How many craft beer breweries worldwide?

It is no secret that the U.S. craft beer industry has boomed. But what of the craft brewery situation elsewhere? Are other countries experiencing a similar rise in craft brewing? As data are scarce, the yeast expert Alltech did its own research and discovered that there are more than 10,000 craft breweries worldwide.

Here are the top ten countries and their brewery count:

Data: Alltech estimates

Some market insiders may argue that certain figures appear too low (the UK actually boasts over 1500 small breweries and Australia over 150) or will query Alltech’s guidelines for admission (most of Germany’s 1300 or so breweries will qualify as craft brewers according to U.S. criteria, for example).

Nevertheless, this survey shows that craft beer is not a U.S. phenomenon alone and that consumers the world over are enjoying a wider choice of beer brands than before.