Beer and brewing is a fundamental economic and now cultural component of society that has evolved significantly over time. This theme explores aspects of the global beer market, including the role of globalization and complex regulatory systems in economic growth, structural changes in the brewing industry, and beer’s emergence as a component of food culture.

Decreasing consumption in traditional beer-drinking countries and strong growth in emerging economies and in countries that traditionally consumed wine or spirits have created convergence in global alcohol consumption patterns and a rise in beer trade.

Beer production has always been directly linked to available agricultural inputs and local policy. This article offers a brief overview of changes in the U.S. brewing industry over the past 40 years, from agricultural inputs and the regulatory environment to industry structure and growth.

A brief description of the negative impacts of heavy drinking is given along with a brief history of American beer laws. Recent research on the economic consequences of modern regulations suggests that while some beer laws might reduce alcohol consumption, they often generate many unintended consequences.

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines illustrate how to calculate a “standard drink” of 10 grams of alcohol across beverage types, but do not describe the potential health benefits of such. This article discusses the current literature on the health benefits of beer consumption and how policy might better inform consumers about healthy consumption.