Annual report from Sovos ShipCompliant and Brewers Association highlights support for expanded direct-to-consumer beer laws
ATLANTA, MARCH 25, 2026 – A new survey released today by Sovos ShipCompliant and the Brewers Association revealed overwhelming support for expanded direct-to-consumer (DtC) beer shipping laws across the United States, highlighting substantial revenue opportunities for breweries and strong consumer appetite for legal access to craft beer shipments.
According to the survey, conducted by The Harris Poll, 63% of Americans age 21 and older believe current beer shipping laws should be expanded to allow direct shipment of beer to consumers in more states than the 12 it is currently legal in. Support is even stronger among regular craft beer drinkers, with 81% favoring expanded DtC access.
“The data shows that direct-to-consumer beer shipping is not a niche interest — it’s a mainstream expectation. Consumers want modern, convenient access to the products they enjoy,” said Alex Koral, regulatory general counsel, Sovos ShipCompliant. “These findings indicate that DtC shipping could provide a meaningful and recurring revenue stream for breweries while meeting existing consumer demand.”
Shipping Restrictions Are Limiting Brewery Growth
The data underscores the economic impact of current shipping restrictions on breweries — particularly small and independent craft producers seeking to reach loyal customers across state lines.
Among regular craft beer drinkers:
- 77% say they would increase their purchasing if they were able to have beer shipped directly to their home.
- 72% of those who would like to purchase beer DtC say they would be willing to spend $50 or more per month on beer if DtC shipping were available.
- 50% say they would be willing to spend $100 or more per month.
- 69% say they would likely subscribe to a direct-to-consumer beer club if a brewery offered DtC shipping.
A Mutual Benefit for Producers and Retailers
The survey also dispels concerns that direct shipping could harm traditional retail channels. In fact, DtC appears to complement — not compete with — in-store and on-premise sales.
Among regular craft beer drinkers who would likely purchase craft beer via DtC shipping, 91% say they would be likely to look for brands they discover through DtC in retail outlets, including stores, bars, and restaurants.
This suggests DtC shipping can serve as a powerful brand-building tool that drives broader market visibility and retail demand.
Consumer Demand Outpaces Current Law
While almost all states allow wineries to ship directly to consumers, beer shipping laws remain far more restrictive and inconsistent. Currently, only 11 states plus D.C. allow DtC beer shipping. As consumer expectations evolve and e-commerce reshapes purchasing behavior, the survey findings point to consistent pressure on states to modernize alcohol shipping frameworks.
Expanded DtC shipping would not only align beer with existing wine shipping models, but also provide small breweries with a critical growth pathway — particularly as competition intensifies and taproom traffic fluctuates.
“Direct shipping doesn’t replace retail, it strengthens it,” said Sam DeWitt, state government affairs director, Brewers Association. “DtC creates brand discovery and loyalty that ultimately drives consumers into stores, bars, and restaurants looking for the products they’ve already come to love. In this competitive market environment, direct-to-consumer shipping is a critical channel for small brewers, both for the sales opportunities it creates and for demonstrating the demand to widen distribution.”
The full survey findings highlight a clear message from American consumers: expanded direct-to-consumer beer shipping is both desired and economically viable.
Survey Method: Online survey conducted within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Sovos ShipCompliant from January 6-8, 2026 among 2,051 U.S. adults ages 21 and older, among whom 703 drink craft beer at least once per month. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.7 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact helloship@sovos.com.
About Sovos
Sovos is transforming tax compliance from a business requirement to a force for growth. Our flagship product, the Sovos Compliance Cloud platform, enables businesses to identify, determine, and report on every tax obligation across the globe. Sovos processes nearly 20 billion transactions per year, helping companies scale their compliance strategy in more than 150 countries.
More than 100,000 customers – including half the Fortune 500 – trust Sovos’ tax and regulatory expertise and unparalleled integration with their business applications. Learn more at sovos.com.
About Sovos ShipCompliant
The leader in automated alcohol beverage compliance tools for 20 years, providing a full suite of cloud-based solutions to wineries, breweries, distilleries, importers, distributors and retailers to ensure they meet all federal and state regulations for direct-to-consumer and three-tier distribution. ShipCompliant’s solutions reduce risk, lessen the burden of compliance, accelerate bringing products to market and enable revenue growth. With 60+ partner integrations, Sovos ShipCompliant leads a robust ecosystem of technology partnerships, enabling powerful complementary solutions. For more information, visit https://sovos.com/shipcompliant and follow us on LinkedIn.
About the Brewers Association
The Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents 5,700-plus U.S. breweries. The BA’s independent craft brewer seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers by small and independent craft brewers. For more information, visit BrewersAssociation.org.
###
