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 67,745 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.
The beer lobby commissioned the Beer Serves America study. It says, “Based on data from 2016, the beer industry in the United States generated nearly 2.23 million American jobs…†According to the study, brewers and beer importers directly employ 64,745 Americans. The study goes far afield to get up to the 2.23 million U.S. jobs figure. For example, “It is estimated that outlets selling malt beverages in the United States employ more than 915,700 people.†Of course, selling beer is not the only thing these restaurants and other outlets do. But the study includes the 915,700 people in its 2.23 million jobs figure. Other segments in the 2.23 million figure are also overstated.
Booze “stimulates†the economy in ways that the beer lobby does not discuss. Drunk driving and other alcohol-fueled crimes stimulate the criminal justice system. Police, courts, lawyers, prisons and probation authorities deal with the consequences of excessive drinking. Divorce courts regularly see marriages made worse by booze. Booze is a big factor in health care costs (hospital visits, treatment for alcoholism(clearly), etc.) There is the cost of special education for those with fetal alcohol syndrome. This is hardly a complete list.