Somehow, Oregon's beer industry hasn't topped out.
That is, the total number of barrels brewed jumped by 4.8 percent, to 1.78 million, between 2015 and 2016. Nationally, there was no growth recorded whatsoever, according to the national Brewers Association group.
What's more, the number of U.S.craft beer barrels climbed even more precipitously, reaching the 700,000 mark after an 8.6 percent gain. Most of Oregon-produced beer is deemed craft.
Those Brewers Association figures come via Portland Business Journal researcher Brandon Sawyer, who culled detailed information on the sector that was provided by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission and the Oregon Brewers Guild. Sawyer wrote about the beer, cider and distilling industries at length earlier this month (the information is available only to PBJ subscribers until about Aug. 1).
And while the numbers may not necessarily be surprising, they do point to a truism that's cemented itself in Oregon economic circles for years: Oregon indeed has a beverage cluster, and it's becoming more powerful by the year.
To wit:
- The beer industry has a $1.8 billion economic impact on Oregon, according to the Brewers Association. That figure ranks 10th overall.
- The $631.35 economic impact per capita figure ranks second in the nation.The average Oregon adult drinks 11.8 gallons of beer per year, which ranks fourth in the country.
Our list of the state's 25 largest brewers, determined by a formula based on both OLCC and Brewers Association numbers, reveals wide gaps at the top of the list. The largest alemaker shipped twice as much beer as the No. 2-ranked brewer. That second-ranked brewer shipped a little more than three times as much beer as its No. 3-ranked counterpart.
Our gallery is above. Click through to learn which brewers are Oregon's heftiest.
The Portland Business Journal is a KGW News partner.
