The beverage industry is always changing to keep up with consumer preferences—and in 2025, this industry will be as dynamic as ever.
Fueled by shifting economic pressures, new global tastes, and a paradigm shift in Americans’ relationship with alcohol, the beverage landscape is rapidly evolving. As restaurateurs, bar owners, and beverage brands seek to navigate this changing environment, understanding the data behind these trends is critical.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at some of the numbers driving the biggest changes in the alcohol and beverage world—and the biggest trends to look out for in 2025.
Bedrock Alcohol and Beverage Trends
Before getting into specific alcohol and beverage trends for 2025, let’s step back and look at the big picture in order to understand Americans’ habits and sentiments regarding alcohol.
Consumer Habits and Sentiment
According to recent polling conducted by Gallup—which has investigated Americans’ drinking habits and opinions for decades—there have been some notable shifts in recent years.
The agency’s most recent survey found that, as of 2024, an all-time high 45% of Americans said moderate drinking (one or two drinks per day) was bad for one’s health. 43% of Americans thought it made no difference, while just 8% said it was good for health; both of those figures represent their lowest levels since the poll started.
This represents a dramatic change since the early 2000s, when the percentage of respondents who said that moderate alcohol consumption was healthy versus not healthy was roughly the same.
What Impact Does Moderate Alcohol Consumption Have on One’s Health?
| 1-2 Alcoholic Drinks per Day… | 2005 | 2015 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is Good for Health | 22% | 28% | 45% |
| Makes No Difference | 51% | 52% | 43% |
| Is Bad for Health | 25% | 17% | 8% |
(source)
The same study also looked at people’s drinking habits, and found that 58% of American adults said they drank at least sometimes. This is slightly under, but generally consistent with the longtime national trend of 63% of American adults who consume alcohol.
Data suggest that this recent decline is largely due to young people drinking less; the under-35 cohort’s alcohol consumption has plummeted, even as the over-55 cohort’s drinking has ticked upward.
Alcohol Consumption by Age Group over the Past Two Decades
| % Who Do Consume Alcohol | 2001-2003 | 2021-2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 18-34 years old | 72% | 59% |
| 35-54 years old | 67% | 69% |
| 55+ years old | 49% | 58% |
(source)
For those who do drink:
- 28% had their last drink less than 24 hours ago,
- 33% said it was 2-7 days ago, while
- 38% said their last drink was more than a week ago.
Data regarding the type of alcohol that consumers prefer was also captured—and, considering the three major types of alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, and liquor), it was found that consumers’ preference for beer is currently at an all-time low.
Roughly a third of survey respondents—34%—said beer was their preferred alcoholic beverage, roughly equal to wine at 33% and just ahead of liquor at 29%. Compare this to a historical average of beer at 41%, wine at 32%, and liquor at 23%.
Different age demographics have clear preferences for different beverages. Beer is the winner among the youngest cohort, while wine is the preferred beverage for people in the 55-and-over age group; nearly twice as many consumers in that group said they preferred wine compared to those under 35. The middle cohort was the most ambivalent, with only 5% separating their first and third choice (beer and wine, respectively).
Alcoholic Beverage Type Preferences by Age Group
| Which do you drink most often? | 18-34 years old | 35-54 years old | 55+ years old |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beer | 42% | 35% | 33% |
| Wine | 20% | 30% | 38% |
| Liquor | 36% | 33% | 24% |
(source)
Broader Industry Trends
So much for consumer sentiment. What about broader economic trends in the alcoholic beverage industry?
Generally speaking, the industry is facing headwinds, with declines across most major categories according to a recent report from industry analyst IWSR. But there are a few bright spots, depending on where you look.
The US spirits market—that is, the US market for liquor—declined by 2% in 2023, which marked the first time it has declined in almost 30 years. Nearly every category in the sector saw a decline (with a few notable exceptions, which we’ll get to in the next section).
This recent contraction could in part be due to recent inflation, as the same study predicted resumed volume growth at 1% CAGR and value growth at 2% CAGR between now and 2028.
In the other major categories, beer volume sales declined 1% but value increased 4%, while the volume of wine sales declined steeply at 4%, part of a long term trend in the industry.
Despite these broad declines, there were some subcategories that bucked the trend and showed significant growth.
