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For those wondering whether Colorado’s rapidly expanding craft beer market is nearing a saturation point, a new report from the Brewers Association suggests the answer is a resounding no. The latest numbers from the Boulder-based trade organization show that production of craft beer increased 18 percent in the first half of 2014. What’s more, the Brewers Association numbers indicate that 502 craft breweries have opened across the country during the past year, and that there are another 1,929 breweries in the planning stages. (By comparison, 412 new craft breweries opened the previous year.)
“The sustained double-digit growth of the craft category shows the solidity of demand for fuller-flavored beer in a variety of styles from small and independent American producers,” said chief economist of the Brewers Association Bart Watson in a statement. “Craft brewers are providing world-class, innovative products that continue to excite beer lovers and energize the industry.”