[Usa] Beer Consumption Continues To Decline But Craft Beer Continues To Rise

2009 marked the third consecutive year of diminishing growth rates in the beer industry, dropping 2.1% to 2.877 billion cases. According to the Beverage Information Group's recently released 2010 Beer Handbook, the beer industry's downturn can be directly attributed to the decline in the light beer segment. Light beer, which accounts for a 52.8% share of the U.S. beer market, posted its first negative year since its beginning 30 years ago. Other segments of the beer industry differed in their 2009 results. Imports declined 6.9% to 359.6 million 2.25-gallon cases, while the craft beer segment increased 7.0%