US beer industry employs 48,600 in brewing, 890,000 total, for $21bil wages
The Beer Institute and The National Beer Wholesalers Association sponsor Beer Serves America, which was organized in 1986 to represent the industry before Congress, state legislatures and public forums across the U.S. (i.e. they're lobbyists). They recently released their analysis of the 2005 data.

The industry includes approximately 2,400 brewers and beer importers, 1,900 beer wholesalers, and 550,000 retail establishments. The industry’s economic ripple effect benefits packaging manufacturers, shipping companies, agriculture, and other businesses whose livelihood depends on the beer industry.
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They estimate the total number of beer industry related jobs including suppliers and "induced impact" at 1.8 mil. earning $54 bil. in wages. (It's not clear whether they included website hosts or other media).
The industry has $162 bil. of total economic impact.
About $30 bil. in beer related earnings and consumption taxes were collected in 2005.