Americans love beer. In 2021, 187 million barrels of beer were consumed, making it a $100 billion market. So it might be shocking to learn that for the first time, distilled spirits surpassed beer in sales in 2022–with spirit sales at 42.1 percent of the alcoholic beverage market share and beer at 41.9 percent. While this news marks a new turn in the beverage industry, it may not be surprising to those who’ve followed consumer trends in the last decade. Distilled spirits have steadily grown in popularity, gaining market share for 13 years until becoming America’s beverage of choice in 2022. Not only is this great for the country’s liquor companies and retailers, but it’s also welcomed news for the hospitality industry. On-premise spirit sales are still 5 percent below where they were pre-pandemic. However sales are trending upward–a good, albeit slow, sign of recovery for the hospitality industry. How spirits surpassed beer Americans spending more on drinks while they dine out isn’t the only trend driving sales. The market also got a boost from the current cocktail wave sweeping the nation, such as the espresso martini revival. High-end spirits also helped grow the market. Premium sales accounted for more than 60 percent of the sector’s revenue last year, according to the