In Charles Dickens classic novel “A Tale of Two Cities,” readers are taken through fictional accounts of the issues that lead up to the French Revolution. Among its many themes, the novel spotlights the disparities between the French people and the aristocracy. Although less dramatic than a fictional tale of a historic revolution, the U.S. beer market is experiencing dissecting storylines as portions of the category thrive while others are adapting to changing consumer tastes.

“The U.S. beer market continues to be a tale of two halves,” says Brian Sudano, managing partner at New York-based Beverage Marketing Corporation (BMC). “The traditional beer market continues to decline. With the significant slowdown in the growth of beer alternatives: [flavored malt beverages] (FMBs) and hard seltzers, beer declines are at 2.5%. The weakest year in memory. Looking at traditional beer excluding FMBs and hard seltzers, traditional beer declined 3% while alternatives grew modestly.”