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Q: Trends in homebrewing (zymurgy) ( Answered 4 out of 5 stars,   0 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Trends in homebrewing (zymurgy)
Category: Family and Home > Food and Cooking
Asked by: mikedriehorst-ga
List Price: $44.50
Posted: 12 Jul 2006 10:50 PDT
Expires: 11 Aug 2006 10:50 PDT
Question ID: 745642
Seeking trends and statistics about the growth in homebrewing (people
making beer at home) in the U.S. Information such as the number of
homebrewers and/or the number of gallons (or other unit) made per
year, etc. Including percentage or other information to show
trends/changes in recent years.

I've looked at beer.about.com, beertown.org (Brewers Association), and
hbd.org (Home Brew Digest), but have found nothing.
Answer  
Subject: Re: Trends in homebrewing (zymurgy)
Answered By: bobbie7-ga on 12 Jul 2006 15:26 PDT
Rated:4 out of 5 stars
 
Hello Mikedriehorst,

Below you will find all the statistics and trends I was able to
uncover regarding homebrewing in the United States. There are
conflicting figures for the homebrewing market because the numbers
come from different sources.


According to Paul Gatza, 41, director of Boulder-based American
Homebrewers Association, ?the hobby of homebrewing gained popularity
in the 1990s.?

?Gatza, who's been homebrewing for 15 years, estimates that 250,000 to
500,000 people in America make their own beer. Across the country,
there are about 750 homebrew clubs.?

Yakima Herald: November 6, 2005
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:D3Re4BMC5kUJ:www.yakima-herald.com/page/dis/284642751810681+%22The+hobby+of+homebrewing+gained+popularity+in+the+1990s%22&hl=en&lr=&strip=1


===================================


Around 9 million six-packs of beer are home-brewed annually. 

?Malt extract syrup, hops and yeast are the basic ingredients used by
breweries all over the world.

Fermentation temperature, water quality and boiling time will produce
different results with the same recipe.

It takes two hours to brew a five-gallon batch of beer; which equals
around 60 12-ounce bottle.?

Source: Fine Living on Televisión
http://www.fineliving.com/fine/back_to_basics/article/0,1663,FINE_1408_1907297,00.html


===================================


Homebrewing isn't a new fad, but experts said the pastime has had a
recent increase in popularity.

According to Kiev Rattee, associate publisher of the national
magazines WineMaker and Brew Your Own, the industry has had swells and
falls in interest since the 1980s.
 
"People started having commercial beers that were more interesting,
and they realized there was this whole spectrum of beer out there."

1.25 million homebrewers in North America 

"I think people got into (homebrewing) because they wanted to have
those better beers." Rattee estimated that there are about 1.25
million homebrewers in North America, including Canada.?

It?s a male-dominated industry.

?96 percent of respondents in Brew Your Own's last reader study were
men - Rattee said that the hobby appeals to a variety of people, young
and old.?
 
Claim homebrewed beer is cheaper, fresher and better tasting than
store bought beer.

?One of the biggest bonuses to homebrewing is that it is inexpensive
after the first batch, brewers say. A first-time homebrewer's initial
input cost for supplies, which includes an equipment kit and
ingredients, can cost just under $100. Each subsequent batch runs
between $20 and $25, and with the standard homebrew batch yielding
about five gallons, which amounts to two cases of 12-ounce bottles,
the cost is significantly lower than what one pays for some six-packs
at the local beer store.?

The State News
http://www.statenews.com/article.phtml?pk=29016


===================================


?There are between 500,000 and 1 million homebrewers in the United
States.   There are estimated to be at least 4 million home winemakers
in the United States.?

?The average homebrewer spends between $100 and $150 per year on
his/her hobby.  (This represents an average of those who get a kit for
Christmas and never brew, to those who brew every week for a while.)?

?The average home winemaker spends between  $100 and $150 per year on
his/her hobby.?

Home Wine & Beer Trade Association
http://www.hwbta.org/new_shop_info.htm


===================================


Homebrew shop sees decline in homebrewing, growth in wine kits

The number of homebrew supplies stores in the U.S. has dwindled from a
high of almost 1,000 to about 500, according to the Brewers
Association industry group.

?But innovative products and a new breed of customer got rid of the
industry's hangover. In 2004, sales at Mr. Steve's were up 15 percent,
thanks largely to a growing trade in winemaking supplies.?

