California Leads Nation in Craft Beer Production
Isn’t it just like Californians to be totally down to business when it comes to beverages? We lead the nation in production of milk and dairy, lead the nation in wine production, and have the most craft breweries of any U.S. state, well exceeding 900. California is #1 in economic impact of craft brewing, too.
While Vermont beats California in age 21+ per capita beer consumption at 18.9 gallons per year (compared to our measly 3.5 gallons,) we’d easily beat the Green Mountain State in sheer volume of craft beer consumption as our Golden State has over 40 million residents and Vermont has only 625,000 people. As expected, California has more beer festivals and events than any other state.
With the likes of mainstream Martha Stewart exploring uses of cannabis in food and beverages and the world’s first-ever cannabis-infused non-alcoholic beer, Cannabier, expanding from Nevada to California this year, its certain that California’s craft breweries won’t rest on their laurels.
For now, a study of the craft brew industry has determined that legalization of cannabis hasn’t impacted beer sales much. That could change. Here’s what we know about craft beer drinkers:
- Drinking at least several times a year, craft drinkers are 31.5% female and 68.5% male.
- Non-Hispanic whites were 85.5% of craft drinkers, with 14.5% coming from other races/ethnicities.
March Beer Festivals
- FRESNO: Fresno Chaffee Zoo’s Roar & Pour Beer Festival March 21, 2019
- SAN DIEGO: Art & Craft Beer Festival, March 22
- SAN DIEGO: San Diego Taco & Beer Festival March 23
- SAN FRANCISCO: Bay Area Brew Fest March 23
- ATASCADERO: Central Coast Craft Beer Fest March 30
- SANTA CRUZ: Downtown Santa Cruz Beer March, March 30
