Analyst: Oregon craft beer industry slows

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon’s craft beer industry is slowing down after a decade of explosive growth, but a state economic analyst says the outlook is good for neighborhood microbreweries.

The Capital Press reports that Josh Lehner, of the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, gave that outlook in remarks to the annual meeting of the Oregon Brewers Guild last week.

The number of breweries in Oregon jumped from 76 in 2006 to 218 this year, and there’s fierce competition for a limited number of tap handles and shelf space.

Flagship Oregon beers such as Deschutes’ Black Butte Porter, Widmer’s Hefeweisen and Ninkasi’s Total Domination IPA can be found in bars and restaurants all over the state, Lehner said, but the state’s five largest breweries now sell only 20 percent of their beer in Oregon.

He said demand remains strong and there are still many parts of the state and country that are “under-supplied” when it comes to neighborhood brewpubs.

___

Information from: Capital Press, http://www.capitalpress.com/washington