Beer Prices Price History
1960–2025 · BLS
The average retail price of a domestic 12-ounce six-pack in the United States, tracked annually from 1960 through 2025. Beer might be the most steadily inflating product in the grocery store — it never crashes, never spikes, just keeps grinding higher year after year with almost mechanical consistency. That relentless climb reflects a combination of rising aluminum and grain costs, excise taxes that quietly increase, and a shift in consumer preferences toward pricier craft and imported brands that pulls the average up even when cheap beer stays cheap.
Source: BLS1960–2025
Price in 1960
$1.00
Price in 2025
$8.72
Total Change
+772.0%
Years Tracked
65
Beer Prices Over Time
1960Year Range2025
Compare to inflation: The chart above shows nominal (not inflation-adjusted) prices. Use the toggle to switch to inflation-adjusted values when available, or try the inflation calculator to convert any amount between years.
Key Insights
- Beer has one of the most consistent inflation rates of any consumer product — a six-pack has increased in price every single year since 1960, with not a single year of decline in 65 years of data.
- The craft beer boom that kicked off around 2010 has significantly pulled up the average price, since craft six-packs routinely sell for $10-14 versus $6-8 for domestic macros, and craft's market share has grown from 5% to over 13%.
- A six-pack cost just $1.00 in 1960, meaning the 2025 price of $8.72 represents a roughly 772% nominal increase — almost exactly matching cumulative CPI inflation over the same period, making beer a near-perfect inflation tracker.
- Federal excise tax on beer hasn't changed since 1991, which means its real burden has actually fallen by about 45% due to inflation — one of the reasons beer remains relatively affordable compared to wine and spirits on a per-serving basis.
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Price (USD per six-pack) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | $1.00 | — |
| 1965 | $1.05 | +5.0% |
| 1970 | $1.18 | +12.4% |
| 1975 | $1.52 | +28.8% |
| 1976 | $1.60 | +5.3% |
| 1977 | $1.68 | +5.0% |
| 1978 | $1.78 | +6.0% |
| 1979 | $1.89 | +6.2% |
| 1980 | $2.05 | +8.5% |
| 1981 | $2.20 | +7.3% |
| 1982 | $2.35 | +6.8% |
| 1983 | $2.45 | +4.3% |
| 1984 | $2.55 | +4.1% |
| 1985 | $2.65 | +3.9% |
| 1986 | $2.72 | +2.6% |
| 1987 | $2.80 | +2.9% |
| 1988 | $2.90 | +3.6% |
| 1989 | $3.02 | +4.1% |
| 1990 | $3.18 | +5.3% |
| 1991 | $3.30 | +3.8% |
| 1992 | $3.42 | +3.6% |
| 1993 | $3.52 | +2.9% |
| 1994 | $3.58 | +1.7% |
| 1995 | $3.65 | +2.0% |
| 1996 | $3.75 | +2.7% |
| 1997 | $3.85 | +2.7% |
| 1998 | $3.92 | +1.8% |
| 1999 | $3.98 | +1.5% |
| 2000 | $4.10 | +3.0% |
| 2001 | $4.22 | +2.9% |
| 2002 | $4.35 | +3.1% |
| 2003 | $4.45 | +2.3% |
| 2004 | $4.55 | +2.2% |
| 2005 | $4.68 | +2.9% |
| 2006 | $4.82 | +3.0% |
| 2007 | $4.98 | +3.3% |
| 2008 | $5.15 | +3.4% |
| 2009 | $5.28 | +2.5% |
| 2010 | $5.40 | +2.3% |
| 2011 | $5.55 | +2.8% |
| 2012 | $5.72 | +3.1% |
| 2013 | $5.88 | +2.8% |
| 2014 | $6.05 | +2.9% |
| 2015 | $6.20 | +2.5% |
| 2016 | $6.35 | +2.4% |
| 2017 | $6.52 | +2.7% |
| 2018 | $6.72 | +3.1% |
| 2019 | $6.90 | +2.7% |
| 2020 | $7.08 | +2.6% |
| 2021 | $7.30 | +3.1% |
| 2022 | $7.82 | +7.1% |
| 2023 | $8.25 | +5.5% |
