- Eighty percent of the beer made in the United States is now controlled by two companies, one based in Belgium and one in South Africa.
- The top American owned brewer is Boston Beer Company (Sam Adams).
- Anheuser-Busch took 40 years to get to 50% of the beer industry from 12%.
- Bud, Miller and Coors’ beers are made using rice or corn as adjuncts to the original ingredients (water, yeast, malt and hops).
- On average, every American now lives within 10 miles of a brewery.
- Beer is the second most popular beverage in the world, coming in behind tea.
- Beer is sometimes referred to as “liquid bread” because brewer’s yeast is a rich source of nutrients. Beer can contain magnesium, selenium, potassium, phosphorus, biotin and B vitamins.
- The freshest beer is found at your local brewery.
- Beer is one of the most regulated industries in America with over 37,000 beer laws.
- The United States is the only country in the world with a three tier system for alcohol distribution.
- It is illegal for brewers to sell beer online.
- Beer is sold in over 531,000 retail establishments.
- Directly and indirectly, the beer industry employs approximately 1.7 million Americans, paying them almost $55 billion in wages and benefits.
- In 2006, the beer industry recorded 2.2% growth, hitting an all-time record of over 210 million barrels of beer.