Photo Credit: CraftBeer.com

People like beer that tastes good. Who knew?

It’s an industry that’s surged over the last few years, and it’s only continuing to grow – craft beer. According to the Brewer’s Association, there were about 1,500 craft breweries in 2007. Ten years later, there were 7,000 breweries.

The Brewer’s Association decided to see what exactly was going on behind this major increase, so they surveyed a sample of 2,000 people online. They asked people what the biggest factor was in the rage behind craft beer.

According to responses from the survey, the Brewer’s Association ultimately found that most people enjoyed craft beer because of the taste. Oddly enough, the vast majority said they didn’t care about the price of the beer. If it tasted good or had a yummy flavor, they didn’t mind shelling out more money.

However, a lot of people also prefer the “community aspect” of craft beer more than regular beer. For instance, if a particular neighborhood tends to have bars that only boast craft labels, the timing or occasion may make more sense for that to be the reason a large number of people find themselves in a craft brewery or a fancy bar. Some say the social aspects of this generation’s “tap room” are akin to the diners or coffee shops of previous generations.

The Brewer’s Association has yet to conduct a full-range, scientific study on this topic.