ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) — Alaska’s trade association for breweries, wineries, and distilleries has raised concerns over the potential impact of a 25% tariff on aluminum and steel imports, signed into effect by President Donald Trump on Monday. Brewers across the state, who rely on aluminum for packaging, fear the new tariffs will drive up the cost of their products.
Evan Wood, president of the Alaska Brewers Guild and co-owner of Devil’s Club Brewing Company in Juneau, emphasized that the price increase for aluminum cans will directly affect the cost of craft beer. “We’re all concerned that the cost of those cans is going to go up,” Wood said. “As a result, we’ll have to raise our prices and potentially lose some of our competitive edge on the shelves.”
Wood further noted that small breweries will be at a disadvantage compared to larger, nationally scaled competitors when it comes to absorbing these costs. “As our costs increase, we’ll have no other option than to increase the prices that we charge for our goods,” he said.
The tariffs, aimed at strengthening national security and supporting American workers, were defended by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in a Wednesday briefing. “It’s the golden rule: treat others the way you want to be treated,” Leavitt stated. “Far too many nations around the world have been ripping off the United States of America for far too long.”
Economic analysts are keeping a close watch on the broader financial impact of these tariffs, which may extend beyond the beverage industry to sectors like automotive and construction.
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