America has more craft beer breweries today than at any other point since 1887. Merriam-Webster added the term to their dictionary this year. Even President Obama has his own brew.
The number of breweries is increasing dramatically, according to the Brewer's Association, a trade organization — just take a glance at this nifty chart on their website — and 350 more were added between June and the same time last year. Among these breweries, 97 percent are "craft brewers" — meaning they are relatively low-production, independently owned, and "interpret historic styles with unique twists and develop new styles that have no precedent."
Atlantic Cities' fellow Sara Johnson tracked down the most current brewery figures #through the end of 2011# by state from the Brewer's Association, and the Martin Prosperity Institute's Zara Matheson mapped them.