Beer buzz

There’s no better time to be a craft beer lover in the Golden State. California has more specialty breweries than any other state, with more than 800 in operation. To put that in perspective, 91.4 percent of Californians live within 10 miles of a brewery. Here are some more stats to ponder while sipping a cold one:

• Craft beers now account for more than 23 percent ($26 billion) of the $111.4 billion U.S. beer market. About $7.3 billion of that is generated by California breweries.

• 3.2 million barrels of craft beer are produced per year, with the average adult drinker consuming about 3.5 gallons annually.

• There are about 49,300 full-time jobs in the craft beer industry, with the average wage hovering around $55,000.

• 31.5 percent of craft beer drinkers are women, while 68.5 percent are men, according to those who reported drinking “at least several times a year or more.”

Sources: California Craft Brewers Association, Brewers Association