Drink up! Beer prices are going up.

The two largest U. S. beer sellers said last week they plan to raise prices, although they provided few specifics.

“We feel like we will take a moderate price increase on our portfolio,” said Peter Marino, spokesman for Chicago-based MillerCoors LLC, maker of Miller Lite, Coors Light and Blue Moon. He blamed rising expenses on the need to raise prices, but did not elaborate.

Like other food manufacturers, brewers have been hit by commodity price increases in recent years, but have not been as aggressive about raising prices, analysts said. Traditionally they raise prices in the fall.

“We still think that beer is a pretty good value right now, and we think we can raise prices on a market by market basis,” Marino said.

Anheuser-Busch, maker of Bud Light and Budweiser, also confirmed that its prices are going up. The brewer said it is raising prices on most of its beers — in most regions — this fall.

“The markets have been assessed, and we’ll be acting on a by-market, by-brand and by-package basis,” the company said in a statement.

The two brewing giants control 80 percent of the American beer market.

The price increases are part of a strategy by the two companies to protect profits rather than market share, said Harry Schuhmacher, editor of Beer Business Daily.

Consumers should expect to pay more because “retailers will not eat the price increases. They need the margins more than anybody,” he said.

As long as the increases are small, beer lovers won’t be running to the wine aisle.

“I don’t see it as a big deal though as long as they can keep a 12-pack around the same price as a movie ticket, people won’t mind,” said S. Glenn Sawada, founder of LongBeachHopheads beer club.