Popular Beers in Montana Could Soon Be Harder to Find

Montana has a thirst for beer. The high quality and plentiful microbreweries across the state help quench that thirst. According to a report, in 2023, across the nation there was an actual drop in the amount of beer that was consumed. Here in Montana, the popularity of drinking doesn't seem to be declining according to data over the last 10 years.

Related: A Look At 10 Years of Data About Montana's Drinking Habits

Popular Beer Brands in Montana Could be Affected

Even with the incredible selection of Montana breweries, some of the most popular beer is still from one of the biggest brewers in the world, Anheuser-Busch. It may become more difficult to find beers like Bud Light, Budweiser, Michelob Ultra, Busch and Stella Artois, in the near future.

Montana Has Close Ties with Anheuser-Busch

Montana has a very close connection with Anheuser-Busch. Fairfield, Montana has the claim to the "Malting Barley Capital of the World". A lot of that "malting barley" is used in Anheuser-Busch beers that are brewed across the country. Some of those popular brands of beer may cease being brewed soon. According to the Guardian, 5,000 Anheuser-Busch workers, represented by the Teamsters union, could be going on strike. The report quotes the Teamsters as saying "Without a contract by February 29, there won’t be any beer come March." The timing of that would be happening right around St. Patrick's Day. That is one of the biggest drinking days, not only in Montana, but across the country.

According to the article 99% of the 5,000 employees have voted to strike if a deal can't be reached. It also says that despite beer drinking declining in 2023, AB Bev, the parent company reported a profit of over $32 billion in the fiscal year of 2023. That is a 1.97% increase from 2022.

Let's Hope a Deal Can Be Made By St. Patrick's Day

If the two sides can make a deal before the February deadline, there may not be any interruption in the supply of beer. If a deal can't be reached, if you drink these popular beers, you may have to look for an alternative beer as soon as this coming March.