Dollar growth up 15% in first six months of 2011; U.S. sees rapid growth in breweries in planning

(Boulder, CO) - The Brewers Association, the trade association representing the majority of U.S. brewing companies, has released strong mid-year numbers for America’s small and independent craft brewers¹. Dollar sales were up 15 percent in the first half of 2011, excluding brewers who left the craft segment in 2010². Volume of craft brewed beer sold grew 14 percent for the first six months in 2011, compared to 9 percent growth in the first half of 2010.

Barrels sold by craft brewers for the first half of the year are an estimated 5.1 million barrels. Despite many challenges, the mid-year numbers show signs of continued growth for craft breweries. The industry currently provides an estimated 100,000 jobs, contributing significantly to the U.S. economy.

“Craft brewers continue to innovate and brew beers of excellent quality,” noted Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association. “America’s beer drinkers are rapidly switching to craft because of the variety of flavors they are discovering. And they are connecting with small and independent craft brewers as companies they choose to support.”

The U.S. now boasts 1,790 breweries—an increase of 165 additional breweries since June 2010. The Brewers Association also tracks breweries in planning as an indicator of potential new entrants into the craft category, and lists 725 breweries in planning today compared to 389 a year ago. Additionally, the count of craft brewers was at 1,740 as of June 30, 2011.

“There is a growing interest in establishing new breweries,” Gatza added. “It seems like every day we are hearing about a brewery in planning. Will they all make it? No, but many will if they produce high-quality, interesting craft beers and can get them to market through self-distribution and beer wholesalers and beer retailers.”

¹ 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 6 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 brewers 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.

² Three former craft brewing companies left the segment in the second half of 2010 when transitions led them to no longer meet the Brewers Association’s definition of independence.

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The Brewers Association is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The Brewers Association (BA) represents more than 70 percent of the brewing industry, and its members make more than 99 percent of the beer brewed in the U.S. The BA organizes events including the World Beer Cup®, Great American Beer Festival®, Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America®, SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience and American Craft Beer Week. The BA publishes The New Brewermagazine and its Brewers Publications division is the largest publisher of contemporary and relevant brewing literature for today’s craft brewers and homebrewers.

Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com and about homebrewing via the BA’s American Homebrewers Association. Follow us on Twitter.

(Boulder, CO) – The Brewers Association (BA) shared the news today that the Senate Small Brewers Caucus has been established. The formation of the Caucus was led by Senators Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), who support the role of America’s small and independent brewers as an engine of economic growth in the country.

In a Dear Colleague letter, Senators Baucus and Crapo noted, “In recent years, the more than 1,700 craft brewers all across America have met growing consumer demand for their products by brewing flavorful and innovative beers which they encourage Americans to enjoy in a responsible manner. These small and independent brewers…generate more than $3 billion in wages and benefits, and pay more than $2.3 billion in business, personal and consumption taxes.”

Mirroring the House Small Brewers Caucus, formed in 2007, the Senate Small Brewers Caucus provides a forum for members of the Senate and their staffs to discuss the issues important to small brewers while exploring what lawmakers can do to strengthen the growth and role of these small businesses in local economies across the country.

The caucus will also provide opportunities for Senators and staff to learn about the science and art of brewing beer, and the unique cultural and economic contributions made by small brewers to their communities.

Currently, the 1,700+ small American breweries account for about five percent of all the beer enjoyed in the United States and 50 percent of brewery jobs—-totaling some 100,000 good-paying part- and full-time positions across the country.

“Montana’s small brewers don’t just make great beer out of the best Montana grains—-they also support good-paying Montana jobs,” said Senator Baucus. “I’m so proud to create the bipartisan Senate Small Brewers Caucus—-because as the state with the second highest number of craft brewers per capita in the country, Montana small brewers need a voice in Congress who’ll keep looking out for them.” Montana boasts a strong brewing community, which generates and pays taxes on approximately $20 million of revenue, according to the Montana Brewers Association.

