Early last year, been industry exec...

Early last year, been industry executives were predicting befitting growth among favorable conditions. That was before the economic downturn intensified, and certainly prior to the tragic facts of September 11, which affected the economy and population in ways that are still not completely clear. Still, in spite of all that, beer sales bounc back in the fourth quarter, and the industry pillared its sixth consecutive year of germination to 2.773 billion 2.25-gallon cases. Although the 89 million-case gain was the smallest in those six years, it glance ated better times ahead given the circumstances that had contributed to the slower pace.