The U.S. alcohol and wine industry significantly contributes to the nation's economy, supporting millions of jobs across various sectors. Here's an overview of employment figures within this industry:

Overall Alcohol Beverage Industry:

Total Employment: The alcohol beverage industry sustains over 4 million jobs nationwide.

Tax Contributions: This sector generates nearly $70 billion in annual tax revenue.

Wine Industry:

Direct Employment: The wine industry directly employs approximately 1,007,459 people.

Ancillary Employment: Suppliers and ancillary industries related to wine production and distribution support an additional 364,234 jobs.

Total Employment Impact: In total, the wine industry supports around 1.84 million jobs across the country.

Beer Industry:

Total Employment: The beer industry supports nearly 2.4 million American jobs.

Economic Contribution: It contributes more than $409 billion to the U.S. economy.

Distillery Industry:

Employment Growth: From 2001 to 2021, the distillery industry added 14,786 jobs, marking a 214% increase over two decades.

Total Employment: As of 2021, the distillery sector employed over 21,700 individuals.

Retail Sector (Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores):

Employment Figures: As of 2024, there were 207,774 people employed in beer, wine, and liquor stores across the U.S.

Economic Impact: In 2018, beer, wine, and spirits retailers created approximately 2.03 million jobs and had a direct economic impact of over $122.63 billion.

Moosehead Breweries Introduces the “Presidential Pack” Amid Trade Tensions

Canada’s oldest brewery, Moosehead Breweries, is making a bold statement in response to trade tensions sparked by President Donald Trump. The New Brunswick-based brewery has launched the “Presidential Pack”, a massive case containing 1,461 cans of its Canadian Lager—one for each day of Trump's four-year term.

Moosehead’s Director of Marketing, Karen Grigg framed the promotion as a lighthearted response to political uncertainty. "If the start of 2025 has taught us anything, it will take determination to weather four years of political uncertainty—and what better way to make it through each day than with a truly Canadian beer," she said.

The Presidential Pack retails for CAD 3,490 ($2,428 USD) and is available in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Ontario. Trevor Grant, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, revealed that the idea emerged as Moosehead’s team discussed tariffs and trade challenges with the U.S. administration. "Obviously, it's a bit of a difficult situation, so trying to maybe have a little bit of fun with it," he explained.

Grant also noted that Canadian shoppers are increasingly looking for locally made products and that Moosehead sees this as an opportunity to strengthen local support. "We do think this is a real opportunity for us," he said. He emphasized the company’s deep community ties, adding, "We operate in a small community here in St. John, New Brunswick, and we like to stay connected to our community and give back. We'd like to see Canadians do the same thing and buy local."

The Presidential Pack is the latest act of Canadian defiance against Trump's tariffs, which have affected Canada, Mexico, and China. Trump has also insulted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, referring to him dismissively as a "governor".

Meanwhile, the U.S. liquor and spirits industry is already feeling the pushback.

Lawson Whiting, CEO of Jack Daniel’s parent company, called the removal of American-made alcohol from Canadian stores “worse than tariffs.” "It's literally taking your sales away," he said, calling the response "very disproportionate" to Trump’s 25% tariff.

Following Prime Minister Trudeau’s announcement that Canada would impose retaliatory 25% tariffs on $155 billion worth of U.S. goods, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association warned of “far-reaching consequences” for the bourbon industry, as 95% of the world’s bourbon comes from Kentucky.

Moosehead Breweries CEO Andrew Oland, in an interview with CTV News, described the tariffs as a “disappointment” and lamented the deteriorating trade relationship between the two nations. We've always had such a close relationship with the United States, and so it's really sad to see this relationship going in a different direction," he said.

With rising trade tensions and a renewed focus on buying local, Moosehead’s satirical marketing move highlights how Canadian businesses creatively respond to these issues—with humor, community pride, and beer.