The craft beer industry continues to grow and generate more and more money for the state of Alabama.

Numbers released by the Alabama Brewers Guild show the craft beer industry had a $616 million impact on the state. This not only includes sales, but money generated through breweries, wholesalers, retailers, and things like food and merchandise sold at restaurants attached to brewpubs and taprooms. The news wasn't surprising to Matt Broadhurt, the operations manager at the Huntsville-based Straight to Ale Brewers.

"When we left Leeman Ferr, we had 8 employees. Now, we have 81. We're paying taxes, we distill - pay taxes on that. The economic growth - it is the sky is the limit," said Broadhurst.

Straight to Ale could be a case study in the success of craft beer in Alabama. The company brewed its first batch 9 years ago, just after Alabama made it legal to make beer in the state greater than 6 percent alcohol by volume. Evolving laws have allowed for the sale of pints from a taproom, then the sale of beer-to-go, then in bottles larger than 16 ounces.

The evolving laws also mean evolving success for breweries just like Straight to Ale. WAAY 31 asked Broadhurst if he knows how many outlets sell the company's products.

"Gosh, I couldn't begin to guess. I think the last time I counted, it was 1,000 outlets in Alabama that sell our beer."

There are still issues the Brewers Guild wants to take on in Alabama to further evolve the craft beer industry. This includes allowing for multiple brewery locations and eliminating regulations that prevent brewery and distillery owners from participating in non-profits that also host licensed special events.