The price of a 24-pack of beer could increase up to $5 due to tariffs, says northern Ontario craft brewer

Jonathan Migneault · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 13, 2025 6:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

The outgo of a 24-pack of brew could summation $3 to $5 due to the fact that of 25 per cent tariffs connected aluminum exported to the United States, according to a trade brewery successful bluish Ontario.

Alex Inman, the operations manager astatine Manitoulin Brewing, said 1 of the main suppliers for brew cans successful Ontario moved its operations to the U.S. past year.

"So we're present buying those cans backmost from determination with the tariff added connected top," Inman said.

Like galore breweries, aluminum cans are the main mode Manitoulin Brewing distributes its beer, Inman said.

He added there's a accidental brew tin accumulation could rapidly determination backmost to Canada, which would assistance easiness those costs and make Canadian jobs.

In summation to accrued costs for cans, Inman said 1 of the main ingredients successful brew — hops — is often imported from the U.S.  

"There are lone 4 large ingredients successful beer: grain, hops, h2o and yeast. And we tin root 3 of those 4 beauteous easy present successful Ontario," helium said.

Many of those added costs volition request to beryllium passed down to customers since trade breweries run connected bladed margins, Inman said.

"Personally I consciousness there's lone truthful overmuch radical privation to wage for beer," helium added.

Pulling American liquor from store shelves

The LCBO's determination to propulsion American liquor disconnected the shelves besides isn't precise beneficial for tiny breweries, Inman said.

That's due to the fact that the ample American brewers specified arsenic Anheuser-Busch and MolsonCoors each person Canadian operations wherever they brew their brew for the Canadian market.

"All that was pulled was the bourbons and California wines," Inman said. "It didn't adjacent interaction the ready-to-drinks similar radical mightiness expect."

Canadian distilleries could payment from that determination though.

Mireille Morin is the co-owner of the Rheault Distillery successful Hearst, Ont., and said that could person an interaction connected their LCBO income successful the coming weeks, by giving their vodka much visibility.

Tariffs won't person a large interaction connected her costs, though Morin said they mislaid their vessel shaper successful British Columbia and volition request to look for a caller Canadian option.