Just as craft beer continues to expand, the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) & BrewExpo America has grown. Organized by the Brewers Association (BA), a non-profit trade organization based in Boulder, Colo., the CBC attracted 6,400 brewing professionals and approximately 440 exhibitors from March 26 to 29, in Washington, D.C.

In 2012, the total U.S. beer market grew by 1 percent; however, craft beer grew 15 percent in volume and 17 percent in dollar sales, representing a total barrel increase of nearly 1.8 million, according to preliminary data from the Brewers Association, Boulder, Colo.

With more than 4,500 attendees from 35 countries, the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, hosted by the Brewers Association, Boulder, Colo., May 2-5 in San Diego, was a testament to the growth in the industry. Setting the tone for the event, Brewers Association President Charlie Papazian addressed any doubts about the industry’s potential, saying, “We are not in a bubble, we are knee-deep in foam — and the foam is still rising.”