| 2024 | $8.50 | +3.0% |
| 2025 | $8.72 | +2.6% |
Year1960
Price (USD per six-pack)$1.00
YoY Change—
Year1965
Price (USD per six-pack)$1.05
YoY Change+5.0%
Year1970
Price (USD per six-pack)$1.18
YoY Change+12.4%
Year1975
Price (USD per six-pack)$1.52
YoY Change+28.8%
Year1976
Price (USD per six-pack)$1.60
YoY Change+5.3%
Year1977
Price (USD per six-pack)$1.68
YoY Change+5.0%
Year1978
Price (USD per six-pack)$1.78
YoY Change+6.0%
Year1979
Price (USD per six-pack)$1.89
YoY Change+6.2%
Year1980
Price (USD per six-pack)$2.05
YoY Change+8.5%
Year1981
Price (USD per six-pack)$2.20
YoY Change+7.3%
Year1982
Price (USD per six-pack)$2.35
YoY Change+6.8%
Year1983
Price (USD per six-pack)$2.45
YoY Change+4.3%
Year1984
Price (USD per six-pack)$2.55
YoY Change+4.1%
Year1985
Price (USD per six-pack)$2.65
YoY Change+3.9%
Year1986
Price (USD per six-pack)$2.72
YoY Change+2.6%
Year1987
Price (USD per six-pack)$2.80
YoY Change+2.9%
Year1988
Price (USD per six-pack)$2.90
YoY Change+3.6%
Year1989
Price (USD per six-pack)$3.02
YoY Change+4.1%
Year1990
Price (USD per six-pack)$3.18
YoY Change+5.3%
Year1991
Price (USD per six-pack)$3.30
YoY Change+3.8%
Year1992
Price (USD per six-pack)$3.42
YoY Change+3.6%
Year1993
Price (USD per six-pack)$3.52
YoY Change+2.9%
Year1994
Price (USD per six-pack)$3.58
YoY Change+1.7%
Year1995
Price (USD per six-pack)$3.65
YoY Change+2.0%
Year1996
Price (USD per six-pack)$3.75
YoY Change+2.7%
Year1997
Price (USD per six-pack)$3.85
YoY Change+2.7%
Year1998
Price (USD per six-pack)$3.92
YoY Change+1.8%
Year1999
Price (USD per six-pack)$3.98
YoY Change+1.5%
Year2000
Price (USD per six-pack)$4.10
YoY Change+3.0%
Year2001
Price (USD per six-pack)$4.22
YoY Change+2.9%
Year2002
Price (USD per six-pack)$4.35
YoY Change+3.1%
Year2003
Price (USD per six-pack)$4.45
YoY Change+2.3%
Year2004
Price (USD per six-pack)$4.55
YoY Change+2.2%
Year2005
Price (USD per six-pack)$4.68
YoY Change+2.9%
Year2006
Price (USD per six-pack)$4.82
YoY Change+3.0%
Year2007
Price (USD per six-pack)$4.98
YoY Change+3.3%
Year2008
Price (USD per six-pack)$5.15
YoY Change+3.4%
Year2009
Price (USD per six-pack)$5.28
YoY Change+2.5%
Year2010
Price (USD per six-pack)$5.40
YoY Change+2.3%
Year2011
Price (USD per six-pack)$5.55
YoY Change+2.8%
Year2012
Price (USD per six-pack)$5.72
YoY Change+3.1%
Year2013
Price (USD per six-pack)$5.88
YoY Change+2.8%
Year2014
Price (USD per six-pack)$6.05
YoY Change+2.9%
Year2015
Price (USD per six-pack)$6.20
YoY Change+2.5%
Year2016
Price (USD per six-pack)$6.35
YoY Change+2.4%
Year2017
Price (USD per six-pack)$6.52
YoY Change+2.7%
Year2018
Price (USD per six-pack)$6.72
YoY Change+3.1%
Year2019
Price (USD per six-pack)$6.90
YoY Change+2.7%
Year2020
Price (USD per six-pack)$7.08
YoY Change+2.6%
Year2021
Price (USD per six-pack)$7.30
YoY Change+3.1%
Year2022
Price (USD per six-pack)$7.82
YoY Change+7.1%
Year2023
Price (USD per six-pack)$8.25
YoY Change+5.5%
Year2024
Price (USD per six-pack)$8.50
YoY Change+3.0%
Year2025
Price (USD per six-pack)$8.72
YoY Change+2.6%
Sources & Methodology
BLS average retail price for a six-pack of domestic 12-oz cans/bottles, from CPI survey data. Reflects national urban averages for major domestic brands.
Primary source: BLS
For a full explanation of how we collect and adjust data, see our methodology page.