Quick Hits: Top 5 Beer Exporting Countries – 2026 / 10 Best U.S. Breweries

Quick Hits: Top 5 Beer Exporting Countries – 2026 / 10 Best U.S. Breweries

|August 17th, 2026|

Close-up of beer being poured from a green bottle into a clear pilsner glass, creating a golden liquid and frothy white head foam, against black background

The beer biz never sleeps at American Craft Beer. And here’s just some of what’s been happening in the beer world while you were enjoying the weekend.

Top 5 Beer Exporting Countries – 2026

Mexico remains the undisputed king of global beer exports, shipping billions of dollars worth of beer around the world every year and leaving its nearest competitors far behind.

Fueled by the enormous international popularity of Corona, Modelo Especial and Dos Equis, Mexico exports more beer by value than any other country. The United States is by far its most important customer, thanks to its proximity and America’s seemingly endless appetite for Mexican lagers.

But Mexico isn’t the only country sending serious amounts of beer overseas. Several of Europe’s most famous brewing nations remain major players in the international beer trade.

Rank Country Annual Export Value (USD) Iconic Brands & Export Drivers
1 Mexico $6.3 Billion – $6.8 Billion Corona, Modelo Especial, Dos Equis
2 Netherlands $1.6 Billion – $1.9 Billion Heineken, Grolsch
3 Belgium $1.7 Billion – $1.8 Billion Stella Artois, Leffe, Hoegaarden
4 Germany $1.4 Billion Beck’s, Paulaner, Warsteiner
5 United Kingdom $577 Million – $616 Million Carling, Newcastle Brown Ale, BrewDog

 

The numbers highlight just how dominant Mexico has become. Its annual beer exports are worth more than those of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany combined.

Europe still plays an outsized role in the global beer business, with the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom exporting everything from mainstream lagers to traditional ales and specialty beers.

And even as overall alcohol consumption faces headwinds in some major markets, the international appetite for recognizable imported beer brands remains strong. For Mexico in particular, beer has become a remarkably valuable global export.

 

Words To Drink By

“There’s a direct correlation between positive energy and positive results in the physical form.”— Joe Rogan

 

Three beer mug trophies labeled "U.S. Open Beer Championship" in gold, silver, and bronze stand amidst fresh green hops and beer bottles in a hop field.

Top 10 U.S. Breweries

The 2026 U.S. Open Beer Championship recently wrapped in Ohio we’ve already published  a complete listing of this year’s beer winners. They also named the Top 10 U.S. breweries based on the number of medals they won at this year’s competition.

Third Eye Brewing of Hamilton, Ohio, was named the 2026 Grand National Champion, taking home five gold, two silver, and two bronze medals. Third Eye’s five gold medals also set a new record for most golds won by a single brewery in one year

2026 U.S. Open Beer Championship Top 10 Breweries
1. Third Eye Brewing, OH
2. River North Brewery, CO
3. Feather Falls Brewing Co, CA
4. Forgotten Road Ales, NC
5. Alvarado Street Brewery, CA
6. Rhinegeist Brewery, OH
7. Toppling Goliath Brewing Co, IA
8. Altstadt Brewery, TX
9. Fabled Brew Works, KY
10.Sunriver Brewing Co, OR

As the third-largest beer competition in the United States, this year’s event drew entries from Alaskan Brewing in Juneau to Damm Brewing in Barcelona, Spain,  spanning more than 180 categories and subcategories..

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