Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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The Top 50 Annotated 2012

By

ba
This is my seventh annual annotated list of the Top 50 so you can see who moved up and down, who was new to the list and who dropped off. So here is this year’s list again annotated with how they changed compared to last year.

  1. Anheuser-Busch InBev; #1 last seven years, no surprises
  2. MillerCoors; ditto for #2
  3. Pabst Brewing; ditto for #3
  4. D. G. Yuengling and Son; Same as last year
  5. Boston Beer Co.; Same as last year
  6. North American Breweries; 3rd year on the list, same position as last year
  7. Sierra Nevada Brewing; Same as last year
  8. New Belgium Brewing; Same as last year
  9. Craft Brewers Alliance; Same as last year
  10. Gambrinus Company; Same as last year
  11. Minhas Craft Brewery; Up 3 from #14 last year
  12. Deschutes Brewery; Down one from #11 last year
  13. Lagunitas Brewing; Up 3 from #16 last year after jumping up 10 from #26 the previous year, having been at #36 three years back
  14. Bell’s Brewery; Down 1 from #13 last year
  15. Matt Brewing; Down 3 from #12 last year
  16. Harpoon Brewery; Down 1 from #15 last year
  17. Stone Brewing; Up 1 from #18 last year
  18. Brooklyn Brewery; Up 2 from #20 last year, after jumping up 5 the year before
  19. Boulevard Brewing; Down 2 from #17 last year
  20. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery; Down 1 from last year, after being up 5, 9, 5 and 4 the four previous years
  21. Abita Brewing; Up 4 from #25 last year
  22. World Brew/Winery Exchange; Up 4 from #26 last year, after jumping up 11 the previous year
  23. Shipyard Brewing; Up 1 from last year, having moved up 4 the prior year
  24. Alaskan Brewing; Down 2 from #21 last year, their second drop in as many years
  25. August Schell Brewing; Down 2 from last year, also their second drop in as many years
  26. New Glarus Brewing; Up 2 again this year from #28 last year
  27. Long Trail Brewing; Down 5 from #22 last year
  28. Great Lakes Brewing; Down 1 from last year, after jumping up 4 the previous year
  29. Firestone Walker Brewing; Up 4 from #33 last year, after rising 3 spots the year before
  30. Anchor Brewing; Up 2 from #32 last year
  31. Rogue Ales Brewery; Up 5 from #36 last year
  32. Summit Brewing; Down 1 from #31 last year
  33. Full Sail Brewing; Down 4 from #29 last year
  34. SweetWater Brewing; Up 1 from #35 last year, having rise 3 the year before
  35. Victory Brewing; Up 4 from #39 last year
  36. Oskar Blues Brewing; Up 5 from #36 last year, having jumped up 8 the previous year
  37. Pittsburgh Brewing (fka Iron City); Down 7 from #30 last year
  38. Mendocino Brewing; Down 1 from #37 last year
  39. Cold Spring Brewing; Down 5 from #34 last year, after jumping up 13 the prior year
  40. Flying Dog Brewery; Down 2 from #38 last year
  41. Founders Brewing; Not in Top 50 last year
  42. Ninkasi Brewing; Up 2 from #44 last year
  43. CraftWorks Breweries & Restaurants (Gordon Biersch/Rock Bottom); Down 3 from #40 last year, after the two merged during 2011 and were #42 and #48 in the year before the merger
  44. Odell Brewing; Down 2 from #42 last year
  45. Bear Republic Brewing; Up 2 in their second year on the list
  46. Stevens Point Brewery; Down 3 from #43 last year
  47. Blue Point Brewing; Down 1 from #46 last year
  48. Southern Tier Brewing; Not in Top 50 last year
  49. Lost Coast Brewery; Same as last year in their second year on the list
  50. Karl Strauss Breweries; San Diego CA; Not in Top 50 last year

Not too much movement this year, except for a few small shufflings. Only three new breweries made the list; Founders, Southern Tier and Karl Strauss.

Off the list was BJs Restaurant & Brewery, Narragansett Brewing and Goose Island Beer, which had plummeted 30 from #18 the year before, after selling their production brewery to Anheuser-Busch InBev.

If you want to see the previous annotated lists for comparison, here is 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006.