- Agave spirits like tequila and mezcal continued to overperform, increasing 4% in volume and 7% in value even while the broader spirits market declined. And that value growth is expected to continue at 6% CAGR until 2028.
- Ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages have also been booming; globally, volume was up 2%, with market value up 6%. The industry expects the momentum to be sustained, with 3% growth in both categories over the next few years.
- Finally, the biggest story in the alcoholic beverage industry might be the one that has no alcohol in it at all. Non-alcoholic beverages are up across the board—volume of non-alcoholic beer increased by 6%, while non-alcoholic wine was up by 7% and non-alcoholic spirits rose by 15%.
Top 5 Alcohol and Beverage Trends for 2025
Against that backdrop of consumer sentiment and market behavior, what are some of the biggest trends we’d expect to see in the coming year? We’ve broken down the top five alcohol and beverage trends to look out for in 2025.
1. Ready-to-Drink Beverages
Ready-to-drink beverages (or RTDs) are one of the fastest growing segments in the industry—and, as we saw above, that trend is likely to continue. But we’re not just talking about White Claw and Truly—increasingly, higher end RTD cocktails are entering the market, giving people the opportunity to try high quality products without going to a bar or studying mixology.
And it’s those RTD cocktails that are expected to drive growth. Globally, the RTD cocktail market is already worth $1.01 billion and is expected to more than double ($2.23 billion) by 2029.
Unsurprisingly, huge brands are getting into the action in order to capitalize on their existing name recognition. Whether they’re traditionally non-alcoholic brands tapping into consumer nostalgia—like Sunny D or Welch’s—or classic spirits companies forging new crossover partnerships—like Absolut and Ocean Spray or Captain Morgan and Pepsi—RTD beverages are clearly a hot commodity.
Look for this category, which offers portability, convenience, and ability to try something new, to continue to grow in 2025.
2. Agave-Based Spirits
Tequila and other agave spirits have been booming for decades, and they seem poised to continue their meteoric ascent. There’s a reason why it seems like almost every single celebrity has their own tequila or mezcal brand now—in recent years, Americans’ appetite for these Mexican spirits has proven to be nearly insatiable.
In 2023 tequila overtook whiskey to become the second-most consumed spirit by value in the US—and in 2024, tequila outsold vodka in American bars. One industry review found that 54% of bars said tequila outperformed all other liquors last year, and 64% of bars are planning to offer more tequila (and other agave spirits) compared to other liquors in the year to come.
But it’s not just about tequila. Mezcal is also skyrocketing in popularity. According to mezcal industry observer Mezcalistas, production has been growing steadily for the past ten years—increasing 743.12% in that time—and has absolutely exploded since 2021; production in 2023 was 51.11% higher than just two years before.
Liters of Mezcal Produced, 2014-2024
| Year | Liters |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 1,451,718 |
| 2015 | 2,419,175 |
| 2016 | 3,028,000 |
| 2017 | 3,985,221 |
| 2018 | 5,089,667 |
| 2019 | 7,145,039 |
| 2020 | 7,846,251 |
| 2021 | 8,099,591 |
| 2022 | 14,165,505 |
| 2023 | 12,239,655 |
(source)
And the numbers show that most of that increase in mezcal production is leaving the country—mainly bound for the US. In Mexico, domestic consumption of mezcal rose 3.10% from 2021 to 2023, while in the US it rose 53.45%.
With that level of popularity, don’t expect the rise of agave spirits to subside anytime soon.
3. Premiumization
In recent years the alcohol industry has seen a trend toward premiumization—the consumer habit of spending more on fewer purchases of higher quality products. This concept goes hand in hand with the trend of consumers drinking less; if people are drinking less, and on fewer occasions, they may be willing to spend more when they do decide to imbibe.
And indeed, young people seem more inclined to premium habits than older groups. According to a report from Curren Goodden Associates (CGA), 54% of 18-34-year-olds are likely to choose a premium drink versus just 35% of those over 55. Similarly, a survey conducted by Bacardi in 2023 found that 41% of US consumers between the ages of 21 and 44 planned to “seek more premium spirits” in 2024.
But is this trend toward premiumization going to continue? Some indicators suggest it actually may have already passed its peak. IWSR found that premiumization has slowed for premium wine and spirits, with volumes for each decreasing by 3%; premium beer however, did grow its volume by 2% in the same period.
