Two recently released independent economic studies highlight craft’s growth in two very different markets: New York and Oregon.
Both reports, commissioned by each state’s respective guilds, offer a bicoastal perspective on the economic impact of craft beer.
While the two markets ostensibly share little in common (east coast versus west coast; industrial versus bucolic; the Yankees versus who needs a baseball team?), it seems craft beer is one thing the two states can bond over.
A quick look at the stats, first in New York, as compiled by the New York State Brewers Association):
Craft beer had a total economic impact in the state of $3.5 billion in 2013, up from $2.2 billion the year prior. The NYSBA arrived at that figure by taking into account a number of factors, including the $554 million in wages paid to 11,366 industry-created full time jobs; $748 million paid in state and local taxes; and $450 million from craft beer tourism. The study also found that there were 207 breweries operating in the state in 2013, an increase of 42 against 2012 numbers.
On the opposite side of the country, the Oregon Brewers Guild was able to deliver more current, 2014 statistics.
Oregon’s craft brewing industry, which employs roughly 30,000 people both directly and indirectly, had an economic impact in the state of $2.8 billion last year.
The bigger story there, though, is that 20 percent of the near 3 million barrels of beer consumed in the state were produced in Oregon, meaning one of every five beers drank in the state was made by a local brewery. On draft, it’s closer to 60 percent, according to the Guild.
By the end of 2014, there were 220 breweries being operated by 179 brewing companies in the state, per the Guild. Of those, 83 were in the Portland Metropolitan Area.