Top 50 Breweries For 2012

By

ba
The Brewers Association has also just announced the top 50 breweries in the U.S. based on sales, by volume, for 2012. This includes all breweries, regardless of size or other parameters. Here is the new list:

  1. Anheuser-Busch InBev; St Louis MO
  2. MillerCoors; Chicago IL
  3. Pabst Brewing; Woodridge IL
  4. D. G. Yuengling and Son; Pottsville PA
  5. Boston Beer Co.; Boston MA
  6. North American Breweries; Rochester, NY
  7. Sierra Nevada Brewing; Chico CA
  8. New Belgium Brewing; Fort Collins CO
  9. Craft Brewers Alliance, Inc.; Portland, OR
  10. Gambrinus Company; San Antonio TX
  11. Minhas Craft Brewery; Monroe WI
  12. Deschutes Brewery; Bend OR
  13. Lagunitas Brewing; Petaluma CA
  14. Bell’s Brewery; Galesburg MI
  15. Matt Brewing; Utica NY
  16. Harpoon Brewery; Boston, MA
  17. Stone Brewing; Escondido CA
  18. Brooklyn Brewery; Brooklyn NY
  19. Boulevard Brewing; Kansas City MO
  20. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery; Miilton DE
  21. Abita Brewing; New Orleans LA
  22. World Brews/Winery Exchange; Novato CA
  23. Shipyard Brewing; Portland ME
  24. Alaskan Brewing; Juneau AK
  25. August Schell Brewing; New Ulm MN
  26. New Glarus Brewing; New Glarus WI
  27. Long Trail Brewing; Burlington VT
  28. Great Lakes Brewing; Cleveland OH
  29. Firestone Walker Brewing; Paso Robles CA
  30. Anchor Brewing; San Francisco CA
  31. Rogue Ales Brewery; Newport OR
  32. Summit Brewing; Saint Paul MN
  33. Full Sail Brewing; Hood River OR
  34. SweetWater Brewing; Atlanta GA
  35. Victory Brewing; Downington PA
  36. Oskar Blues Brewery; Longmont CO
  37. Pittsburgh Brewing; Pittsburgh PA
  38. Mendocino Brewing; Ukiah CA
  39. Cold Spring Brewing; Cold Spring MN
  40. Flying Dog Brewery; Frederick MD
  41. Founders Brewing; Grand Rapids MI
  42. Ninkasi Brewing; Eugene OR
  43. CraftWorks Breweries & Restaurants (Gordon Biersch/Rock Bottom); Chattanooga TN/Louisville KY
  44. Odell Brewing; Fort Collins CO
  45. Bear Republic Brewing; Cloverdale CA
  46. Stevens Point Brewery; Stevens Point WI
  47. Blue Point Brewing; Patchogue NY
  48. Southern Tier Brewing; Lakewood NY
  49. Lost Coast Brewery; Eureka CA
  50. Karl Strauss Breweries; San Diego CA

Here is this year’s press release.

Top 50 Craft Breweries For 2012

By

ba
The Brewers Association just announced the top 50 craft breweries in the U.S. based on sales, by volume, for 2012, which is listed below here. For the sixth year, they’ve also released a list of the top 50 breweries, which includes all breweries. Here is the new craft brewery list:

  1. Boston Beer Co.; Boston MA
  2. Sierra Nevada Brewing; Chico CA
  3. New Belgium Brewing; Fort Collins CO
  4. Gambrinus Company; San Antonio TX
  5. Deschutes Brewery; Bend OR
  6. Lagunitas Brewing; Petaluma CA
  7. Bell’s Brewery; Galesburg MI
  8. Matt Brewing; Utica NY
  9. Harpoon Brewery; Boston, MA
  10. Stone Brewing; Escondido CA
  11. Brooklyn Brewery; Brooklyn NY
  12. Boulevard Brewing; Kansas City MO
  13. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery; Milton DE
  14. Abita Brewing; New Orleans LA
  15. Shipyard Brewing; Portland ME
  16. Alaskan Brewing; Juneau AK
  17. New Glarus Brewing; New Glarus WI
  18. Long Trail Brewing; Bridgewater Corners VT
  19. Great Lakes Brewing; Cleveland OH
  20. Firestone Walker Brewing; Paso Robles CA
  21. Anchor Brewing; San Francisco CA
  22. Rogue Ales/Oregon Brewing; Newport OR
  23. Summit Brewing; Saint Paul MN
  24. Full Sail Brewing; Hood River OR
  25. Sweetwater Brewing; Atlanta GA
  26. Victory Brewing; Downingtown PA
  27. Oskar Blues Brewery; Longmont CO
  28. Cold Spring Brewing/Third Street Brewhouse; Cold Spring MN
  29. Flying Dog Brewery; Frederick MD
  30. Founders Brewing; Grand Rapids MI
  31. Ninkasi Brewing; Eugene, OR
  32. CraftWorks Breweries & Restaurants (Gordon Biersch/Rock Bottom); Chattanooga TN/Louisville KY
  33. Odell Brewing; Fort Collins CO
  34. Bear Republic Brewing; Cloverdale CA
  35. Stevens Point Brewing; Stevens Point WI
  36. Blue Point Brewing; Patchogue NY
  37. Southern Tier Brewing; Lakewood NY
  38. Lost Coast Brewery; Eureka CA
  39. Karl Strauss Breweries; San Diego CA
  40. BJs Chicago Pizza & Brewery; Huntington Beach CA
  41. Breckenridge Brewery; Denver CO
  42. North Coast Brewing; Fort Bragg CA
  43. Left Hand Brewing; Longmont CO
  44. St. Louis Brewery, Inc./Schlafly Beers; St Louis MO
  45. Saint Arnold Brewing; Houston TX
  46. Ballast Point Brewing; San Diego CA
  47. Big Sky Brewing; Missoula MT
  48. Allagash Brewing; Portland ME
  49. Uinta; Salt Lake City UT
  50. Tröegs Brewing; Hershey PA