“As a major producer of barley, wheat and hops, Idaho has a growing role in the craft brewing business,” Senator Crapo said. “While advocating for the excise tax relief bill, I’ve had the opportunity to meet with many of Idaho’s small craft brewers and heard firsthand from local entrepreneurs about the opportunities for economic growth and job creation that the industry can provide. This caucus will provide Senators with a better understanding of all aspects of small brewing and the positive impact it has on their communities.” Senator Crapo, along with Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), introduced this session’s Senate bill S. 534, which would recalibrate excise taxes on America’s small brewers. Joining Senators Kerry and Crapo were 17 of their Senate colleagues who signed on as original co-sponsors.

“Small craft brewers are growing, creating jobs and contributing in small and big ways to the recovery of the American economy,” said Charlie Papazian, president, Brewers Association. “The bipartisan establishment of the Senate Small Brewers Caucus reflects the collaborative, grassroots community spirit in which the nation’s small brewers contribute to their local communities.”

(Boulder, CO) – The Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade group that tabulates production statistics for U.S. breweries, released its annual lists reporting the top 50 brewing companies in the country, based on 2010 beer sales volume. The two lists are the Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies, comprising small and independent craft brewers,¹ and the Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies. Thirty-six of the top 50 brewing companies are small and independent craft brewing companies.

“At more than 1,700, the number of breweries in the U.S. is higher than any time since the late 1800s,” said Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association. “Beer lovers’ appreciation for American craft brewers and their craft beers continue to grow.”

Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies
(Based on 2010 beer sales volume)

*Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies notes: Spoetzl is part of Gambrinus Company; IBU January-August only prior to sale to North American Breweries (NAB); Kona January-September only prior to sale to Craft Brewers Alliance (CBA); BridgePort is part of Gambrinus Company.

Top 50 Brewing Companies
(Based on 2010 beer sales volume)

*Top 50 Brewing Companies notes: NAB includes IBU August-December; CBA includes Kona October-December; Spoetzl is part of Gambrinus Company; and IBU is January-August only (sale to NAB); Kona is January-September only (sale to CBA); BridgePort is part of Gambrinus Company. Flavored malt beverages are not considered beer for the Top 50 rankings.

The Association’s full 2010 industry analysis, which shows regional trends and sales by individual breweries, will be published in the May/June issue of The New Brewer, available May 18.

For additional statistics, see the craft brewing statistics, and 2010 craft brewer sales numbers press release.

¹The 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 6 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.

2010 U.S. Craft Beer Exports Increased 28 Percent Over 2009

(Boulder, CO) – In what is becoming a true success story, American craft beer exports grew again in 2010. The Brewers Association (BA) reports estimated international sales by independent craft brewers up 28 percent by volume for 2010, with some regions seeing export increases of more than 90 percent.

The Brewers Association’s recently-concluded annual export survey revealed that for the eighth consecutive year (representing all years for which data has been collected), U.S. craft beer exports increased substantially. In 2010, BA Export Development Program (EDP) subscribers exported more than 1.8 million gallons of beer, representing a 28 percent increase over total export volumes in 2009.

The increase in international sales is substantial in light of the lingering global economic recession. Despite decreasing purchasing power, consumer demand for American craft beers has remained strong and importers have continued to expand their portfolios of American craft beer brands. Canada, Sweden and the UK represent the largest markets for American craft beer.

“The 28 percent increase in the export of U.S. craft beers reflects the increasing consumer thirst across the globe for the world class beers that U.S. craft breweries are creating,” said Brett Joyce, CEO of Rogue Ales and EDP steering committee chair.

The Brewers Association’s Export Development Program began in 2004 with a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Market Access Program. Since its inception, objectives for the Export Development Program have remained unchanged.

These include:

Educating international trade and media about the quality and diversity of products offered by the U.S. craft beer industry and about U.S. craft beer culture.

Informing member breweries about opportunities for their products in key international target markets.

Complementing the industry’s own efforts to increase international distribution.

To date, the Export Development Program has successfully promoted its members’ beer in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Italy, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, China, Japan, Brazil, Philippines, Singapore and Australia.

Learn more about the BA Export Development Program.

