How Many Beers In a Case of Beer?
There are 24 beers in a case of beer. Back in the day, we're talking all the way back to the 90s and prior, the case of beer was the definitive unit of measurement for starting a good time.
Written by CraftJack | Updated | 6 min read
This was a time when beer brewing only happened in 3 places: St. Louis (MI), Golden (CO), or Canada. There was also a time when people used beer mats and beer was consumed solely out of beer steins - which, coincidently, make awesome craft beer gifts.
Domestic beer prices were reasonable, Michelob came in glass bottles (and not superlatives like ULTRA), and Super Bowl beer ads, thought up by suits in New York, showed cowboys being tough in states like Montana. In fact, the only customer reviews in existence were those your buddies gave down at the local Elks during a halftime show.
If you were going to throw a party, it needed a keg, a few beer balls, or several cases of beer. There were no 30 racks. There were no 4 packs of craft beer.
A case of beer was 24 aluminum cans or 24 twelve-oz bottles.
A six pack of beer was considered a personal amount and the start of a good night. A case of beers was a good thing to split with your buddy (or buddies). Now, with high-test IPAs like Fort Hill Brewery's Jigsaw Jazz, an Imperial IPA at 9.3% abv, a case of beers will leave you and your buddy wrecked and in the ER.
Miller, Coors, and Budweiser, were all stalwarts of the beer case. You remember the type, the one-sided on the bottom corrugated cardboard beer case that was universal, except for good ol' Coors and their skinny cans (the original White Claw can design, if we may).
The only way to buy a variety pack of ice cold cruisers was to buy a case of each. This all happened back when. Think about it, did you have ...
Seltzer?
Gosh no. You had 3 American-style pale lagers to choose from, Bud Light, Miller Lite, and Coors Light. A case of Heineken was basically the craft beer of its day.
You could not purchase a half pack of hard seltzer like you can today. Retailers had far more limiting choices, as opposed to a variety of beers.
Home brew?
Maybe in beer-forward states like Michigan. But homebrewing did not sweep the nation, or resweep the nation, depending on how you look at it, until the craft beer explosion of the late 00s and early 10s.
And besides, beer made at home by beer enthusiasts are not getting packed into a case.
Amazon? Drizly? Booze delivery?
No, no, and no. You had to go to the liquor stores if you wanted to purchase an alcoholic beverage.
As an aside, Drizly is a great way to buy beer online.
24 was an amazingly divisible number for a case of beer.
- One or Two = The amount you'd have after a beer league softball game. Generally enough for the team.
- Three or Four = The amount the rest of the team would have after the first few people had to leave.
- Five or Six = The amount a few buddies sitting around watching the game would have.
- Twelve each = A case race. The only proper number for such an amazing drinking game
30 packs, 30 racks, and 30 stacks
Then the 30 pack came along and changed the beer packaging game forever here in the United States. Walmart started carrying 18 packs, 15 packs, and whatever other denomination big beverage could produce. 30 racks dominated the 2000s-2010s. They became the foundational purchase for parties, supplying round after round of low-abv ammunition to millions of games of flip cup, beer pong, and bag toss.
Cases existed, but they were forgotten. Even the sixer has kind of gone by the wayside with the craft 4 pack.
Craft beer 4 packs of cans
Bottling slowed down throughout the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. Bottling was really shelved, pardon the pun, in the late 2000s as the craft beer explosion took over in the U.S. What did enjoy a rebirth through craft beer brewing is the glorious case of beer. Tall boy 16oz craft beers fit nicely into the 6x4 arrangement. Though the average price of a craft beer case comes in between $60-100, depending on which brewery you are at, you are still getting a case of beers. In this case, however, it is 24 tasty beers brewed and owned by folks in the United States.
Though we toss heaps of respect onto the big beverage brewers in St. Louis and Colorado, their profits are still getting shipped overseas. Drink local. And if you do, get yourself a tasty case of your favorite brews.
FAQs
There are all sorts of questions you may be curious about when it comes to these relics of beer drinking enjoyment. Here goes.
How many bottles and cans in a case of beer?
There are twenty four (24) bottles or cans in a case of beer. It's the same no matter how you look at it. Sure, the exterior shape of the vessel will create different sizes, but the volume remains the same.
Sizes of beer have expanded over time as well. But case size hasn't changed. It's still that 24-pack of beer of 12-ounce beers that your Uncle and your Grandfather bought before him.
How many cases of beer in a keg?
A keg of beer, or, 1/2 barrel, will hold 6.875 cases of beer.
How many gallons of beer in a case?
128oz per gallon. 12oz per beer. 24 cans or bottles per case. 2.25 gallons.
How many beers in a Half Case of Beer?
A half case of beer, sometimes referred to as a half rack, equates to 12 beers. The math behind it is simple, take the standard case of beer size (24), and divide by two. You are then left with twelve 12oz bottles or twelve 12-ounce cans of beer.
How much does a case of beer weigh?
Not much if it's a case of helium beer. Anyway, this depends on whether there are bottles of beers or cans in that case. In general, about as much as a small dog. If you can pick up your puppers, case of beer shouldn't be too much.
- Cans? Approximately 19-20lbs or so.
- Bottles? Approximately 35-36lbs or so.
How much does a case of beer cost?
Back in the 80s/90s, you could get a case of beers for a little over 10 bucks. Say, Pabst Blue Ribbon or Strohs.
These days, $15-20, all the way up to $100 for craft beer. Despite what beer drinkers will tell you, beer has actually gotten cheaper. That said, it could be that quality beer has gotten more expensive.
Speaking of cases of beer, when is National Beer Day?
National Beer Day is April 7th. You should most certainly acquire a case of beer to celebrate it.
And celebrate it with different types of beer. Anything but Corona. Though a 24 pack case of Coronitas would be hilarious.
The amount of beer you consume should be a responsible amount. Remember that.
Which U.S. states drink the most cases of beer?
According to Vinepair, who conducated a study on beer consumption, the top 10 states that consumes cases and cases of beer include:
Are there health benefits to drinking a case of beer?
Watch this ... NO.
Even a 12 pack of beer is bad for you. Once again, make sure the number of beers you consume is responsible.
Is there a difference between a case of brown bottled beer and green bottled beer?
No. Not really. Beer bottles are beer bottles.
However, brown bottles do a better job at preventing harmful UV rays to come in contact with the beer in the bottle. This is what causes skunking. If that is something that concerns you, avoid clear and green bottled beer.
What difference does the Alcohol Content of Beer make for packaging?
Another thing to consider is the total amount of alcohol of the beer brands when it comes to packaging. Some states have laws that regulate the total amount of booze by volume that can be purchased. Blame Math and old timey regulations if you have a problem with this.
But it's possible that your favorite beer brands are forced into choosing a form factor for packaging and delivery.