U.S. Craft Spirits Sales Drop 6.1% in 2024, Marking Second Year of Decline

The American craft spirits industry has reported its second consecutive year of declining sales, according to new data released by the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) and Park Street. The findings were presented at the ACSA’s Annual Craft Spirits Economic Briefing in Washington, D.C., where industry leaders discussed the results of the 2025 Craft Spirits Data Project, which covers the 2024 calendar year.

The report shows that U.S. craft spirits producers sold 12.7 million nine-liter cases in 2024, down from 13.5 million cases in 2023. This represents a 6.1% decrease in volume. The total value of sales also fell, dropping 3.3% to $7.58 billion. This marks the second year in a row that the sector has seen a decline, a trend not observed since the Craft Spirits Data Project began tracking the industry in 2016.

Craft spirits continue to make up a small but significant portion of the overall U.S. spirits market. In 2024, craft spirits held a 7.5% share of the market by value, a figure that remained steady from the previous year. However, their market share by volume fell by 4.5%, as larger producers gained ground and consumers shifted toward lower-priced products.

The report also highlights changes in sales patterns. Nearly half of all craft spirits sales (48.5%) occurred in the producer’s home state, while 51.5% were sold in other states. Since 2021, home state sales have increased slightly, while out-of-state sales have declined as a share of total sales. Large craft producers have focused more on their home states and exports, while medium and small producers have concentrated on boosting local sales.

Exports, which have been an important growth area for craft distillers, dropped sharply in 2024. The number of cases exported fell by 20%, totaling 142,000 nine-liter cases for the year. This decline comes as global economic conditions and trade challenges continue to affect the industry.

Employment in the craft spirits sector also declined for the first time since the pandemic, with the number of full-time domestic employees falling from 29,373 in 2023 to 28,628 in 2024. Investment in the industry slowed as well. The average investment per producer dropped from $324,700 in 2022 to $288,900 in 2024, and total investment across all producers decreased to $811 million, marking the first overall decline.

Industry leaders at the briefing emphasized the need for improved market access to help struggling distilleries. Margie A.S. Lehrman, CEO of ACSA, called for urgent action to support small producers facing economic headwinds and increased competition from larger companies.

The Craft Spirits Data Project is a joint effort between ACSA and Park Street, launched in 2015 to provide reliable data on the size, performance, and impact of craft spirits producers in the United States. The project collects information directly from distillers and uses a combination of regulatory data, surveys, and interviews to assess trends across the industry.

Craft distillers are defined for this study as independent U.S. producers who remove no more than 750,000 proof gallons from bond annually and are not controlled by large suppliers. The project aims to give policymakers, industry members, and investors a clearer picture of the challenges and opportunities facing American craft spirits.

The ACSA is a national non-profit trade association representing independent craft spirits producers. Park Street is a Miami-based company that provides business services to beverage alcohol brands across the country and internationally.

As the industry faces its second year of contraction, many craft distillers are reassessing their strategies and investments. The data suggests that while local markets remain important for growth, broader economic pressures and shifting consumer preferences are reshaping the landscape for American craft spirits.