(Boulder, CO) – The Brewers Association (BA) announced today that legislation seeking to enact a graduated beer excise tax rate of $3.50 and $16.00 for America’s small brewers has been introduced in both chambers of Congress. The BA is the not-for-profit trade group that represents the majority of U.S. brewing companies.

“Small brewers have been growing and creating jobs ever since the craft beer revolution began”

The Senate bill, S. 534, was introduced on March 9 by U.S. Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho). Joining Senators Kerry and Crapo were 17 of their Senate colleagues who signed on as original co-sponsors.

S. 534 mirrors the provisions contained in last session’s S. 3339 which gained the support of 28 U.S. Senators. Specifically, S. 534 would reduce the small brewer tax rate on the first 60,000 barrels by 50 percent (from $7.00 to $3.50/barrel) and institute a new rate of $16.00 per barrel on beer production above 60,000 barrels up to 2 million barrels. Breweries with an annual production of 6 million barrels or less would qualify for these tax rates.

“Small brewers have been growing and creating jobs ever since the craft beer revolution began,” said Senator Kerry. “Today there are over 40 small breweries in Massachusetts and 1,700 across the country, and this bill will help ensure that these small businesses keep people on the payroll and create jobs even during tight economic times.”

The Small Brewer Reinvestment and Expanding Workforce Act (Small BREW Act), H.R. 1236, was introduced by Representatives Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.) and Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.) on March 29. Joining them as original co-sponsors are Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Peter A. DeFazio (D-Ore.), Duncan D. Hunter (R-Calif.) and Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.). Several of these Representatives are members of the House Ways and Means Committee. Like its Senate counterpart, the House’s Small BREW Act would enact a graduated beer excise tax rate of $3.50 and $16.00.

“With the economy sputtering, Congress must create conditions that allow small businesses to become more competitive, protect existing jobs and create new employment opportunities,” Representative Gerlach said.

“Small craft brewers are growing, creating jobs and contributing in small and big ways to the recovery of the American economy,” said Charlie Papazian, president, Brewers Association. “The bipartisan effort by Congressmen Gerlach and Neal is a strong message most Americans will raise a toast to and is indicative of the grassroots community spirit with which Americans are embracing to work towards economic recovery and sustain it for the future.”

Papazian added, “The 1,700+ small American breweries account for about five percent of all the beer enjoyed in the United States and 50 percent of brewery jobs. The bipartisan support the Small BREW Act engenders will help assure a positive impact on agricultural, manufacturing, hospitality and distribution jobs for the future.”

Based in Boulder, Colorado, USA, the Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade and education association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. Visit BrewersAssociation.org to learn more. The association’s activities include events and publishing: CraftBeer.com, World Beer Cup®; Great American Beer Festival®; Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America®; National Homebrewers Conference; National Homebrew Competition; SAVORSM: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience; American Craft Beer Week; Zymurgy magazine; The New Brewer magazine; and books on beer and brewing. The Brewers Association has an additional membership division of 25,000+ homebrewers: American Homebrewers Association.

Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com.

Copyright Brewers Association (click to zoom in)

Total U.S. brewery count climbs to its highest level since 1900

(Boulder, CO) — The Brewers Association, the trade association representing the majority of U.S. brewing companies, today released 2010 data on the U.S. craft brewing industry. Small and independent craft brewers1 saw volume2 increase 11 percent and retail sales dollars increase 12 percent over 2009, representing a growth of over 1 million barrels (31 gallons per U.S. barrel), equal to more than 14 million new craft cases.

“Beer lovers increased their appreciation for American craft brewers and their beers in 2010,” said Paul Gatza, director, Brewers Association. “Craft brewers’ stories resonate with Americans who are choosing small, independent companies making delicious beers in more than 100 different styles.”

The Association also reported a growth in the number of U.S. breweries, with eight percent more breweries than the previous year. In 2010, there were 1,759 operating breweries. Craft brewers produced 9,951,956 barrels, up from an adjusted3 8,934,446 barrels in 2009.

