Do you even craft, bro?
Here's some jaw-droppingly shocking news for everyone: Colorado loves its beer — more specifically, it can't get enough of its craft selections. We drink way more than anyone else in America. *knuckle-daps, bro*
Defined as an independent brewery that makes less than 6 million barrels annually, craft breweries in America have become something to admire. According to the Brewer's Association, the niche now boasts a record 4,269 operations, up 15 percent from the year before, and accounts for $22.3 billion in retail sales. While that in itself is an incredible amount of booze, the craft market is still only 12 percent of what's consumed in America, but its impact continues to climb at double-digit pace, something unheard of in many industries around the world.
“For the past decade, craft brewers have charged into the market, seeing double digit growth for eight of those years,” says Bart Watson, chief economist for the Brewers Association. “There are still a lot of opportunities and areas for additional growth. An important focus will remain on quality as small and independent brewers continue to lead the local, full-flavored beer movement.”
Yet, according to the Denver Post, Colorado's craft sales account for more than 26 percent of all beer sold in the state, compared to that 12 percent of beer sales nation-wide mentioned before. Currently, there are more than 230 craft breweries operating inside of Colorado's state lines, with most of those opening up in the hippest parts of town, helping build a community around the industry that has made its way into defining Colorado Culture these past few years.
We really take that whole "support local" thing to heart here. *knuckle daps* to that, too …
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