Five breweries are new to this year’s Top 50 Craft Breweries list; Cold Spring Brewing/Third Street Brewhouse, Southern Tier Brewing, Ballast Point Brewing, Allagash and Tröegs Brewing. Here is this year’s press release.

I’ll have my annual annotated list shortly.

Kim Jordan’s Keynote Address 2013

By

ba
At this year’s Craft Brewers Conference, the keynote address was given by Kim Jordan from New Belgium Brewing. The context of Jordan being asked this year to speak is because ten years ago, when CBC was in New Orleans, she gave an optimistic keynote speech then predicting that craft beer would break the 10% barrier. While we’re not quite there yet — the current estimate is 6.5% of volume — great progress has been made and the future certainly looks rosier than it did in 2003. As someone who was sitting in the audience in New Orleans during that keynote, I was keen to hear what Kim would have to say a decade later. Below is a photo I took of Jordan giving that speech in 2003.

P1010007

Below is my video of Kim Jordan’s keynote address. Technical difficulties (okay, I was slow on the draw) delayed the start and I missed the first few seconds, probably no more than 30 seconds worth. Also, due to YouTube’s size limitations, I had to break it into two parts in order to upload it. Enjoy.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Craft Beer Growth Continued To Skyrocket In 2012

By

ba
Today’s infographic is a timely one, and was released just this morning. The Brewers Association today released the preliminary numbers for beer sales last year. Not surprisingly, the 2012 numbers look great, and continue the trend in recent years of forward momentum for craft beer. The big news is simple. “In a year when the total U.S. beer market grew by one percent, craft brewers saw a 15 percent rise in volume and a 17 percent increase in dollar growth.”

But here’s a bit more, from the press release:

With production at 13,235,917 barrels in 2012, craft brewers reached 6.5 percent volume of the total U.S. beer market, up from 5.7 percent the previous year. Additionally, craft dollar share of the total U.S. beer market reached 10.2 percent in 2012, as retail dollar value from craft brewers was estimated at $10.2 billion, up from $8.7 billion in 2011.

Also, the number of breweries continues to rise at an amazing pace. The surprising thing to notice is that the growth is almost entirely in production breweries, which increased 44%!

In 2012, there was an 18 percent increase in the number of U.S. operating breweries, with the total count reaching 2,403. The count includes 409 new brewery openings and only 43 closings. Small breweries created an estimated 4,857 more jobs during the year, employing 108,440 workers, compared to 103,583 the year prior.

And here’s all of that good news, distilled into a colorful infographic.

2012-growth-infographic_main

BA Releases New Style Guidelines

By

ba
The Brewers Association this morning released the 2013 Style Guidelines. According to the press release:

Updated annually, this year’s version defines 142 styles of beer, up from 140 in 2012.

Compiling the guidelines annually is a collaborative effort, and the 2013 version incorporates more than 100 suggestions from U.S. and international beer judges and experts, brewers and beer lovers. This year, Adambier and Grätzer styles were added for the first time. Both are historic pre-Reinheitsgebot styles that are making a slow revival among U.S. and international brewers. Adambier and Grätzer are historically smoky ales, with the former thriving in and around Dortmund, Germany, and the latter brewed primarily in Poland.

Changes were also made to the guidelines for American wheat ale, reflecting a growing trend in the craft brewing and homebrewing communities by which all-wheat grists are used in the brewing process.

