A survey by the Iowa Brewers Guild finds Iowa breweries generated a total economic impact of $1.25 Billion from operations, trade, and tourism in 2022. That’s a big increase from the $245 Million impact in 2020. Brewers Guild executive director Noreen Otto says the industry is growing and maturing.
She says breweries have become multipurpose and multigenerational entertainment venues.
Otto says breweries have had to adapt after the pandemic hurt the ability of customers to stop by for a beer, and they have not fully recovered from that.
She says there’s been changes in laws that have helped the industry grow.
The state has approximately 150 breweries with a workforce of around 7,200 employees for direct operations and total employment throughout the supply chain of 14,448 jobs. Otto says there’s still room for growth.
You can find out more online by going to www.iowabeer.org.