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04 May 2009

Brewers Association Releases Top 50 Breweries List, part 1: Craft Brewing Statistics

"In 2007, 35 of the top 50 brewing companies were small and independent craft brewers. In 2008 there were 37," states Paul Gatza, Director of the Brewers Association. "Craft brewers continue to have success and generate excitement behind the flavorful beer movement, but not without recent challenges including price increases for raw materials and supplies, as well as access to market issues."

Changes from last year’s list include breweries moving up or down in the rankings based on volume sales. For example, there was one new entrant into the Top 50 Craft list, The Saint Louis Brewery.

The 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 2 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.

For additional statistics, see Craft Brewing Statistics.

Top 50 craft brewing companies by beer sales volume (based on 2008 sales)

RankBrewing CompanyCityState
1Boston Beer Co.BostonMA
2Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.ChicoCA
3New Belgium Brewing Co.Fort CollinsCO
4Spoetzl BreweryShinnerTX
5Pyramid Breweries Inc.SeattleWA
6Deschutes BreweryBendOR
7Matt Brewing Co.UticaNY
8Boulevard Brewing Co.Kansas CityMO
9Full Sail Brewing Co.Hood RiverOR
10Magic Hat Brewing Co.BurlingtonVT
11Alaskan Brewing Co.JuneauAK
12Harpoon BreweryBostonMA
13Bell’s Brewery, Inc.GalesburgMI
14Kona Brewing Co.Kailua-KonaHI
15Anchor Brewing Co.San FranciscoCA
16Shipyard Brewing Co.PortlandME
17Summit Brewing Co.Saint PaulMN
18Stone Brewing Co.EscondidoCA
19Abita Brewing Co.Abita SpringsLA
20The Brooklyn BreweryBrooklynNY
21New Glarus Brewing Co.New GlarusWI
22Dogfish Head Craft BreweryMiltonDE
23Long Trail Brewing Co.Bridgewater CornersVT
24Gordon Biersch Brewing Co.San JoseCA
25Rogue Ales/Oregon Brewing Co.NewportOR
26Great Lakes Brewing Co.ClevelandOH
27The Lagunitas Brewing Co.PetalumaCA
28Firestone Walker Brewing Co.Paso RoblesCA
29Sweet Water Brewing Co.AtlantaGA
30Flying Dog Brewing Co.FrederickMD
31BJ’s Restaurant & BreweryHuntington BeachCA
32Rock Bottom Brewery RestaurantsLouisvilleCO
33BridgePort Brewing Co.Portland OR
34Odell Brewing Co.Fort CollinsCO
35Victory Brewing Co.DowningtonPA
36Mac and Jack’s BreweryRedmontWA
37Big Sky Brewing Co.MissoulaMT
38Gordon Biersch Brewery RestaurantsChattanoogaTN
39Karl Strauss Brewing Co.San DiegoCA
40Breckenridge BreweryDenverCO
41Lost Coast Brewery and CafeEurekaCA
42Otter Creek Brewing Co.MiddleburyVT
43Utah Brewers CooperativeSalt Lake CityUT
44North Coast Brewing Co.Fort BraggCA
45Blue Point Brewing Co.PatchougeNY
46Boulder Beer Co.BoulderCO
47Pete’s Brewing Co.San AntonioTX
48McMenamins BreweriesPortlandOR
49Anderson Valley Brewing Co.BoonvilleCA
50The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc.St. LouisMO

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