?New methods have reduced the "kitchen time" for home brewers, making
it more attractive for those who don't have an hour or more to stand
around boiling barley.?

?Something else made home brewing more attractive: higher taxes at the
beer distributor, ?Home brewers can make a batch for half the cost of
many commercially made beers.?

Read the full text of this article here:
Modern Brewery Age,  Feb 7, 2005 
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3469/is_6_56/ai_n11852525


===================================


Brew Your Own Magazine  Reader Statistics

?91,000 readers every issue 

Over $57 million spent by readers annually on homebrew supplies and equipment. 
518,700 advised by readers on homebrew purchases each year. 

4,049,500 gallons of homebrew made per year by readers. 

Over $70 million spent annually by readers on microbrew and import beer. 

1.2 million advised by readers on microbrew and import beer purchases each year. 

71% of readers rely on Brew Your Own as their only home brew or beer publication. ?

Brew Your Own Magazine  
http://byo.com/advertising/


=======================================

Honey in Beer

?Many modern brewers have come to value the use of all-natural
ingredients in their beers. One such ingredient is honey, which is
used in a variety of beers from herb and specialty beers to
traditional and flavored mead. The use of honey in beers has become
popular with the rise of micro- and homebrews. In addition,
homebrewing has become increasingly popular with nearly one million
Americans making their own beer according to the American Homebrewers
Association."

Honeyflow Farm
http://www.honeyflowfarm.com/beerbrewing.htm


===================================


1997

?The homebrew industry has experienced 20 to 35 percent growth each
year for the past five years. In 1993, growth in homebrew-related
sales volume was approximately 25 to 30 percent. It is estimated that
1.5 million Americans brew their own beer.?

The Draught Board 
http://users.rcn.com/thor.dnai/dboard/dbnewsl/t9704d.htm


According to the American Homebrewers Association, there are currently
1.2 million home brewers in the country, and their numbers keep
rising.

The Brewmaster's Bible: Published June 18, 1997
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060952164/104-6619901-0859958?v=glance&n=283155


===================================


1998

The American Homebrewers Association estimates that there are over 1.5
million homebrewers in the United States.

CNN: Charlie Papazian Biography
http://edition.cnn.com/HEALTH/indepth.food/beverages/alcohol/homebrew/papazian/


The U.S. home-brew hobby market is estimated at almost $200 million a
year, with about 1.5 million people brewing pale ales, stouts and
lagers in their kitchens

The News & Record (Piedmont Triad, NC)  | Date: March 11, 1998
http://www.highbeam.com/doc.aspx?DOCID=1G1:74659445&num=7&ctrlInfo=Round20%3AMode20d%3ASR%3AResult&ao=&FreePremium=BOTH&tab=lib


===================================


1999

?In the United States, which banned alcohol for 13 years after World
War I, brewing beer at home was not made federally legal until 1978,
according to the American Homebrewers Association.

Some 1.5 million Americans brew their own beer, the association says.
But the ultimate legality of home brewing remains up to individual
states.?

Ballast Point: 12-Sep-1999
http://www.ballastpoint.com/Jeff_McDonald%20_9_12_99.htm


===================================


According to William Canada, owner of  Canada Homebrew Supply, 2.5
million Americans brew beer at home.


 ?More than 2.5 million Americans brew beer at home, said William
Canada, who owns Canada Homebrew Supply in Abilene. The average
homebrewer is a college-educated, white male between 25-40 with an
average income of $35,000-50,000 annually.?

Brew Masters: February 1999
http://www.texasbrew.com/byo.html


===================================


Some informative articles:


Members of the homebrewing community talk about the good and the bad in the hobby
http://www.realbeer.com/edu/homebrewing/roundtable.php


Homebrewing: Styles
The classic beer styles all originate from the northern part of
central and Western Europe, but today those styles are brewed with
skill around the world.
http://www.realbeer.com/edu/homebrewing/styles.php


===================================


Search terms used: 
Homebrewing OR home brewing beer market million brewers statistics United States



I hope the information provided is helpful!

Best regards,
Bobbie7
mikedriehorst-ga rated this answer:4 out of 5 stars
Bobbie: Thank you for the work put into this. I was hoping for
something a bit more concrete and definite, but maybe with
homebrewing, possibly there is no complete, accurate count.

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