Mmmm, beer.

I just returned from a fantastic vacation to Oregon, one that should provide fodder for a few posts following this one. Not only did the Beaver State present all sorts of natural wonders to write about, but I also spent a few days with a friend who is a very successful writer. Just being around him tends to inspire me to put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard, at least). That combination caused me to shake Running On awake from its most recent slumber...

Of course, in addition to letting me spend time with friends and letting me experience some spectacular places, Oregon also introduced me to some outstanding craft beers. I have to admit, the state's self-proclaimed status as micro-brew capital of the U.S. seems to be warranted. A particular favorite, due in part to their beer and in part to a fun bartender and tasty ribeye, was Golden Valley Brewery in McMinnville. Also, its waterfront location in Newport, overwhelming diversity of brews, and the rich smell of yeast permeating the air made the Rogue Brewery a memorable spot as well.

Quite serendipitously, upon returning to the Bay State, I came across an interesting article on the state of craft brews generally and organic brews specifically in the U.S. And it seems that things look good! Craft brews account for around 5% of U.S. beer sales by volume and 7.6% by value (given the higher price point). Both figures represent continued growth, with analysts predicting that sales could reach 20% over the next decade.

Within that market, organic brews still represent a small fraction of the 1,716 craft brews in the country. However, sales of organic brews increased nearly fivefold from 2003 to 2009, from $9 million to $41 million. That is the fastest growth of any sector of the U.S. beer market.

And, fittingly, to close our time in Oregon (for now) we had our last beer at the PDX location of the organic Laurelwood Brewery!