Free Republic

WASHINGTON, April 23 /PRNewswire/ -- America's beer industry, made up of brewers, beer importers, beer distributors, brewer suppliers, and retailers, directly and indirectly contributes nearly $190 billion annually to the U.S. economy according to a new economic impact study. The industry's economic impact includes more than 1.7 million jobs -- paying almost $55 billion in wages -- as well as more than $36 billion in federal, state, and local taxes. -snip- According to the study, the direct output of brewers, importers, beer distributors, and retailers into the American economy is almost $90 billion each year. The beer industry directly employs...