U.S. production growth in craft brewing slowed to its lowest rate in seven years over the first half of 2016, though more breweries opened in the first six months of this year than opened in all of 2015. Year-over-year production growth for small, locally owned breweries nationwide reached 8 percent for the first six months of this year, according to the Boulder, Colorado-based Brewers Association, the industry group for the sector. If that pace continues through the rest of 2016, it will lead…