Bars and breweries preparing for possible effects from tariffs

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — As St. Patrick’s Day draws near, so too does the possible effects of tariffs on bars and breweries in the Cape Fear region.

President Donald Trump’s 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports from various countries could increase the price of aluminum cans often used in beer manufacturing.

Misha Sobol is the co-owner of Slainte Irish Pub in Wilmington.

He said that while his bar hasn’t felt any effects yet, he expects it to happen eventually.

“I do believe that it does gonna affect each one of us in our lives,” Sobol said. “Because we got a lot of products in cans. And tariffs, not just aluminum, we got a lot of tariffs on whiskey and liquor.”

The tariffs Misha mentioned have been suggested to be as high as 200% on alcohol from countries in the European Union if they don’t remove tariffs on US whiskey, but Trump has not implemented such tariffs yet.

Rob Robinson is the co-owner of Waterline Brewing Company.

While he said the aluminum tariff won’t affect him too much, there are other suggested tariffs that would hurt him more.

“It also affects grain because there is a lot of Canadian grain that’s being malted and used for brewing beer,” Robinson said. “So that will also be an effect. That might be more immediate because that’s probably a quicker supply chain.”

Since the aluminum and steel tariffs just went into place this week, Robinson said it might take some time for businesses to feel the full impact, possibly as early as this summer.