Report: Beer industry contributes over $1 billion to Conn. economy

Raise a glass to Connecticut's beer-brewing industry, which in 2016 contributed $1.01 billion to the state economy, according to a new report.

According to the "Beer Serves America" report, produced by the Alexandria, Va.-based National Beer Wholesalers Association and the Washington, D.C.-based Beer Institute, last year the Nutmeg State's brewing industry accounted for more than $144.3 million in economic output, while wholesaling totaled $220.1 million and retailing contributed more than $645.8 million.

The state's beer-making industry accounted for 11,482 jobs: 255 in brewing, 972 in wholesaling and 10,255 in retail.

Total business and personal taxes generated nearly $422.7 million last year, according to the report.

Nationally, the report stated that the beer industry contributed over $350 billion, or nearly 1.9 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product, to the economy last year. Brewers and beer importers directly employed 64,745 Americans, with about 58 percent of brewing jobs linked to large and mid-sized companies.

Earlier this month, another group reported that the number of active craft breweries in Connecticut has tripled over the past five years.

Kevin Zimmerman writes for the Fairfield County Business Journal. For more, go to www.westfaironline.com.