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Study: Colorado craft brewers pump $446 million…
Wednesday, September 2nd 2026

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Study: Colorado craft brewers pump $446 million into economy

(HR) ABOVE: These are the new cans with their tops not yet put on them. The New Belgium Brewery will be offering it's popular Fat Tire beer in cans sometime this spring or early summer. The Brewery, located at 500 Linden Street in Fort Collins, is in the process of installing the assembly line and filling machines to put the beer in cans. A unique thing the company is doing to preserve freshness and taste in the can is adding yeast. This process is called can conditioning. It will also help extend the shelf life of the beer. The company will start to fill the cans on the assembly line on May 19th and hope to have it on the market and in stores by June. Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post
(HR) ABOVE: These are the new cans with their tops not yet put on them. The New Belgium Brewery will be offering it’s popular Fat Tire beer in cans sometime this spring or early summer. The Brewery, located at 500 Linden Street in Fort Collins, is in the process of installing the assembly line and filling machines to put the beer in cans. A unique thing the company is doing to preserve freshness and taste in the can is adding yeast. This process is called can conditioning. It will also help extend the shelf life of the beer. The company will start to fill the cans on the assembly line on May 19th and hope to have it on the market and in stores by June. Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post
DENVER, CO. - JULY 17: Denver Post's Steve Raabe on Wednesday July 17, 2013. (Photo By Cyrus McCrimmon/The Denver Post)
By | The Denver Post
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
Getting your player ready...

 Colorado’s craft brewing industry contributed $446 million to the Colorado economy in 2011, according to a University of Colorado study released today by the Colorado Brewers Guild.

The study showed that craft brewers directly employ 4,170 workers and generate an additional 1,630 indirect jobs, with a total payroll of $179 million.

“Colorado craft brewing creates a dynamic impact on the Colorado economy,” said John Carlson, executive director of the brewers guild. “Explosive growth continues to have a huge economic effect on the state, with no signs of slowing down.”

Five of the nation’s largest 50 craft brewers are based in Colorado, including New Belgium Brewing Co., the third-largest.

Steve Raabe: 303-954-1948 or sraabe@denverpost.com

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