Yesterday, the Brewers Association released their Top 50 Brewers lists for 2011. One for craft breweries and one for overall breweries. The full press release is listed at the end of this post.
You may be interested (as I was) about how “craft brewer” is defined. According to the Brewers Association, a craft brewer is small, independent, and traditional. Small is defined as less than 6 million barrels a year. The explanations for independent and traditional border on legalese. If you’re interested in the details, check out footnote 1.
After perusing the lists, here are my thoughts and observations about the Top 50 Craft Brewers List:
- Four brewers from Oregon (Deschutes, Full Sail, Ninkasi, and Rogue) made the Top 50 Craft Brewers list.
- BridgePort Brewing is part of The Gambrinus Co., from San Antonio, Texas, which is listed as the fourth largest craft brewer.
- I was surprised that Craft Brew Alliance (parent of Widmer Brothers, Redhook, and Kona) is not classified as a craft brewer. I expect they didn’t meet the definition’s “independent” clause based on their ownership structure. I’ll verify. They are the 9th largest overall brewer, however.
- I was pleasantly surprised to see Alaskan Brewing as the 14th largest craft brewer. This is a feat considering all of their beer is brewed in Alaska and shipped out by barge. I’m a big fan of their beer.
- I was also surprised to see New Glarus Brewing in the 19th position. I’ve never tasted their beer, but have heard great things about their cherry ale. I believe they only distribute in Wisconsin.
- I didn’t realize Bell’s Brewery (7th position) from Michigan and Boulevard Brewing (10th position) from Missouri were as large as they are. Good for them.
Anyway, the craft brewing industry is dynamic and I look forward to seeing how this list changes in 2012. For another take on this list, check out Beervana.
What do you think of the 2011 Top Brewers List? Any surprises?
Brewers Association Releases Top 50 Breweries in 2011
Boulder, CO -- April 17, 2012 - The Brewers Association—the not-for-profit trade group that tabulates production statistics for U.S. breweries—today released its annual lists of the top 50 craft and overall brewing companies in the U.S., based on 2011 beer sales volume. Of the top 50 overall brewing companies, 36 are small and independent craft brewing companies¹,².
“In the last 15 years, craft brewing has gone from one percent of the overall beer market to almost six percent in 2011,” said Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association. “We attribute a large part of that growth to the many talented brewers who are providing beer lovers with more beer style and flavor choices than ever before.”
Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies
| |||
(Based on 2011 beer sales volume)
| |||
Rank
|
Brewing Co.
|
City
|
State
|
1
|
Boston Beer Co.
|
Boston
|
MA
|
2
|
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
|
Chico
|
CA
|
3
|
New Belgium Brewing Co.
|
Fort Collins
|
CO
|
4
|
The Gambrinus Company
|
San Antonio
|
TX
|
5
|
Deschutes Brewery
|
Bend
|
OR
|
6
|
Matt Brewing Co.
|
Utica
|
NY
|
7
|
Bell's Brewery, Inc.
|
Galesburg
|
MI
|
8
|
Harpoon Brewery
|
Boston
|
MA
|
9
|
Lagunitas Brewing Co.
|
Petaluma
|
CA
|
10
|
Boulevard Brewing Co.
|
Kansas City
|
MO
|
11
|
Stone Brewing Company
|
Escondido
|
CA
|
12
|
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
|
Milton
|
DE
|
13
|
Brooklyn Brewery
|
Brooklyn
|
NY
|
14
|
Alaskan Brewing & Bottling Co.
|
Juneau
|
AK
|
15
|
Long Trail Brewing Co.
|
Burlington
|
VT
|
16
|
Shipyard Brewing Co.
|
Portland
|
ME
|
17
|
Abita Brewing Co.
|
Abita Springs
|
LA
|
18
|
Great Lakes Brewing Co.
|
Cleveland
|
OH
|
19
|
New Glarus Brewing Co.
|
New Glarus
|
WI
|
20
|
Full Sail Brewing Co.
|
Hood River
|
OR
|
21
|
Summit Brewing Co.
|
St. Paul
|
MN
|
22
|
Anchor Brewing Co.
|
San Francisco
|
CA
|
23
|
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
|
Paso Robles
|
CA
|
24
|
Sweetwater Brewing Co.
