Why Ohio’s craft beer scene is big business
The craft beer industry in Ohio brought in US$1.29 billion in 2024 and is forecast to grow further.
The state, which already has 442 craft breweries in operation in total, according to the Ohio Craft Brewers Association, has seen an increase from 2022 when Ohio breweries had contributed US$1.27 billion to the economy.
According to a Columbus Underground report, Ohio’s craft beer industry had 9,753 direct jobs and an additional 2,502 indirect jobs sustaining 8,095 Ohio households.
Plus, the data revealed that, last year, 1.15 million barrels were brewed and Ohio craft breweries also generated an estimated US$128.6 million of state and local taxes and US$99.1 million of federal taxes.
Adding to the success of the sector, the number of craft breweries in Ohio has also continued to rise.
For instance, there were 45 in 2011, 135 in 2015, 300 in 2018, 357 in 2020, 420 in 2022, and 442 in 2024, according to the findings.
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Forecasting further growth for the industry, the report noted how 53 breweries were already in their planning stages across the state.
The report also pointed out how, despite the many successes the industry was seeing, Ohio breweries will likely begin to see the effects of new tariffs on aluminium, steel and malted barley soon.
According to the Brewers Association, Ohio is still managing to ride against the trend for brewery closures. The craft brewery association highlighted how there were currently 9,796 craft breweries across the US in 2024.
Yet, despite this, last year was the first year since 2005 that there were more brewery closures than openings nationwide after the sector saw 430 new breweries open their doors and 529 breweries close.
Irrespective of the challenges however, Ohio still appears to be going strong as the data from the state-wide reports have attested.
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