Every American lives within ten miles of a brewery

Statistically, beer-loving Americans never had it so good. This June marked a milestone in the U.S. brewing industry as the number of breweries operating in the country passed 3000, according to the Brewers Association.

The industry body reported it’s likely the first time the total has passed 3000 since the 1870s, when the number of breweries reached a high point of 4131 in 1873.

Since the beginning of 2011, breweries have opened at a rate of one per day. Over the past two years, it’s been 1.2 per day. This year it looks like the growth could even be faster.

Still, almost 99 percent of the 3040 breweries currently operating are small and independent, based in neighbourhoods or towns.

The Chief Economist for the Brewers Association Bart Watson has worked out that the majority of Americans now live within 10 miles of a local brewery.

With nearly 2000 breweries slated to open in the coming years, Americans will be given even a greater choice of locally produced beers.

But Mr Watson, on his blog at www.brewersassociation.org, also issued a warning: “It means that competition continues to increase, and that brewers will need to further differentiate and focus on quality if they are going to succeed in a crowded marketplace.”