|
Atlanta
|
GA
|
25
|
Rogue Ales Brewery
|
Newport
|
OR
|
26
|
Flying Dog Brewery
|
Frederick
|
MD
|
27
|
Victory Brewing Co.
|
Downingtown
|
PA
|
28
|
CraftWorks Breweries & Restaurants
|
Chattanooga/Louisville
|
TN/CO
|
29
|
Oskar Blues Brewery
|
Longmont
|
CO
|
30
|
Odell Brewing Co.
|
Fort Collins
|
CO
|
31
|
Stevens Point Brewery Co.
|
Stevens Point
|
WI
|
32
|
Ninkasi Brewing Co.
|
Eugene
|
OR
|
33
|
BJ's Chicago Pizza & Brewery, Inc.
|
Huntington Beach
|
CA
|
34
|
Blue Point Brewing Co.
|
Patchogue
|
NY
|
35
|
Bear Republic Brewing Co.
|
Cloverdale
|
CA
|
36
|
Lost Coast Brewery Cafe
|
Eureka
|
CA
|
37
|
Big Sky Brewing Co.
|
Missoula
|
MT
|
38
|
North Coast Brewing Co. Inc.
|
Fort Bragg
|
CA
|
39
|
Saint Louis Brewery, Inc./Schlafly Bottleworks
|
St. Louis
|
MO
|
40
|
Gordon Biersch Brewing Co.
|
San Jose
|
CA
|
41
|
Breckenridge Brewery
|
Denver
|
CO
|
42
|
Founders Brewing Co.
|
Grand Rapids
|
MI
|
43
|
Saint Arnold Brewing Co.
|
Houston
|
TX
|
44
|
Karl Strauss Brewing Co.
|
San Diego
|
CA
|
45
|
Real Ale Brewing Co.
|
Blanco
|
TX
|
46
|
Mac and Jack's Brewery Inc.
|
Redmond
|
WA
|
47
|
Smuttynose Brewing Co.
|
Portsmouth
|
NH
|
48
|
Utah Brewers Cooperative
|
Salt Lake City
|
UT
|
49
|
Left Hand Brewing Co.
|
Longmont
|
CO
|
t.50
|
Anderson Valley Brewing Co.
|
Boonville
|
CA
|
t.50
|
Four Peaks Brewing Co.
|
Tempe
|
AZ
|
Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies
| |||
(Based on 2011 beer sales volume)
| |||
Rank
|
Brewing Co.
|
City
|
State
|
1
|
Anheuser-Busch Inc. (a)
|
St. Louis
|
MO
|
2
|
MillerCoors (b)
|
Chicago
|
IL
|
3
|
Pabst Brewing Co. (c)
|
Woodbridge
|
IL
|
4
|
D. G. Yuengling and Son Inc.
|
Pottsville
|
PA
|
5
|
Boston Beer Co.
|
Boston
|
MA
|
6
|
North American Breweries (d)
|
Rochester
|
NY
|
7
|
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
|
Chico
|
CA
|
8
|
New Belgium Brewing Co.
|
Fort Collins
|
CO
|
9
|
Craft Brew Alliance, Inc. (e)
|
Portland
|
OR
|
10
|
The Gambrinus Company (f)
|
San Antonio
|
TX
|
11
|
Deschutes Brewery
|
Bend
|
OR
|
12
|
Matt Brewing Co. (g)
|
Utica
|
NY
|
13
|
Bell's Brewery, Inc.
|
Galesburg
|
MI
|
14
|
Minhas Craft Brewery (h)
|
Monroe
|
WI
|
15
|
Harpoon Brewery
|
Boston
|
MA
|
16
|
Lagunitas Brewing Co.
|
Petaluma
|
CA
|
17
|
Boulevard Brewing Co.
|
Kansas City
|
MO
|
18
|
Stone Brewing Co.
|
Escondido
|
CA
|
19
|
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
|
Milton
|
DE
|
20
|
Brooklyn Brewery
|
Brooklyn
|
NY
|
21
|
Alaskan Brewing and Bottling Co.
|
Juneau
|
AK
|
22
|
Long Trail Brewing Co.
|
Burlington
|
VT
|
23
|
August Schell Brewing Co. (i)
|
New Ulm
|
MN
|
24
|
Shipyard Brewing Co.
