The Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade group representing small and independent craft brewers across the United States, today released its annual lists of the top 50 craft and overall brewing companies in the U.S., based on beer sales, and four San Diego based breweries made the list. A good sign for craft - of the top 50 overall brewing companies, 43 were craft brewing companies.
“The top U.S. brewers continue to drive demand, growth, innovation and exponential interest in beers from small and independent brewers,” said Bart Watson, chief economist, Brewers Association. “With a historic record number of breweries in U.S., the top brewers continue to open new markets and expose beer drinkers to a variety of fuller-flavored styles and offerings.”
Stone Brewing Co. rounded out the Top 10 at #10, falling one spot from last year when they were listed 9th. Ballast Point followed right behind Stone at #11, moving up from #31 on the 2015 list. Green Flash moved up seven spots on the list from last year to #41, and Karl Strauss, one of San Diego's original craft brewers, was 46 on the list. From the list of the 50 biggest breweries, not limited to 'craft', Stone came in at 15th, Ballast Point was 17th, and Green Flash just squeeked in at 49th. Next year, Ballast Point will no longer be considered 'craft', due to their sale to NY-based Constellation Brands late last year.
According to the Brewers Association, an American brewery is considered 'craft' if it is "small, independent and traditional." The annual production must be no more than 6 million barrels of beer. No more than 25 percent of the craft brewery can be owned or controlled by an alcoholic beverage industry member that is not itself a craft brewer. The brewer also must sell the majority of its beers whose flavor derive from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients and their fermentation. Flavored malt beverages are not considered beers.
For the complete Top 50 craft brewery list, see below and check out the Brewers Association website for more information.
TOP 50 CRAFT BREWERIES IN THE US FOR 2016:
1) D. G. Yuengling and Son, Inc - Pottsville, PA
2) Boston Beer Co - Boston, MA
3) Sierra Nevada Brewing Co - Chico, CA
4) New Belgium Brewing Co - Fort Collins, CO
5) Gambrinus - San Antonio, TX
6) Lagunitas Brewing Co - Petaluma, CA
7) Bell's Brewery, Inc - Kalamazoo, MI
8) Deschutes Brewery - Bend, OR
9) Minhas Craft Brewery - Monroe, WI
10) Stone Brewing Co - Escondido, CA
11) Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits - San Diego, CA
12) Brooklyn Brewery - Brooklyn, NY
13) Firestone Walker Brewing Co - Paso Robles, CA
14) Oskar Blues Brewing Holding Co - LongmontCO
15) Duvel Moortgat USA - Kansas City & Cooperstown, MO/NY
16) Dogfish Head Craft Brewery - Milton, DE
17) Matt Brewing Co - Utica, NY
18) SweetWater Brewing Co - Atlanta, GA
19) Harpoon Brewery - Boston, MA
20) New Glarus Brewing Co - New Glarus, WI
21) Great Lakes Brewing Co - Cleveland, OH
22) Alaskan Brewing Co. - Juneau, AK
23) Abita Brewing Co - Abita Springs, LA
24) Anchor Brewing Co - San Francisco, CA
25) Stevens Point Brewery Co - Stevens Point, WI
26) Victory Brewing Co - Downingtown, PA
27) August Schell Brewing Co - New Ulm, MN
28) Long Trail Brewing Co - Bridgewater Corners, VT
29) Summit Brewing Co - Saint Paul, MN
30) Shipyard Brewing Co - Portland, ME
31) Full Sail Brewing Co - Hood River, OR
32) Odell Brewing Co - Fort Collins, CO
33) Southern Tier Brewing Co - Lakewood, NY
34) Rogue Ales Brewery - Newport, OR
35) 21st Amendment Brewery - Bay Area, CA
36) Ninkasi Brewing Co - Eugene, OR
37) Flying Dog Brewery - Frederick, MD
38) Narragansett Brewing Co - Providence, RI
39) Left Hand Brewing Company - Longmont, CO
40) Uinta Brewing Co - Salt Lake City, UT
41) Green Flash Brewing Co - San Diego, CA
42) Allagash Brewing Co, Portland - ME
43) Lost Coast Brewery - Eureka, CA
44) Bear Republic Brewing Co - Cloverdale,CA
45) Troegs Brewing Co - Hershey, PA
46) Karl Strauss Brewing Co - San Diego,CA
47) Breckenridge Brewery - Littleton, CO
48) North Coast Brewing Co - Fort Bragg, CA
49) Four Peaks Brewing Co - Tempe, AZ
50) Revolution Brewing Co - Chicago, IL
TOP 50 CRAFT BREWERIES IN THE US FOR 2016:
1) D. G. Yuengling and Son, Inc - Pottsville, PA
2) Boston Beer Co - Boston, MA
3) Sierra Nevada Brewing Co - Chico, CA
4) New Belgium Brewing Co - Fort Collins, CO
5) Gambrinus - San Antonio, TX
6) Lagunitas Brewing Co - Petaluma, CA
7) Bell's Brewery, Inc - Kalamazoo, MI
8) Deschutes Brewery - Bend, OR
9) Minhas Craft Brewery - Monroe, WI
10) Stone Brewing Co - Escondido, CA
11) Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits - San Diego, CA
12) Brooklyn Brewery - Brooklyn, NY
13) Firestone Walker Brewing Co - Paso Robles, CA
14) Oskar Blues Brewing Holding Co - LongmontCO
15) Duvel Moortgat USA - Kansas City & Cooperstown, MO/NY
16) Dogfish Head Craft Brewery - Milton, DE
17) Matt Brewing Co - Utica, NY
18) SweetWater Brewing Co - Atlanta, GA
19) Harpoon Brewery - Boston, MA
20) New Glarus Brewing Co - New Glarus, WI
21) Great Lakes Brewing Co - Cleveland, OH
22) Alaskan Brewing Co. - Juneau, AK
23) Abita Brewing Co - Abita Springs, LA
24) Anchor Brewing Co - San Francisco, CA
25) Stevens Point Brewery Co - Stevens Point, WI
26) Victory Brewing Co - Downingtown, PA
27) August Schell Brewing Co - New Ulm, MN
28) Long Trail Brewing Co - Bridgewater Corners, VT
29) Summit Brewing Co - Saint Paul, MN
30) Shipyard Brewing Co - Portland, ME
31) Full Sail Brewing Co - Hood River, OR
32) Odell Brewing Co - Fort Collins, CO
33) Southern Tier Brewing Co - Lakewood, NY
34) Rogue Ales Brewery - Newport, OR
35) 21st Amendment Brewery - Bay Area, CA
36) Ninkasi Brewing Co - Eugene, OR
37) Flying Dog Brewery - Frederick, MD
38) Narragansett Brewing Co - Providence, RI
39) Left Hand Brewing Company - Longmont, CO
40) Uinta Brewing Co - Salt Lake City, UT
41) Green Flash Brewing Co - San Diego, CA
42) Allagash Brewing Co, Portland - ME
43) Lost Coast Brewery - Eureka, CA
44) Bear Republic Brewing Co - Cloverdale,CA
45) Troegs Brewing Co - Hershey, PA
46) Karl Strauss Brewing Co - San Diego,CA
47) Breckenridge Brewery - Littleton, CO
48) North Coast Brewing Co - Fort Bragg, CA
49) Four Peaks Brewing Co - Tempe, AZ
50) Revolution Brewing Co - Chicago, IL
