PORTLAND, Maine — When tariffs were introduced in March 2018 for steel and aluminum, a chill carried across the United States' beer industry.
The fear was beer cans and keg supplies would increase in cost, or demand would skyrocket, and cold-one connoisseurs would feel the impact.
“Most of the cans that our brewers are buying... are made in the United States. However, the raw aluminum comes from Canada," said executive director of the Maine Brewers' Guild, Sean Sullivan. “The removal will hopefully free up the supply chain when it comes to cans.”
The Maine Brewers' Guild said 40% of brewers in the United States are using cans as of 2018. Up 20% from five years ago, which is why Sullivan supported the removal of 232 tariffs last week.
Even as the U.S., Canada, and Mexico inch closer to a trade deal, President Trump said this week on his trip to Japan, he looks forward to a future agreement with China.
Definitive Brewing Company in Portland told NEWS CENTER Maine the brewery bought three new tanks in December from a California company. The stainless-steel fermentors hold 30 barrels of beer, or 1,000 gallons, and were manufactured and imported from China.
China's government lists brewery equipment in its new batch retaliatory tariffs. Sullivan says this could evaporate the growth of Maine breweries.
"These are tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment," said Sullivan. "You just need more space, more tanks, more stainless-steel."
The beer industry had a $2 billion economic impact in Maine in 2017, according to the Maine Brewers' Guild. $290 million of it are attributed to craft breweries.
"There is still room for craft beer to grow and an opportunity for more people to drink beer, which will benefit our brewers and our economy around the state,” Sullivan said.
There are currently 143 establishments on tap in Maine with 20 more expected to open this year.