|
Portland
|
ME
|
25
|
Abita Brewing Co.
|
Abita Springs
|
LA
|
26
|
World Brews/Winery Exchange (j)
|
Novato
|
CA
|
27
|
Great Lakes Brewing Co.
|
Cleveland
|
OH
|
28
|
New Glarus Brewing Co.
|
New Glarus
|
WI
|
29
|
Full Sail Brewing Co.
|
Hood River
|
OR
|
30
|
Pittsburgh Brewing Co.
|
Pittsburgh
|
PA
|
31
|
Summit Brewing Co.
|
St. Paul
|
MN
|
32
|
Anchor Brewing Co.
|
San Francisco
|
CA
|
33
|
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
|
Paso Robles
|
CA
|
34
|
Cold Spring Brewing Co. (k)
|
Cold Spring
|
MN
|
35
|
Sweetwater Brewing Co.
|
Atlanta
|
GA
|
36
|
Rogue Ales Brewery
|
Newport
|
OR
|
37
|
Mendocino Brewing Co. (l)
|
Ukiah
|
CA
|
38
|
Flying Dog Brewery
|
Frederick
|
MD
|
39
|
Victory Brewing Co.
|
Downingtown
|
PA
|
40
|
CraftWorks Breweries & Restaurants (m)
|
Chattanooga/Louisville
|
TN/CO
|
41
|
Oskar Blues Brewery & Tasty Weasel Tap Room
|
Longmont
|
CO
|
42
|
Odell Brewing Co.
|
Fort Collins
|
CO
|
43
|
Stevens Point Brewery Co. (n)
|
Stevens Point
|
WI
|
44
|
Ninkasi Brewing Co.
|
Eugene
|
OR
|
45
|
BJ's Chicago Pizza & Brewery
|
Huntington Beach
|
CA
|
46
|
Blue Point Brewing Co.
|
Patchogue
|
NY
|
47
|
Bear Republic Brewing Co.
|
Cloverdale
|
CA
|
48
|
Goose Island Brewing Co. (o)
|
Chicago
|
IL
|
49
|
Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe
|
Eureka
|
CA
|
50
|
Narragansett Brewing Co.
|
Providence
|
RI
|
*Top 50 U.S. Overall Brewing Companies notes: (a) includes Bass, Beck's, Busch, Goose Island, Landshark, Michelob, Rolling Rock, Shock Top and Wild Blue brands. Does not include partially owned Coastal, Kona, Red Hook and Widmer Brothers brands; (b) includes A.C. Golden, Batch 19, Blue Moon, Colorado Native, Herman Joseph, Keystone, Killian's and Leinenkugel's brands; (c) includes Schlitz and 28 other brand families; (d) includes Dundee, Genesee, Labatt Lime, Magic Hat and Pyramid brands; (e) includes Kona, Red Hook and Widmer Brothers brands; (f) includes BridgePort, Shiner and Trumer brands; (g) includes Flying Bison brands; (h) includes Mountain Crest and 10 other brand families; (i) includes Grain Belt brand; (j) private label brands; (k) includes Gluek and 17 other brand families; (l) includes Butte Creek, Kingfisher and Olde Saratoga brands; (m) includes A1A, Big River, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants, Rock Bottom Restaurants, Ragtime and Seven Bridges brewpubs; (n) includes James Page and Whole Hog brands; (o) sold to Anheuser-Busch in 2011.
The Association's full 2011 industry analysis, which shows regional trends and sales by individual breweries, will be published in the May/June issue of The New Brewer, available May 22, 2012.
For additional statistics, see the craft brewing statistics and 2011 craft brewer sales numbers.
¹The definition of a craft brewer as stated by the Brewers Association: An American craft brewer is small, independent, and traditional. Small: Annual production of beer less than 6 million barrels. Beer production is attributed to a brewer according to the rules of alternating proprietorships. Flavored malt beverages are not considered beer for purposes of this definition. Independent: Less than 25% of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer. Traditional: A brewer who has either an all malt flagship (the beer which represents the greatest volume among that brewer's brands) or has at least 50% of its volume in either all malt beers or in beers which use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavor.
²Flavored malt beverages are not considered beer for the Top 50 rankings.
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