“Prohibition caused a dramatic decline in the number of breweries in the United States, but the number of breweries is now at an all-time high,” added Gatza. “With well over 100 new brewery openings in 2010, plus 618 breweries in planning stages, all signs point to continued growth for the industry.”

In 2010, craft brewers represented 4.9 percent of volume and 7.6 percent of retail dollars of the total U.S. beer category. The Brewers Association estimates the actual dollar sales figure from craft brewers in 2010 was $7.6 billion, up from $7 billion in 2009.

Overall, the U.S. beer industry represented an estimated retail dollar value of $101 billion. U.S. beer sales were down approximately one percent, or 2 million barrels, in 2010 compared to being down 2.2 percent in 2009. Total beer industry barrels dropped to 203.6 million, down from 205.7 million barrels in 2009. Imports were up five percent in 2010, compared to being down 9.8 percent in 2009. (Note: the Brewers Association does not count flavored malt beverages as beer.)

Gatza added, “We also found that three percent of craft brewer barrels, by volume, are distributed in cans, confirming a growing trend.”

A more extensive analysis will be released on March 24 during the Craft Brewers Conference in San Francisco. The Association’s full 2010 industry analysis, which shows regional trends and sales by individual brewery, will be published in the May/June 2011 issue of The New Brewer.

1 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 6 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 percent 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 brewers brands) or has at least 50 percent of its volume in either all malt beers or in beers which use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavor.

2 Volume by craft brewers represent total taxable production.

3 Previous year’s total adjusted due to increased 2009 data points received.

Based in Boulder, Colorado, USA, the Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade and education association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. Visit BrewersAssociation.org to learn more. The association’s activities include events and publishing: CraftBeer.com, World Beer Cup®; Great American Beer Festival®; Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America®; National Homebrewers Conference; National Homebrew Competition; SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience; American Craft Beer Week; Zymurgy magazine; The New Brewer magazine; and books on beer and brewing. The Brewers Association has an additional membership division of 25,000+ homebrewers: American Homebrewers Association.

Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com.

SOURCE: Brewer’s Association

(Washington, DC) – A lot of breweries are involved in fighting this one.

Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head was reportedly among those lobbying against the CARE Act according to Beernet. Check out the PR below.

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Beer, Wine, Spirits Producer and Importer Associations Oppose Bill Allowing States to Discriminate Against Consumers

The Brewers Association, WineAmerica, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, Wine Institute, Beer Institute and the National Association of Beverage Importers, associations representing virtually all alcohol beverages sold in the 50 states, today called on Members of Congress to reject the CARE Act (H.R. 1161), legislation backed by the wholesale tier of the alcohol beverage industry.

The producer groups stated: “We strongly oppose H.R. 1161, which, like its predecessor in the last Congress, is unnecessary. Its provisions would harm consumers and the marketplace, limit consumer choice, and allow states to enact protectionist and anti-competitive laws. If this bill became law, it would make it much harder for brewers, vintners, distillers and importers to get their products to market.

“Since Prohibition’s repeal, a balanced system of state and federal regulation has evolved to maintain a well-regulated and orderly market for the sale and distribution of alcohol beverages. Nothing has changed to warrant upsetting this careful balance, and we do not believe that Congress should spend valuable time wading into an intra-industry squabble, nor should it favor one segment of an industry at the expense of other industry members and American consumers.

“On March 7, 2011, the United States Supreme Court declined to review a challenge to a Texas state law, effectively ending litigation that the wholesalers say justifies their legislation. The wholesalers’ praise of this Supreme Court action is inconsistent with wholesaler support for H.R. 1161, which strips courts of their power to make precisely these kinds of balancing judgments.

“We urge Congress not to unravel a successful regulatory structure to the detriment of consumers, the industry, and the federal interest in a fair, competitive, and orderly marketplace for alcohol beverages.”

Nationwide Toast to the Craft Beer Community: May 16-22, 2011

(Boulder, CO) – Cheers. Salud. Prost. L’Chaim. The Brewers Association-the national non-profit association representing the majority of today’s U.S. breweries, and publishers of CraftBeer.com-will celebrate American Craft Beer Week (ACBW) May 16-22, with local events held nationwide.