WSWA also found that sales in premium categories were dropping; the $100+ category had fallen 8.5% year-over-year in 2024, while the $50-$99.99 tier fell 4.3%. At the same time, the industry analyst saw a shift toward the “affordable luxury” categories—that is, the $17-24.99 and $25-49.99 price points.
This shift toward more modest options could spell the future of premiumization in 2025.
4. Non-Alcoholic Options
While premium alcohol is struggling, non-alcoholic beverages are thriving—a trend that is almost certain to continue, given young Americans’ increasing tendency to abstain from drinking.
To be clear, when we say non-alcoholic beverages here, we specifically mean non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits.
The volume of these non-alcoholic beverages consumed in the US grew 20% in 2023, and is expected to continue to grow at a CAGR of 17% through 2028. This growth is largely driven by younger generations, with Millennials (45%) and legal drinking age Gen Zers (17%) accounting for almost two-thirds of the non-alcoholic beverages consumed.
What’s big in the non-alcoholic segment?
Non-Alcoholic Alcohol
Non-alcoholic beverages surged in 2023 in the United States, with sales volumes rising 29% year-over-year. This far outpaced volumes of low-alcohol alternatives, which still grew at a strong 7%.
Non-alcoholic beer and cider enjoy the largest share of non-alcoholic beverages, representing 81% of all NA beverage servings; this subcategory’s volume increased by 30% year-over-year. NA RTDs grew 36%, while NA spirits grew 32% and NA wine grew 18%.
Functional Beverages
Functional beverages (also known as alcohol adjacents) are a fast-growing option in the NA space. This subcategory includes beverages that contain some form of mood enhancer and/or nutritional supplementation, like CBD/THC, nootropics, or adaptogens. This relatively new subcategory grew by 15% in 2023.
Despite growing at a more modest rate than other non-alcoholic categories, consumers are definitely taking note; 31% of no- or low-alcohol consumers reported having purchased a beverage in this category, which actually places it ahead of all other NA subcategories. And from March 2020 to March 2024, sales increased 54%, reaching $9.2 billion—a faster growth rate than the broader NA beverage market (43%). In fact, functional beverages already make up roughly 10% of the overall NA beverage market in the US.
Other NA Trends
Aside from alcohol adjacents and NA versions of traditional beverages, what other trends are big in the non-alcoholic beverage space? According to the National Restaurant Association, there are five trends to look out for in 2025:
- Cold Brew
- Wellness Drinks (with vitamins, supplements, or fiber)
- Boba
- Kombucha/Fermented Drinks
- Energy Drinks
And of course, no contemporary round-up of NA drinks would be complete without a mention of dirty soda, the creamy soda-based concoctions that have taken social media by storm. Yelp reported a 609% increase in searches YoY at the peak of the sensation.
Will the fad continue in 2025? Who knows. But broader trends certainly confirm that consumers’ taste for non-alcoholic beverages is here to stay.
5. Niche Spirits on the Rise – and the Decline
Agave spirits are clearly in a class of their own, but what other types of spirits should consumers look out for in 2025? Here’s a rundown of three spirits on the rise—and three that are falling out of favor.
Spirits on the Rise
- Jeppson’s Malört is perhaps the most improbable sensation in the world of spirits. Described by some as “the worst booze ever,” this wormwood liqueur was once little-known outside its native Chicago; but its unique taste and image have caught the public imagination, driving an increase in sales of 1,875% between 2007 and 2022.
- Another old-time American classic seeing a resurgence is applejack. Traditionally, this colonial-era beverage was made by freezing hard cider and draining off the remaining alcohol; today, it’s essentially the same as apple brandy, but it still holds a special, all-American mystique. For many years only a single distillery produced this spirit; in recent years, several more distilleries have revived the tradition.
- Leaving behind American creations, soju is another spirit that’s exploded in popularity of late. Borne along by a booming interest in Korean culture, this distilled rice beverage is quickly gaining ground with American consumers; the US soju market was valued at $254.67 million in 2023, and is projected to reach a valuation of $425.8 million by 2031.
Spirits on the Decline
- On the flipside, a number of once-favored spirits have been experiencing declines in recent years. Notable among them is American whiskey; spirits wholesalers have seen a sharp decline in depletions (a measure of consumption) for this segment, which is to reach -6.82% YoY in mid-2025. This is an even steeper decline than the broader spirits market, which is expected to come in at -5.59% during the same time frame.
