Six-mo streak of taxpaid shipments gains ended in May: taxpaids down 100,000 bbls, 0.6%, estimates Matt Hein of Beer Inst. That?s a slow-mo especially given new round of malternative rollouts, plus May 2001 was flat. Yr-to-date, taxpaids still up 1.1 mil bbls, 1.5%. But for 12 mos, taxpaids up 1 mil bbls, 0.6%. Meanwhile, imports followed 1^st qtr slowdown (+6%) with 16% jump in Apr. Brought YTD trend back up to +600,000 bbls, +9%. Leading the charge still: Mexican imports. Up 584,000 bbls, 21% for 4 mos. Corona price increase went into effect beginning Mar-Apr in most of US. But while Barton Beers, mostly Corona, revs up 14% Mar thru May, its depletions down slightly, cfo told analysts. Only other double-digit import gain YTD from major source: Irish shipments up 16% following big drop last year. Dutch shipments and UK shipments each ahead 6%, but German shipments off 6%, and Canadian shipments off 15% as lots less Smirnoff Ice being made in Canada this year. Two numbers to watch: Czech imports (mostly Pilsner Urquell) up 15% on small base; Belgian imports (mostly Stella Artois) doubled on even smaller base.