Welp, while y’all were all whining about egg prices (I’m plant-based), everyone forgot about beer.
Thanks to a newly imposed 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports by the country’s sweetheart President Donald Trump, some Texas breweries are preparing to upcharge their beer because the aluminum cans they come in are made in China.
Craft brewers in Texas already had a tough year in 2024, with several closing in Houston and San Antonio, and now breweries are wondering how tight their finances will get.
We’re going to “weather the storm until we can’t weather it anymore,” Jacob Passey, director of brewing for Pinthouse Brewing and Pizza, said in an interview with KXAN. Their primary provider for their aluminum beer cans comes from China, which is 30% of their operations.
Passey says thanks to the tariffs, they’re looking at adding a dollar or two for a four-pack, which would take their 16-ounce IPAs from $17.99 to up to $19.99.
Texas had 23 craft breweries close in 2024, according to Chron.com, and with a bleak outlook of already high inflation costs and now the new round of tariffs, it may be a good idea to support your local brewers because this year may be the year they close.
Thanks, Trump!