Beer group expands definition of small

BOULDER – The definition of small brewers just got a lot less small, according to a decision announced Monday by the Brewers Association.

The Boulder-based nonprofit, which is an industry association representing independent brewers and the organizer of the Great American Beer Festival, tripled the amount of beer a brewer can produce and still be considered a craft brewer.

Craft brewers can now produce up to 6 million barrels a year, up from 2 million barrels, according to a revision of the association’s bylaws.

The change reflects growth in the industry, said Nick Matt, chairman of the organization’s board of directors. The industry’s…