The U.S. has more microbreweries and brew pubs than ever, and more Americans are brewing their own beer at home, LifeWire reported Sept. 20.

In fact, some home brewers, like Sam Calgoine, graduate into full-fledged microbrewery owners. "We're proud of our growth," said Calagoine, owner of Delaware-based Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. "But what we're most proud of (is that) we've been able to continue this growth without dumbing down our beers. We opened with the mission of off-centered ale for off-centered people."

More attention is typically focused on beer in the fall, which is the time for Oktoberfest celebrations in the U.S. as well as Germany. The Great American Beer Festival also takes place in October in Denver, Colo.

"The first (festival) was in 1982. There were 22 breweries, 40 beers and 800 attendees. This year there are 470 breweries entered" and 41,000 attendees, said Julia Herz, a spokeswoman for the Brewers Association in Boulder, Colo. "The growth of craft beer in the U.S. is based on the marketplace's demand for flavor and diversity."

Sales of craft beers -- those made using a traditional process -- rose 11 percent in the first half of 2007, with demand growing in Europe and China as well. The U.S. also has 364 microbreweries and 975 brewpubs.

Membership in the American Homebrewers Association was up 20 percent in 2006, and estimates of the number of U.S. homebrewers range from 500,000 to 1.25 million.