It used to be terms like 鈥渆conomic impact鈥� and 鈥渂eer鈥� were rarely uttered in the same breath. But there's a growing interest in the topic from the media,鈥�

The park has unique features, including a carnival-esque home run sculpture and two 450-gallon aquariums behind home plate.

Sales of craft beer have risen 15 percent this year, while sales of mass-produced beers have dipped. Innovation within the industry is exciting for aficionados 鈥� many of whom will attend this weekend's Great American Beer Festival, considered the premier venue for new breweries to get noticed.

It's a good time to brew beer in America. According to beer expert Julia Herz, U.S. brewing isn't just on the upswing, it's on top. "We're now the No. 1 destination for beer, based on diversity and amount of beers," she says. And the industry's fastest growth is in craft breweries.