Considered The Mother of All Beer Weeks, ACBW recognizes one of America’s true culinary arts and provides a platform for small and independent craft brewers to salute supporters and connect with their local communities. Thousands of today’s beer enthusiasts, beginners and hard core geeks will toast craft beer, with ACBW events predicted to take place in all 50 states.

“American Craft Beer Week is an annual celebration of these historic beer times and the amazing community citizenship of craft brewers,” said Julia Herz, a spokesperson for the Brewers Association. “With an emphasis to savor the flavor responsibly and the resurgence of a rich brewing culture here in the U.S., the week is a chance to highlight and recognize the incredible contributions of America’s craft brewers.”

There are close to 30 local beer weeks/beer months in the U.S. annually, each with its own identity and organizer. Established in 2006, ACBW builds on these local celebrations and is the largest national effort focusing solely on American craft brewers. Economically, small and independent U.S. craft brewers contribute an estimated 100,000 jobs, accounting for $3 billion annually in wages and benefits.

In 2010, ACBW logged 341 participating breweries that hosted 621 events with recognition at multiple retailers in 45 states. In addition, U.S. Congress passed House Resolution 1297 to support the goals and ideals of ACBW and recognize the significant contributions of craft brewers to the economy.

Throughout the week, a variety of events will be hosted by craft brewers and beer retailers across the country. Mirroring the diverse styles and brands of the industry, events include charity fundraisers, new beer releases, brewery openings, festivals, unique craft beer dinners and special brewery tours. Additionally, participating breweries will once again encourage beer enthusiasts to sign the Declaration of Beer Independence, an official document to support America’s small and independent craft brewers.

For an ever-expanding list of events visit the official calendar on CraftBeer.com.

2011 ACBW registered celebrations to date:

Augusta Brewing Company, Augusta, GA: BBQ food pairings and a special release craft beer.

Kreuz Creek Brewing Co., Sugar Land, TX: Limited release tastings, extended tour hours, discounted merchandise, and a Wranger National Patriot Fundraiser.

Kuhnhenn Brewing Co., Warren, MI: Free personal pizza giveaway for patrons who tape their signed Declaration of Beer Independence to the pub wall.

Intuition Ale Works, Jacksonville, FL: Will celebrate American Craft Beer Week at the Jacksonville Craft and Import Beer Festival on May 20.

Mountaineer Brewing Company, Martinsburg, WV: There will be daily brewery tours and on Saturday May 21, an open house with live music and a motorcycle stuntman.

Omaha Beer Festival, Omaha, NE: The largest craft beer festival in Nebraska, will include craft beer tastings, beer-related seminars, beer and food pairings, a comparative beer glass seminar, and live entertainment/local food vendors on-site.

Rogue Ales, Newport, OR: To benefit dog charities in Oregon, Brewer’s Memorial Ale Fest will include over 30 microbreweries, live music, doggy musical chairs, dog wash, dog dancing, and celebrity dog look-alikes.

WEBSITE: CraftBeer.com

(Washington, D.C.) — Today, the Beer Institute, the Brewers Association and the National Beer Wholesalers Association released the following joint statement on the USDA Dietary Guidelines:

“The U.S. government’s recently issued Dietary Guidelines have once again refused to perpetuate the myth of the so-called ‘standard drink.’ The Guidelines discuss levels of alcohol content for the purpose of describing consumption patterns, yet the distilled spirits companies have for decades continued to try to convince the public that this information equates to a ‘standard drink’ among different alcohol beverages.

“The idea of a ‘standard drink’ is misleading to consumers since it does not reflect how liquor is served or consumed. Not all alcohol is equal, meaning one alcohol beverage can have significantly more or less alcohol content than another. For example, depending on the proof of alcohol used, the mixer, and the bartender’s pouring habits, a so-called ‘standard’ mixed drink may contain 2, 3 or even 4 times more pure alcohol content and calories than the average light beer. It is common knowledge that two martinis consumed over the course of two hours could certainly produce a different effect than two light beers consumed over the same period. Furthermore, the false premise of a ‘standard drink’ is even more confusing considering that significant variations in alcohol concentration exist among the three product categories and even within each category. Beer remains the beverage of moderation with an average ABV of under 5%, compared to distilled spirits, which average between 35 – 40% ABV.

