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2014: The Year in Beer...

Saturday, 17 January 2015 00:10

ED. Okay. This is not a triathlon story, but's one that, like triathlon, makes one proud to be a Minnesotan.

By Joe Alton (growlermag.com)

Minnesota has seen significant growth in craft beer over the past 12 months, and all signs point to an equally impressive 2015.

By our count Minnesota currently has more than 75 breweries and brewpubs in operation. We now have more breweries in the state than we have had at any point since Prohibition. In addition to the breweries in operation, I’m also aware of at least another dozen in the planning stages.

This might lead you to believe that craft beer’s continued growth is unsustainable, that there has to be a saturation point on the not-so-distant horizon

I feel it is my duty to tell you that you are, in fact, wrong.

Craft beer continues to impress analysts and investors locally and nationally as it pursues market share from “Big Beer.” Setting historic benchmarks in terms of brewery numbers and volume, craft beer continues to broaden its consumer base and geographic footprint....

Growth
Breweries are opening in the United States at a rate of 1.5 per day. As we close out 2014 there are more than 3,200 breweries in the country and more than 2,000 in planning, bringing the total number of brewery licenses to a new high at more than 4,500.

“Year over year we’re seeing tremendous growth in the craft beer sector, and 2014 proved that craft beer is moving into the mainstream,” said to Bart Watson, chief economist for the Brewers Association. “Consumers are making a conscious choice to buy and try the plethora of options produced by small and independent craft brewers.”