Beer creates jobs and is a boon for small business, according to a new study that credits the industry with creating nearly 2 million jobs.
The Hill reports:
The Beer Institute and the National Beer Wholesalers Association issued the report Tuesday during a congressional briefing. It claims that beer companies are responsible for 1.5 percent of the gross domestic product and more than $48.5 billion in taxes.
American brewers and beer importers employ nearly 50,000 workers, according to the report, while distributors employ more than 130,000 workers and suppliers employ more than 380,000 workers.
In all, the industry is responsible for 1.75 million jobs, the report noted.
"It can be said that beer truly serves America," said CEO and president of the Beer Institute Jim McGreevy. "Beer is more than our nation’s favorite adult drink — it is a powerhouse in job creation, commercial activity and tax revenue."
The report found that beer is responsible for $78.6 billion in wages and $252.6 billion in economic output.
"Beer is an employment intensive industry in the United States," the Beer Institute said. "From barley growers to bartenders, from farmers to factory workers, beer puts more than 1.75 million to work in dozens of industries—manufacturing, agriculture, trucking, warehousing, grocery and the bar and restaurant business are just some of the most obvious directly related to brewers."
"All told, for every one job in a brewery or beer importer, another 34 jobs in other industries are supported," they said.
The report also noted that the majority of the 2,290 new brewing facilities in America over the past two years are small businesses.
However, the news is not all great. According to the report, almost half of the price of beer goes to Uncle Sam.
"Nearly 40 percent of the price of every beer goes toward taxes paid to the federal government, state governments, and localities," the report said.