The Craft Beer Boom: Numbers Behind the Movement

The American craft beer industry has grown from a niche hobby into a $30 billion market. In 1978 there were only 89 operating breweries in the entire United States, a number that stayed depressed due to Prohibition-era regulations that made starting a brewery nearly impossible in many states. The legalization of homebrewing in 1978 kicked off a revolution. By 2000 there were about 1,500 breweries. By 2015 that number exceeded 4,000. Today there are over 9,000 craft breweries operating across all 50 states. California leads with over 1,100 breweries, while Vermont has the highest per capita rate at roughly 12 breweries per 100,000 adults. The average American now lives within 10 miles of a brewery, compared to 50 miles in 2000.