- Cognac is faring even worse. In 2022 and 2023, US cognac sales volume fell 20% and 16% respectively, and the trend has only continued since then; in November 2024, Rémy Cointreau, maker of the Rémy Martin brand of cognac, announced a decline in sales of up to 18% for the year. Some commentators have noted that cognac’s decline could be partially attributable to tequila’s sudden rise.
- Finally, American craft spirits are experiencing a notable slump of late. Since 2016, the Craft Spirits Data Project has measured the performance of the US craft spirits market; in 2024, the project found that both sales volumes (-3.6%) and market value (-1.1%) decreased YoY, the first time that has happened since the CSDP was created. Craft spirits also saw a decreasing market share compared to larger producers.
Restaurant, Bar, and Delivery Trends
Consumer preferences when it comes to beverages can have a huge impact for restaurants (where alcohol alone can contribute up to 21% of sales), in addition to other alcohol-centric businesses like bars and liquor stores. Recent data has some useful insights that business owners may want to consider.
Menu Implications of Changing Beverage Preferences
According to industry research by the National Restaurant Association, of adults who drink alcohol, 70% said that the availability of alcoholic beverages can make them more likely to choose to go to one restaurant over another—indicating that having a robust drinks menu remains of pivotal importance for restaurant operators.
At the same time, operators should pay attention to increasing demand for NA options. 39% of consumers—including 50% of Millennials and 59% of Gen Zers—said they would be likely to order non-alcoholic beer, cocktails, or wine if they were on the menu.
Interest in Non-Alcoholic Beverages by Age Group
| Would you be likely to order NA beer, cocktails, or wine if they were on the menu? | All Adults | Baby Boomers | Gen X | Millennials | Gen Z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | 39% | 23% | 38% | 50% | 59% |
(source)
Restaurant operators already seem to be responding to shifting consumer preferences, with substantial numbers indicating they planned to add NA cocktails (36%) and beer (23%) to their menus, alongside other planned changes.
Percentage of Restaurants Adding Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Beverages to Their Menus
| % of full-service restaurants that plan to add new offerings in this category | Beer | Wine | Cocktails | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beer | NA Beer | Wine | NA Wine | Cocktails | NA Cocktails | |
| % | 51% | 23% | 48% | 8% | 54% | 36% |
(source)
Operators may also want to keep tabs on their guests’ taste for local options, as 53% of adults over the legal drinking age said they’d be likely to order local beer, wine, or spirits if they were on the menu. Again younger generations were more likely to say so, with 63% of Gen Zers and 66% of Millennials indicating a desire for local options; 51% of Gen Xers said the same, while Baby Boomers were the only generation where a minority preferred this option (42%).
Contemporary Flavor Trends
Flavor trends come and go in the bar and restaurant industry. According to a recent survey conducted by Bacardi, here’s what bartenders are experimenting with.
Top Flavors Bartenders Are Interested In/Experimenting With
- 45% Coffee / Espresso
- 43% Floral (e.g. Elderflower, Hibiscus, Lavender, Rose, Violet, Butterfly Pea Flower)
- 41% Bitter
- 41% Spices (e.g. Tamarind, Chipotle, Ancho, Cardamom, Tajin)
Top Ingredients Bartenders Are Experimenting With
- 46% Zero Waste Ingredients
- 36% Ferments (e.g. Kombucha/Kefir)
- 33% Aromatic / Flavored Bitters
- 29% Spicy / Spices
- 28% Flavored Soda
- 27% Herbs / Herbal
- 27% Oils
- 25% Coffee
- 24% Flavored Tonics
Alcohol Delivery Trends
Riding the coattails of the rise in food delivery services, alcohol delivery has also become much more common in recent years. Here are some key statistics for business owners to consider.
Restaurant Alcohol Delivery
Customers are increasingly ordering to-go alcohol along with their food from restaurants these days; 32% of legal drinking age adults say they’ve included an alcoholic beverage with a takeout or delivery order in the past six months, with Gen Zers (56%) and Millennials (45%) much more likely to have done so.
On top of that, 38% of adults—including 47% of Gen Zers and 53% of Millennials—said the option to add alcohol to-go could make them more likely to choose one restaurant over another.
