on Busch Light Apple. To enter, all fans have to do is comment on Busch’s social media posts on Instagram, X, and Facebook using the hashtags #BLAppleStockUp and #Sweepstakes. The contest runs through May 14 and five winners will be chosen in a drawing to be held on or about May 21, 2025.
Some beers remain popular
Despite a trend in customers turning away from beer in favor of other options, some beers remain very popular with consumers. Modelo Especial remains one of the most popular, leapfrogging past Bud Light after a controversy in 2024 involving trans social media star Dylan Mulvaney that caused those on the political right to shun the brand.
Other beers that are still doing just fine in 2025 include Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Coors Light, Corona Extra, and Miller Lite.
Busch also reported great results during its Q4 earnings call, with a 2.7% increase in revenue for the year and an all-time high reported in USD sales.
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