“Brewers, importers and distributors want consumers to have beverage information that is accurate and helpful, especially as the Dietary Guidelines stress the importance of controlling calorie intake in regards to all food and beverages. The notion of a ‘standard drink’ does not meet those requirements.
“The Guidelines state that adults who consume alcohol should do so ‘in moderation’ and that some individuals may experience beneficial effects from the responsible consumption of alcohol. In fact, the beer industry has long supported programs and messages that encourage responsible consumption of our products.”

(Boulder, CO) – The Brewers Association announces that the Great American Beer Festival® (GABF) eligibility rules have been updated. Beginning in 2011, breweries located in the unincorporated, organized U.S. Territories of Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands will be eligible to enter the GABF.

Each year, breweries throughout the U.S. enter commercially available beers to be judged by the GABF’s professional judge panel. Festival attendees can also sip the beer entered in the competition during four tasting sessions.

The Great American Beer Festival invites sensory trained beer industry professionals from around the world to evaluate entries in over 80 style categories. Judge panelists recognize up to three beers in each category with gold, silver and bronze medals. These awards are among the most coveted in the industry and heralded by the winning brewers in their national advertising.

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Based in Boulder, Colorado, USA, the Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade and education association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. Visit BrewersAssociation.org to learn more. The association’s activities include events and publishing: CraftBeer.com, World Beer Cup®; Great American Beer Festival®; Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America®; National Homebrewers Conference; National Homebrew Competition; SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience; American Craft Beer Week; Zymurgymagazine; The New Brewer magazine; and books on beer and brewing. The Brewers Association has an additional membership division of 24,000+ homebrewers: American Homebrewers Association.

Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com.

(Boulder, CO) – Keynote speakers Fritz Maytag and Ken Grossman will officially open the Brewers Association’s Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) in San Francisco, Calif. on March 23. More than 2,500 of the world’s leading brewers, brewery owners and brewing supply professionals are expected at this year’s CBC.

Maytag and Grossman are slated to engage in a wide-ranging conversation looking back on more than 40 years of craft brewing. Expect anecdotes, reflections and insider stories from these two trailblazers.

Fritz Maytag, former owner of Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco, is considered the patriarch of the American craft brewing scene. Maytag bought the historic brewery in 1965, and his focus on improved quality, intensified flavors and new ingredients changed the beer landscape forever. Today, Anchor Brewing remains one of the most traditional breweries in America. Maytag sold the brewery in 2010 to The Griffin Group, entrepreneurs who plan to preserve and expand the iconic brand.

Ken Grossman started Sierra Nevada in 1980 with a background in homebrewing, a hand-built brewhouse and some interesting ideas about beer that were inspired by his visits with Maytag and Jack McAuliffe. Today, Sierra Nevada is one of America’s longest-running craft startups, and is known for its innovation and relentless pursuit of quality.

When Sierra Nevada first opened its doors, there were less than 50 brewing companies in the United States. Today, there are more than 1,600 craft breweries in operation, and American brewers lead the world in variety of styles, innovation, experimentation and quality.

Together, Maytag and Grossman brewed Fritz and Ken’s Ale, a Pioneers Stout, as part of Sierra Nevada’s 30th anniversary series.

“I’m thrilled to welcome two pioneers of the craft brewing industry to the stage at this year’s CBC,” said Paul Gatza, Brewers Association director. “Fritz and Ken have a collaborative relationship and focus on quality and flavor that represents a key part of the heritage of craft brewing.”

Russian River Brewing Co.’s Vinnie Cilurzo came up with the idea of a conversation between these two pioneers to serve as the CBC keynote presentation while attending a dinner at Anchor with his wife Natalie to celebrate the launch of the 30th anniversary beer. Vinnie related, “Throughout the night, Ken and Fritz spoke (a lot). They, of course, spoke about the beers being served, but, mostly they told us old stories and talked about our industry. It was amazing and anyone that was there thought the same thing. I truly felt lucky to be in attendance and hear all the great stories.”

