The Brewers Association just announced the top 50 breweries in the U.S. based on sales, by volume, for 2011, which is listed below here. For the fifth year, they’ve also released a list of the top 50 craft breweries based on the new definition adopted by the Brewers Association a few years ago, and updated earlier this year. Here is the new craft brewery list:
- Boston Beer Co.; Boston MA
- Sierra Nevada Brewing; Chico CA
- New Belgium Brewing; Fort Collins CO
- Gambrinus Company; San Antonio TX
- Deschutes Brewery; Bend OR
- Matt Brewing; Utica NY
- Bell’s Brewery; Galesburg MI
- Harpoon Brewery; Boston, MA
- Lagunitas Brewing; Petaluma CA
- Boulevard Brewing; Kansas City MO
- Stone Brewing; Escondido CA
- Dogfish Head Craft Brewery; Lewes DE
- Brooklyn Brewery; Brooklyn NY
- Alaskan Brewing; Juneau AK
- Long Trail Brewing; Bridgewater Corners VT
- Shipyard Brewing; Portland ME
- Abita Brewing; New Orleans LA
- Great Lakes Brewing; Cleveland OH
- New Glarus Brewing; New Glarus WI
- Full Sail Brewing; Hood River OR
- Summit Brewing; Saint Paul MN
- Anchor Brewing; San Francisco CA
- Firestone Walker Brewing; Paso Robles CA
- Sweetwater Brewing; Atlanta GA
- Rogue Ales/Oregon Brewing; Newport OR
- Flying Dog Brewery; Frederick MD
- Victory Brewing; Downingtown PA
- CraftWorks Breweries & Restaurants (Gordon Biersch/Rock Bottom); Chattanooga TN/Louisville KY
- Oskar Blues Brewery; Longmont CO
- Odell Brewing; Fort Collins CO
- Stevens Point Brewing; Stevens Point WI
- Ninkasi Brewing; Eugene, OR
- BJs Restaurant & Brewery; Huntington Beach CA
- Blue Point Brewing; Patchogue NY
- Bear Republic Brewing; Cloverdale CA
- Lost Coast Brewery; Eureka CA
- Big Sky Brewing; Missoula MT
- North Coast Brewing; Fort Bragg CA
- The Saint Louis Brewery/Schlafly Bottleworks; St Louis MO
- Gordon Biersch Brewing; San Jose CA
- Breckenridge Brewery; Denver CO
- Founders Brewing; Grand Rapids MI
- Saint Arnold Brewing; Houston TX
- Karl Strauss Breweries; San Diego CA
- Real Ale Brewing; Blanco, TX
- Mac and Jack’s Brewery; Redmond WA
- Smuttynose Brewing; Portsmouth NH
- Utah Brewers Cooperative; Salt Lake City UT
- Left Hand Brewing; Longmont CO
- TIE: Anderson Valley Brewing; Boonville CA & Four Peaks Brewing; Tempe AZ
Five breweries are new to this year’s Top 50 Craft Breweries list; Anderson Valley, Founder’s, Four Peaks, Left Hand and Smuttynose. Here is this year’s press release.
I’ll have my annual annotated list shortly.
This a serious list? Karl Strauss has a majority of their beer contracted out of Wisconsin and brews kegs only in So Cal. Gordon Biersch is listed twice under two?
I’m not even sure how to answer that. Is that a serious question? Whether or not the beer has been contracted means nothing. Karl Strauss is not the only brewery on the list that contract brews. So what? These are national numbers. As for Gordon Biersch, perhaps you missed the fact that years ago — years — the brewpubs were sold to a restaurant business while the production brewery remained with Dan Gordon, one of the co-founders, who still operates it. They’ve been operating as two separate and distinct businesses for a very long time.
Sam Adams was brewed entirely by Miller during its first 6 years.
I don’t disagree, though I believe it was not just Miller houses, but what I don’t understand is the relevance?
Every drop of Karl Strauss beer is brewed and packaged in San Diego, CA. Our contract relationship with Point Brewing Co. ended shortly after Karl’s passing in 2006.
~Ryan Ross
Marketing Manager – Karl Strauss Brewing Co.
Too bad Gambrinus is counted as one of the top 50