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Top 50 American Breweries Reflect the Diversity of American Beer

Craft Brewers Account for More than Half of Leading Brewers

Located in 19 different states, the top 50 American brewing companies of 2004 produce a wide range of beers that reflect the diverse flavors of America's vibrant beer culture.  From golden light lagers to silky black stouts, the leading domestic brewers populate America's coolers with scores of beer brands across dozens of distinct styles.

"More than 1400 breweries operate in the US today, and craft brewers constitute the majority of the largest 50 brewing companies," said Paul Gatza, Director of the Brewers Association.  More than 30 of the top 50 brewing companies produce the traditional all-malt beer styles that define a craft brewer.

Overall, the brands brewed by top 50 producers include well-known American standards from Budweiser, Miller and Coors as well as nationally distributed craft beers like The Boston Beer Company's Samuel Adams Boston Lager, and Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale.  The list also includes regional stars like New Belgium Brewing Co's Fat Tire, Widmer Brewing Company's Hefe-Weizen and Harpoon Brewery's India Pale Ale (“IPA”).  The top 50 also includes Rock Bottom Restaurants Inc., which operates 34 brewpubs.

"The diverse styles of beer available from America's largest producers demonstrate the appeal that craft beer has for American beer drinkers," said Ray Daniels, Director of Craft Beer Marketing for the Brewers Association.  "Flavorful beer styles like amber ale and IPA are rapidly becoming favorites for an increasing number of consumers."

Brewers Association figures show that domestic craft beer sales volume grew 7 percent in 2004, faster any other segment of the beverage alcohol business, including wine, spirits and imported beer.

"The craft beer segment has grown steadily over the past ten years, but in 2004 it showed its biggest increase since 1996," said Gatza.  "The strong growth in craft beer sales shows American consumers' continuing interest in flavorful American beers."

Half of the top 50 brewers can be found in just five states, according to the Brewers Association. California, Oregon, Colorado, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania collectively host nearly 500 breweries, including 25 of the top 50 domestic producers.  Five top 50 breweries each are located in Oregon, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin; six are located in California; and four in Colorado.

The remainder of the top 50 are located in Texas (with 3 top 50 breweries), New York (3), Minnesota (3), Vermont (3), Missouri (2), Massachusetts (2), Washington (2), Alaska (1), North Carolina (1), Maine (1), Illinois (1), Michigan (1), Louisiana (1) and Hawaii (1).  Complete listings of the top 50 are included by rank and by state on the Brewers Association website, at www.brewersassociation.org/pr/pdf/top50.pdf.

The craft beer segment includes approximately 1400 breweries that produce primarily all-malt beers.  It includes brewpubs (brewery/restaurant), microbreweries (less than 15,000 barrels per year) and specialty brewers.  The Brewers Association has tabulated industry growth data for these breweries annually since 1985.

Top 10 craft brewers in the United States include Boston Beer Co (MA), Sierra Nevada Brewing Co (CA), Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co (WI), New Belgium Brewing Co (CO), F.X. Matt Brewing Co. (NY), Redhook Ale Brewery (WA), Widmer Brothers Brewing Co (OR), Pyramid Alehouse/Breweries Inc. (WA), Deschutes Brewery (OR), and Alaskan Brewing and Bottling Co (AK).

For more information visit the Brewers Association at www.beertown.org.  For a primer on beer basics, visit the Travel Lady at www.travellady.com/Issues/June03/BeerBasics.htm.

Edited by C. Jason Stewart

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