Colorado named best state for brewery jobs
The best place for brewery jobs in the US is the state of Colorado, according to new data from the Beer Institute.
According to recent reports from Fox31, despite rising costs and numerous challenges, Colorado’s beer sector has continued to be an economic driver for the state and ranks highest in a new study called Beer Serves America.
The study, led by the Beer Institute, outlined that jobs in breweries account for one in every 475 jobs in Colorado and revealed that this was the highest ratio of any US state.
The Colorado Beverage Coalition additionally highlighted that in 2024, Colorado has lost 41 breweries and beer sales were down by 3.2%, higher than the national average sales decrease of 2%.
Resilience
Beer Institute chief economist Andrew Heritage said: “I see beer as being a resilient industry, and where we are right now is sort of evolving to a new space as consumer preferences change.”
Heritage also explained: “When you look at business conditions a decade ago versus today, things are much tighter now. Credit conditions are tighter, costs of operating have gone up, costs of labor have gone up, that’s a significant driver of that, so it’s just much more difficult to operate any sort of business right now, brewing included”.
Looking at the beer industry’s methods for survival, Heritage pointed out that the reason the sector was still standing was because of how agile it was and how it had learned to respond to consumer tastes and needs as they have adapted.
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He added: “One of the things that’s really neat about the beer industry is that beer is a product that is highly versatile, so as consumer preferences evolve, the reason that this industry has been so resilient over times, it’s been able to match and meet those consumers where they are,”
The Brewers Association also noted how more breweries, taprooms and brewpubs had closed than opened in recent years and emphasised how tough the market was at the moment.
The craft scene has helped
In its figures, The Beer Institute also revealed that 37.7% of the state’s brewing jobs (equal to 2,335 roles) are for large brewers like Coors, showing that the majority of brewery jobs in Colorado are for its craft beer industry.
The data shows that the state has 6,253 brewing jobs in total, which includes various roles from the brewmaster and sales right through to working in accounting at the brewery.
Heritage insisted that beer has a broad economic halo effect across other industries and said: “There’s a multiplier effect. Every dollar spent in the beer industry creates US$2.31 in economic output throughout the US economy. That just speaks to the broad impact that beer has on the US economy overall.”
Fair taxation
But, he warned: “Any business, beer included, needs an equal playing field and fair taxation policies to thrive. In Colorado, that’s been the case,” he said. “Just getting the business conditions right has gone a long way to spur the industry there.”
Colorado Brewers Guild communications manager Carrie Knose Wilson added: “Independent craft breweries are a cornerstone of Colorado culture—they fuel local economies, create jobs, and bring people together. But right now, many are facing unprecedented challenges.”
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