E-Malt.com News article: 994

The U.S. craft beer industry continued its production growth in 2002 with an increase of 3.4 %, according to figures gathered and released by the Association of Brewers. Growth is measured by numbers of barrels of beer U.S. breweries produced in 2002 (2001 total: 1.2%).

The Association of Brewers is a trade association for the U.S. craft beer industry and has been gathering the most accurate craft beer industry statistics since the industry’s emergence in 1980. For 23 years, the craft beer industry has shown growth every year. Growth is measured by the number of barrels of beer U.S. breweries produced in 2002.

“The continued growth trend really speaks to the stability of craft beer in a variety of economic environments it has experienced,“ says Paul Gatza, the director of the Institute for Brewing Studies, a division of the Association of Brewers.

In 2002, the craft beer industry produced more than 6.4 million barrels of craft beer in the United States (2001 total: 6.2 million). This 3.4% growth from 2001 means the net volume increase for 2002 was 216,688 barrels. (One barrel = 31 US gallons or 13.78 cases (of 24 12-ounce bottles)). This is the equivalent to nearly 3 million cases of new craft beer sales – bringing the total U.S. craft beer industry annual retail sales value for 2002 to more than $3.8 billion. (2001 total $3.3 billion).

The Association of Brewers reports 1,409 craft breweries in the United States in 2002: 994 brewpubs, 369 microbreweries and 46 regional specialty breweries.

1,409 craft breweries in the U.S. in 2002:

994 brewpubs

369 microbreweries

46 regional specialty breweries

Craft Beers: Generally, “all-malt,” domestic beers produced using 100 percent malted barley. Craft beers that are not all-malt sometimes substitute a percentage of malted wheat (for wheat beers) or malted rye (for rye beers). Their inspiration can be traced to British, German or Belgian traditions or is often uniquely American. Craft beers range from pale to dark in color and from mild to strong in alcohol content. Sometimes they include unusual ingredients such as fruit, herbs or spices. Compared with other beers, their emphasis is more on flavor, and less on appealing to a mass market. (The best- selling American beers are brewed using 30 to 40 percent rice or corn “adjunct,” resulting in a paler, lighter- bodied and lighter- flavored beer).



30 April, 2003