The pandemic upended many of the things we think of as distinctively Oregon – festivals, restaurants, hotels, theater. And beer.

Employment at Oregon breweries tumbled 43% in the first months of the pandemic. While many of those jobs bounced back over the summer as the state gradually reopened, brewery jobs remained down nearly 29% -- a greater fall than at restaurants and bars, overall.

That's according to a new analysis by Damon Runberg, with the Oregon Employment Department. His findings underscore the degree to which the state's beer sector relies on brewpubs to support Oregon's distinctive craft brewing segment.

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