A pdf of the new guidelines can be downloaded at the Brewers Association website.

beer-range

More Mid-Year Brewery Numbers

By

ba
Earlier this month the Brewers Association released the good news that Craft Beer Grows 14% In First Half Of 2012. That was through the end of June. I hate to keep crowing about the numbers, but it’s hard to ignore, especially having lived through the depressing late 90s when optimism for craft beer was at its nadir. Anyway, here’s where we are just a month later, as of July 31 of this year.

  • U.S. operating breweries is at 2,142, up from 2,126 at the end of June.
  • U.S. breweries in planning is at 1,303, up from 1,252 at the end of June.
  • There are 555 more breweries in planning than a year ago and 347 more operating U.S. breweries.

Crazy times.

Craft Beer Grows 14% In First Half Of 2012

By

ba
More great news for craft beer. The Brewers Association announced today that dollar growth for craft beer is up 14% over the first half of this year. For the same period, volume was also up 12%.

From the press release:

“Generally, most craft brewers are continuing to see strong growth in production, sales, brewing capacity and employment, which is to be celebrated during challenged times for many of today’s small businesses,” said Paul Gatza, director, Brewers Association. “Plus it’s a fact that beer drinkers are responding to the quality and diversity created by small American brewing companies. India pale ales, seasonal beers, Belgian-inspired ales and a range of specialty beers are just a few of the beer styles that are growing rapidly.”

The other piece of great news is the rising number of breweries, with new ones opening seemingly every day. The American brewery count now stands at 2,126, representing 350 new brewery openings since June 2011!

125_Brewery_Count

More from the press release:

The BA also tracks breweries in planning as an indicator of potential new entrants into the craft category, and lists 1,252 breweries in planning today compared to 725 a year ago. Additionally, the count of craft brewers was at 2,075 as of June 30, 2012 showing that 97 percent of U.S. brewers are craft brewers.

“Beer-passionate Americans are opening breweries at a rate faster than at any time since the day Prohibition ended for the beverage of moderation,” Gatza added. “There is nearly a new brewery opening for every day of the year, benefiting beer lovers and communities in every area across the country.”

Craft Beer Breaks The 5% Pint Glass Ceiling

By

ba
Wow, the Brewers Association just released their annual data on U.S. craft brewing, for calendar year 2011, and the news is remarkable. “Craft brewers saw volume rise 13 percent, with a 15 percent increase in retail sales from 2010 to 2011, representing a total barrel increase of 1.3 million.”

From the press release:

In 2011, craft brewers represented 5.68 percent of volume of the U.S. beer market, up from 4.97 in 2010, with production reaching 11,468,152 barrels. Additionally, the BA estimates the actual dollar sales figure from craft brewers in 2011 was $8.7 billion, up from $7.6 billion in 2010. Increased retails sales represented 9.1 percent of the $95.5 million dollar U.S. beer market.

“While the overall beer market experienced a 1.32 percent volume decrease in 2011, craft brewing saw significant growth, surpassing five percent total market volume share for the first time,” said Paul Gatza, director, Brewers Association. “It’s becoming increasingly clear that with the variety of styles and flavors to choose from, Americans are developing a strong taste for high-quality, small-batch beer from independent brewers.”

Some other interesting tidbits gleaned from the news. The total number of U.S. breweries now stands at 1,989, just 11 shy of reaching 2,000. Of those, 1,938 are considered by the BA’s definition to be craft breweries. Small breweries accounted for over 103,000 jobs. But just wow: 13.2%! That’s the biggest volume increase that I can remember. And that’s an especially grand number since for the same period, total beer market volume declined. By dollars, craft beer rose a staggering 15% to 9.1% of the total market, getting us ever closer to the elusive, but often-talked about, 10% goal that many feel would be a watershed moment for craft beer.

Print

More from the release:

With 250 brewery openings and only 37 closings, the BA also reported that 1,989 breweries were operating in the U.S. in 2011—an 11 percent increase from the previous year. Small brewers employed approximately 103,585 workers in the U.S in 2011.

“We saw rapid growth in brewery openings last year, particularly with microbrewery start-ups, and these numbers are poised to rise even more in 2012,” added Gatza. “In February 2012, we already topped 2,000 operating breweries—a truly remarkable milestone. We look forward to even more success and the continued expansion of the craft beer market.”

BA Releases 2012 Beer Style Guidelines

By

ba
Just in time for the World Beer Cup this May, the Brewers Association today released their annual style guidelines for judging. According to the press release, this year’s guidelines include 140 separate categories, including one new one: “Indigenous Beer Category.” Curiously, the World Beer Cup website lists 95 on their 2012 Beer Styles Menu and the descriptions, too. You can download a pdf of the guidelines here.