For Craft Beverage Makers, New Steel And Aluminum Tariffs Bring Uncertainty
Aluminum cans of Citizen Cider’s “Dirty Mayor” make their way on the canning belt at the company’s Burlington canning facility. A new tariff on some imported steel and aluminum has Vermont craft brewers and cider makers bracing for uncertainty. Photo by Henry Epp for VPR
Tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on some imported steel and aluminum went into effect late last week. Several countries have received exemptions from those tariffs, but still some industries in the U.S. are wary of them — including craft beer and cider makers.
If you drink craft beer or cider, you may have noticed a recent trend: a shift away from glass bottles and toward cans. The idea is that cans are lighter, cheaper to ship and can be easier to recycle.
Speaking in his company’s canning facility in Burlington, Justin Heilenbach — the president and co-founder of Citizen Cider — says if the cost of aluminum cans goes up, that could get passed on to the consumer. The same goes for the price of kegs, which are made out of steel.