Brewer’s Association: Craft brewery production in 2019 matches last year’s 4% growth

BOULDER — American craft breweries increased their production volume by 4% in 2019, matching the industry’s growth in 2018, but face a dire set of weeks ahead as the COVID-19 virus craters in-person beer sales.

The 2019 report from the Brewer’s Association released this week estimated independent brewers made 26.3 million barrels of craft beer last year, up 800,000 barrels from the year prior. Overall domestic beer production fell by 1.5% last year to 191.2 million barrels.

An additional 693 breweries opened up across the country in 2019 to put the…