Beer is Big Business in Connecticut, New Report Says

Beer is a pretty big deal in Connecticut, where more than 14,525 jobs are a direct result of the beer industry, according to a new report from the Beer Institute and National Beer Wholesalers Association. (Photo by Joel Olives via Flickr)

Written by Beth Dalbey and Brian McCready

Beer is big business in the United State and of course Connecticut.

That’s according to the Beer Serves America report recently released at a congressional hearing by the Beer Institute and National Beer Wholesalers Association.

The study showed the beer industry had a $2 billion economic impact on Connecticut’s economy in 2014, provided more than 14,525 direct jobs paying $745,595,700 million, and generated more than $237.65 million in federal, state and local tax revenue.

The jobs are across several sectors, including agriculture, mining, construction, real estate, manufacturing, retail, transportation, travel and entertainment, and wholesale.

In Connecticut, the top beer-related jobs are in business and personal services (more than 2,270), finance insurance and real estate (968) and, manufacturing general (586 jobs).

There are 49 brewing facilities and 74 beer wholesalers in Connecticut, according to the report.

See related story: Top Breweries in Connecticut According To Yelp

Local, state and federal taxes paid by beer-related industries totaled almost $99.6 million.

Nationally, the beer industry represented 1.5 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product in 2014, and had a $253 billion economic impact. More than 1.75 million Americans are employed directly or indirectly by the beer industry.

Also nationally, local state and federal taxes amounted to more than $48.5 billion in 2014, including taxes on sales, gross receipts and revenue collected from state and federal excise taxes on beer.

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