While most other industries are struggling in this economy, the craft beer industry continues to grow.  It’s not growing as fast this year as it did last year but it’s still growing by some impressive numbers.  It speaks to the quality of this type of product and the passion of the consumers that are buying it.  We may not be able to afford an expensive vacation but we will be damned before we drink beer we don’t like.  Beer has become one of those comfort items that we aren’t willing to do without.

According to the Brewers Association (the trade organization that represents most breweries in the US), growth of the craft beer industry is up 5% by volume and 9% by dollars.  That means that not only are we buying more craft beer than we did last year, we are spending more money on that beer.   In 2008, craft brewers sold 4 Million barrels of beer.  In 2009, craft brewers sold 4.2 Million barrels.  What makes these numbers even more impressive is that overall, beer sales in the US are down 1.3% and imported beer is down 9.5% for the same period of time.

Below is a chart from the Brewers Association showing the growth of the beer industry in the last 100 years.