Courtesy/The Maine Brew Bus
Zach Poole, founder of the Maine Brew Bus, is the latest guest on the Mainebiz podcast "The Day That Changed Everything."
August 16, 2020
Maine craft beer sector No. 4 in national scoreboard
Photo/Renee Cordes
The patio at Rising Tide Brewing in Portland was bustling with socially distanced activity on Sunday afternoon.
When it comes to the craft beer sector's economic impact per capita, Maine outshines all but three other states, according to new national data from the Boulder, Colo.-based Brewers Association.
The nonprofit trade and advocacy group represents more than 5,200 small independent breweries nationwide.
In its latest economic impact report for 2019, the trade group calculates that the craft brewing industry as a whole contributed $82.9 billion to the U.S. economy last year and provided more than 580,000 jobs.
The $82.9 billion figure measures the total impact of beer brewed by craft brewers from producers to wholesalers to retailers, as well as related products such as food and merchandise that brewpub restaurants and taprooms sell.
In Maine, the craft brew sector had a 2019 economic impact of $668.13 million, which translates into a per capita amount of $642 per adult of drinking age.
That puts it at No. 4 behind Colorado (No. 1 at $796 per capita), Vermont (No. 2 at $766 per capita) and Oregon (No. 3 at $695) per capita in 2019.
'There are lots of different ways to measure the relative positions of the craft beer industry by state, and the economic impact numbers are a decent synthesis, since they combine the market share, production value, as well as other ripples throughout the economy such as supplier industries and tourism," Bart Watson, chief economist for the Brewers Association, told Mainebiz over the weekend.
"By nearly every metric," he added, "Maine is a top per capita state for craft brewing, as these numbers underline."
Sean Sullivan, executive director of the Maine Brewers' Guild and a 2016 Mainebiz Next honoree, echoed that sentiment, saying, "The latest results are a great indication that Maine continues to be a national leader in craft beer."
Sullivan also noted that the national numbers reflect the impact of all craft beer on the state, including beer brewed out of state and sold here, whereas the Guild's economic impact studies only look at the impact of beer brewed in Maine by Maine brewers.
The latest Mainebiz ranking, in the 2020 Book of Lists, puts Allagash Brewing Co. at No. 1 ranked by 2019 production in barrels, followed by Portland-based Shipyard Brewing Co.
Last month in a virtual Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce virtual event, Sullivan expressed optimism about the industry's continued growth and popularity despite challenges related to the pandemic.
"While we have a bump in the road here, beer will be here in the future," he told viewers.
Beyond breweries
The craft sector's impact on the state goes well beyond breweries themselves to related businesses such as the Maine Brew Bus.
While it normally offers all-inclusive beer, wine and distillery tours in Maine and beyond, for safety purposes during COVID-19 it recently shifted to open-air tours by land and sea.
In the latest episode of the Mainebiz podcast series "The Day That Changed Everything" released today, Maine Brew Bus founder Zach Poole shared the back story of his company's new partnership with Dave's Travel and Events of Australia and what it means for the business going forward.
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments