The American brewing industry has changed considerably over the past few decades. Craft breweries, once considered a novelty with an uncertain future, continue to gain ground and now account for almost six percent of all beer sales volume. This may not sound like much, but it is significant when you consider that, in 1996, craft beer accounted for only about one percent of total sales volume.
Just recently, the Brewers Association compiled a list of the largest breweries in 2011 by sales volume. Here are the results:
Largest American Craft Breweries by Sales Volume:
Rank | Brewing Company | Location | |
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 Co. | 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 Café | 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 |
Largest American breweries overall by sales volume:
Rank | Brewing Company | Location | |
1 | Anheuser-Busch Inc. | St. Louis, MO | |
2 | MillerCoors | Chicago, IL | |
3 | Pabst Brewing Co. | Woodbridge, IL | |
4 | D. G. Yuengling and Son Inc. | Pottsville, PA | |
5 | Boston Beer Co. | Boston, MA | |
6 | North American Breweries | Rochester, NY | |
7 | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | Chico, CA | |
8 | New Belgium Brewing Co. | Fort Collins, CO | |
9 | Craft Brew Alliance, Inc. | Portland, OR | |
10 | The Gambrinus Company | San Antonio, TX | |
11 | Deschutes Brewery | Bend, OR | |
12 | Matt Brewing Co. | Utica, NY | |
13 | Bell’s Brewery, Inc. | Galesburg, MI | |
14 | Minhas Craft Brewery | 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. | New Ulm, MN | |
24 | Shipyard Brewing Co. | Portland, ME | |
25 | Abita Brewing Co. | Abita Springs, LA | |
26 | World Brews/Winery Exchange | 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. | Cold Spring, MN | |
35 | Sweetwater Brewing Co. | Atlanta, GA | |
36 | Rogue Ales Brewery | Newport, OR | |
37 | Mendocino Brewing Co. | Ukiah, CA | |
38 | Flying Dog Brewery | Frederick, MD | |
39 | Victory Brewing Co. | Downingtown, PA | |
40 | CraftWorks Breweries & Restaurants | Chattanooga/Louisville | |
41 | Oskar Blues Brewery & Tasty Weasel Tap Room | Longmont, CO | |
42 | Odell Brewing Co. | Fort Collins, CO | |
43 | Stevens Point Brewery Co. | 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. | Chicago, IL | |
49 | Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe | Eureka, CA | |
50 | Narragansett Brewing Co. | Providence, RI |
The list of 50 largest breweries overall reveals the influence of craft beer on the American brewing industry. Craft brewing operations now account for about 35 of the top 50 and they continue to grow and spread their influence each year. Go back to 1980 and there were fewer than five craft brewing operations ranked in the top 50. This reflects the changes in the industry and the maturing tastes of Americans who continue to demand more and better beer products, not just for special occasions, but for everyday consumption as well.
Expect craft breweries to continue their forward march into 2012 and beyond. The progress is slow, but the force of craft beer cannot be stopped and the big breweries will continue to feel the pressure.
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