Black Ops, Malterial Girls and Golden Tickets: Kerfuffles over Craft Beer Trademarks Continue

Craft beer continues to be a hit among consumers, and the industry is growing like a hop vine on steroids. From fewer than 100 breweries in the U.S. in 1978, domestic producer numbers have surged from 1,409 in 2006 to 5,234 in 2016, doubling their collective market share against the big brands. With significant annual increases in both revenue and sales volume projected to continue, savvy entrepreneurs continue to flood the $23.5 billion craft-beer market.