It’s not news that craft beer is a huge industry in Pennsylvania. (Want to see a listing of all 361 craft beers in the state? Check out this handy database from Breweries in PA.) In pretty much every big city and small town in the Commonwealth, you’ll find stellar ales and lagers. But the craft brewing explosion extends way beyond PA; all over the country, craft breweries are popping up, and craft beer lovers are finding new and exciting things to try. In fact, since 2007, the number of craft breweries nationwide has jumped from 1,511 to over 7,000, and is on track to hit 8,000 by 2020.
Chicago-based firm C+R Research did a deep analytical dive into the U.S. craft beer markets to gather data on trends, state-specific numbers, and more. Want to know how Pennsylvania stacks up in the State of Craft Beer?
While Vermont may be home to the largest number of breweries per capita, Pennsylvania holds its own with 2.9 breweries per capita, resulting in an economic impact of $615 per capita. When it comes to beer production, as in how many pints said breweries actually produce, PA was much closer to the top — ranking 3rd, in fact! Per every 21 and over adult, Vermont produced 151 pints, Delaware produced 101, and Alaska and Pennsylvania tied for third with 96 pints.
While we didn’t rank in the top states where craft beer has grown the most since 2015 (perhaps because our craft beer industry has been so strong for so long), we were happy to see our neighbors in New Jersey at the front of the list with 43% growth. This, C+R posits, is largely due to the relaxation of laws and regulations around brewing and selling beer in New Jersey.
Whether your favorite PA brewery is Urban Village or Yards in Philly, La Cabra Brewing or Tired Hands on Philadelphia’s Main Line, Victory in the Western ‘burbs, Hollow Earth in Oxford, South County in Fawn Grove, Grist House or Brew Gentlemen in Pittsburgh or, you get the picture — we could go on an on — get out there and support PA brewing! Your dollars make a huge difference to the state’s economy and to the livelihoods of these artisans and entrepreneurs.
- Feature photo: Ed Williams
- State of Craft Brewing images: C+R Research
