As the White House was releasing President Trump’s proposed fiscal 2018 budget, Beer Institute and National Beer Wholesalers Association released a new economic impact study that finds
Brewers and beer importers directly employ 64,745 Americans. About 58% of brewing jobs are linked to large and mid-sized brewers and beer importers.
The number of distributor jobs has increased nearly 24% in the last decade, to more than 134,240. Overall, the study finds, the beer industry contributes more than $350 billion in economic output which is equal to nearly 1.9% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product.
The impact goes beyond brewers and wholesalers, of course. The study find that makers of bottles and cans, cardboard case boxes, brewing equipment or marketing displays – generate nearly $115.3 billion in economic activity and are responsible for 491,800 jobs alone.
Adding up all the jobs traceable to the beer industry – including not only brewers and wholesalers, but also on- and off-premise retailers and ancillary enterprises, the study says 2,227,913 jobs and $103.3 in wages are attributable to the beer business.
It also finds $63,5 million in taxes are a result of the production and sale of beer and other malt beverages. “This is equal to more than 41% of the retail price paid for these products by consumers,” the study says.
There are 1,375 more brewing facilities today than two years ago, the study finds. Most, it notes, are “very small brewers or brewpubs.” At the same time, large and regional brewers account for about 58% of total employment.
Some 2300 beer wholesalers are employing about 109,000 people.
Each job in the brewing industry generates about 33 additional full-time equivalent jobs, the study says.