Consumer Preference for To-Go Alcohol When Choosing a Restaurant, by Age Group
| % of customers saying the option to include alcohol with a takeout / delivery order would make them more likely to choose a restaurant | All Adults | Baby Boomers | Gen X | Millennials | Gen Z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | 38% | 17% | 41% | 53% | 47% |
(source)
To-go alcohol is proving popular with business owners too; 96% of full-service restaurants who already offer to-go alcohol with takeout/delivery orders say they’re likely to continue doing so.
Of those that already offer alcohol to-go, 93% have the customer pick it up themselves, while only 26% use a third-party delivery service and just 10% have their own staff deliver it.
Beer appears to be the most common type of alcohol offered with delivery or takeout orders, with 83% of full-service restaurant operators saying they do so.
Type of Alcohol Available with Takeout / Delivery
| % of full-service restaurant operators who serve… | Beer | Wine by the Bottle | Cocktails | Wine by the Glass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | 83% | 65% | 60% | 35% |
(source)
General Alcohol Delivery
Of course, with the rise of delivery apps, to-go alcohol isn’t just for restaurants anymore. Increasingly, consumers are using these apps to order alcoholic beverages from bars, liquor stores, and other vendors, too.
In fact, according to a survey conducted by DoorDash, 58% of consumers said they’d used a third-party app to order alcohol in the past six months. Meanwhile, 40% of consumers ordered alcohol delivery more in 2024 than in 2023. Overall, only 33% of consumers said they were ordering delivery in general more in 2024 than in 2023—meaning that alcohol delivery is growing especially quickly.
Here’s a breakdown of the top ten reasons people gave for ordering alcohol delivery.
Top Ten Reasons for Ordering Alcohol Delivery
| Why do you choose to order alcohol via delivery rather than shopping in person? | % |
|---|---|
| Can shop from the comfort of home | 39% |
| Saves time | 37% |
| Don’t have to leave home at an inconvenient time | 30% |
| Keeps me safe | 23% |
| Can save money with a delivery subscription service | 23% |
| Easier to buy bulky / heavy items | 22% |
| Can avoid bad weather | 20% |
| Can bundle purchases from different stores in one order | 20% |
| Don’t have to worry about parking / transportation | 19% |
| Can compare products / prices at different stores | 19% |
(source)
When it comes to consumers’ top choices for alcohol delivery, a few options stood out—wine and champagne (59%), beer (56%), and RTD cocktails (56%) were the only options that a majority of consumers said they had ordered in the last six months. These preferences are consistent with the earlier findings that beer and wine were similarly popular, and that RTDs are selling better than spirits in general.
Most Popular Types of Alcohol Ordered via Third-Party Delivery App
| % of consumers who ordered this type of alcohol in the past six months | % |
|---|---|
| Wine or champagne | 59% |
| Beer | 56% |
| Ready-to-drink cocktails | 56% |
| Flavored malt beverages and hard cider | 49% |
| Tequila | 46% |
| Vodka | 46% |
| Whiskey | 44% |
| Brandy | 42% |
| Cordials | 38% |
| Rum | 36% |
| Gin | 29% |
| Low ABV or non-alcoholic drinks | 29% |
(source)
Interestingly, the vast majority of alcohol orders were made at most one day ahead of time—13% of orders were made the day before, 36% were made the same day, and 15% were made at the last minute. Only 16% of orders were repeating orders or orders set up through a subscription.
As for the most common occasions for ordering alcohol, here’s what consumers had to say.
Most Common Occasions for Ordering Alcohol via Third-Party Delivery App
| I order alcohol delivery… | % |
|---|---|
| To treat / indulge myself | 52% |
| For a party / celebration | 39% |
| To avoid leaving the house after I’ve had a drink or two | 33% |
| Because I ran out of items unexpectedly | 32% |
| To pair a beverage with a specific meal | 31% |
| As a regular replacement of items | 31% |
| As an impulse purchase | 28% |
| As a gift for others | 21% |
(source)
Time to Raise a Glass
It’s apparent that our alcohol preferences are evolving, even growing to include more non-alcoholic options! Some spirits are in decline while others are on the rise. Change appears to be the only constant in the beverage landscape, but that’s a good thing.
We’ll keep on top of these trends as they evolve to ensure our readers always have access to current data. In the meantime, have one on us!
