Since homebrewing became federally legal in 1979, the number of people brewing beer at home has climbed to more than 1.2 million in the United States alone, according to the Boulder, Colo.-based American Homebrewers Association (AHA). People experimenting with beer recipes directly led to another phenomenon — the launch of more than 5,000 small, independent breweries throughout the country.
“Homebrewing … really took off after 2005,” AHA Director Gary Glass says. “In the early days, homebrewers were motivated by the lack of choice in commercially available beers. For homebrewers who have gotten into the hobby more recently, the opportunity to create unique beers that suit their personal tastes has become the primary reason for brewing.