BOULDER, Colo. – Craft beer has had a very good 2016, the Brewers Association reports. “In the face of numerous opportunities and challenges in 2016, small and independent craft brewers continue to thrive,” said Bart Watson, chief economist for the association, in a press release.

The United States is home to 5,005 breweries, with 99% small and independent craft brewers. By mid-2016, small and independent breweries had grown by 8%.

More people are interested in “beer tourism”—going to specific locations around the country in search of craft breweries. Also indicating how far craft beer has come, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History will soon launch a three-year initiative to collect, document and preserve the history of brewing, craft brewers and the beer industry in America.

“This has been an exponentially exciting year as the beer community continues to grow and evolve. It is incredible to watch local brewers innovate and validate the new way the world views the U.S. beer scene,” said Julia Herz, craft beer program director for the Brewers Association. “Much of the dialogue in 2016 centered around the craft brewer definition, who qualifies as a small and independent brewer, what independence means to beer lovers, beer quality and beer appreciation.”

Read more about how beer sales have grown with consumer insights in “Cooler Confidence” from the October issue of NACS Magazine.