The popularity of craft beers, focusing on styles and new flavours, is among the key factors that shifted the US's perception of beer from an old-fashioned product to a beverage enjoyed by the masses, according to a Canadean report.

The report, titled 'Consumer and Market Insights: Beer in the US', found that niche segments such as craft, low alocohol-by-volume (ABV) and non-alcoholic flavoured beers will bolster the industry in future.

The country's beer market is currently dominated by branded goods, whereas private label products have negligible presence. In 2014, the penetration of private label products stood at 0.1%. Therefore, retailers have to create a stronger identity for their own brands.

“American men prefer to stick to brands they know and trust, while women are found to show less brand loyalty and are more likely to consider private labels.”

American men prefer to stick to brands they know and trust, while women are found to show less brand loyalty and are more likely to consider private labels to be of the same quality as branded ones.

Men drank beer more often, in terms of both per capita and as a group. They give higher preference for beer after a busy day, while women are more likely to turn to non-beer drinks, such as cider and wine for relaxation.

Among all age groups, older consumers aged above 55 drink the most beer, while young adults in the age group of 16 to 24 are most likely to have higher per-capita consumption.

During 2014-2019, the US beer market is expected to show a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.3%, primarily driven by economic recovery, as well as consumers' desire for indulgence.

The US beer market growth recovered during the 2012-2015 period, following a decline during 2010-2011 caused by the post-recession environment.

This change in consumer behavior impacted the on-trade segment the most, which witnessed a negative CAGR of -0.7% during 2009-2014. The off-trade segment and market volumes have experienced a decline for the review period, as consumers limited their expenditure.

Canadean expects the US to be among the largest markets for beer volume, ranked second to China during the 2009-2019 period.