USA, TX: Texas craft beer industry contributed over $2 billion into state’s economy

Texas craft beer brewers, hamstrung until recently by restrictive legislation, have continued to gain significant ground on their competitors in other states over the last several years.

A new study released by the Brewers Association shows that Texas’ craft beer industry contributed more than $2.3 billion to the state’s economy in 2012. As a result, Texas outperformed 48 other states last year in terms of the economic impact from brewing and selling of craft beers, San Antonio Business reported on December 20.

Texas ranked No. 2 last year behind only California.

The new study tracked craft beer in Texas as it flowed through a three-tier system that included production, distribution and retail sales.

New legislation approved by Texas lawmakers earlier this year will free up the industry to pursue more sales opportunities. The Texas Craft Brewers Guild has released a separate study which projects that the economic impact from the state’s craft beer industry could approach $6 billion by 2020.

There is room for improvement. The Brewers Association study notes that Texas ranked 34th nationally in terms of the economic impact of the craft beer industry on a per-capita basis.

“Recently-passed legislation is enabling packaging breweries and brew pubs alike greater flexibility for accessing craft beer markets and selling craft beer in Texas,” says Charles Vallhonrat, executive director of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild. “Current and past studies have yet to take these changes into account. We could be on the verge of a substantial leap forward for Texas craft beer.

27 December, 2013