Both brewers are past recipients of the Brewers Association Recognition Award, presented each year to an individual or company whose inspiration, enthusiasm and support have contributed to the brewpub and microbrewery movement. Maytag was bestowed the honor in 1988, and Grossman in 1991.

About the Craft Brewers Conference

The Craft Brewers Conference is known for attracting renowned brewing industry professionals and supporters as keynote speakers. The CBC is the nation’s largest annual gathering of the professional brewing industry. This year’s event takes place March 23-26 at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square.
Conference workshop presenters cover more than 50 topics ranging from technical brewing to brewery management and marketing. A complete list of speakers and selected seminar topics is available on the conference website.

Craft Brewers Conference also includes BrewExpo America®, the nation’s largest trade show for the craft brewing industry, featuring more than 200 of the top vendors in the industry. Attendees will also enjoy numerous social opportunities to sample the diversity of beers available in the San Francisco area.
Learn more about the Craft Brewers Conference at CraftBrewersConference.com.

(Boulder, CO) – The Brewers Association (BA) recently released its 2011 Beer Style Guidelines. Updated annually, the guidelines currently describe 140 styles of beer and are used in prestigious beer competitions, like the Great American Beer Festival® and the World Beer Cup®.

For 2011, several beer style descriptions have been significantly updated:
Belgo-American-Style Ales
Belgian-Style Flanders Oud Bruin/Oud Red
German Bock
Rye Beer
American-Style Sour Ale

Additionally, one beer style has been added, and another has been renamed. American-Style Brett Ale is now a recognized ale style. American-Style Black Ale is the new name for American-Style India Black Ale, and it too has updated style guidelines.

Since 1979 the BA has provided beer style descriptions as a reference for brewers and beer competition organizers. The beer style guidelines developed by the BA use sources from the commercial brewing industry, beer analyses, and consultations with beer industry experts and knowledgeable beer enthusiasts as resources for information. Much of the early work was based on the assistance and contributions of beer journalist Michael Jackson. For 2011, revisions were aided by over 150 comments and suggestions from Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup judges, as well as other beer industry members.
“These guidelines help to illustrate the growth of craft brewers in the United States and also offer insight and a foundation for helping appreciate the hundreds of beer types brewed for the beer lover,” said Charlie Papazian, president of the Brewers Association.

The 2011 Beer Style Guidelines are available for download in the Publications section of BrewersAssociation.org.

Based in Boulder, Colorado, USA, the Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade and education association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. Visit BrewersAssociation.org to learn more. The association’s activities include events and publishing: CraftBeer.com, World Beer Cup®; Great American Beer Festival®; Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America®; National Homebrewers Conference; National Homebrew Competition; SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience; American Craft Beer Week; Zymurgy magazine; The New Brewer magazine; and books on beer and brewing. The Brewers Association has an additional membership division of 23,000+ homebrewers: American Homebrewers Association.

Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com.

BREWERS ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES REVISED CRAFT BREWER DEFINITION

(Boulder, CO) – The board of directors of the Brewers Association (BA), the trade association representing the majority of U.S. brewing companies, has voted to change the BA’s designation of “small” in its definition of a “craft brewer.” The Association’s board of directors also has revised its bylaws to reflect the change.

In the BA’s craft brewer definition, the term “small” now refers to any independent brewery that produces up to 6 million barrels of traditional beer. The previous definition capped production at 2 million barrels. The changed definition is currently in effect and can be reviewed on the BA website, BrewersAssociation.org. The change to the bylaws went into effect December 20, 2010.

In the Brewers Association’s bylaws, two classes of membership (Professional Packaging Brewers and Associate membership) have been redefined with a qualifying barrelage of 6 million barrels versus 2 million barrels.

The association cited several reasons for the change, including the recognition that “small” is a descriptive term relative to the overall size of the industry.
“Thirty-four years have passed since the original small brewers tax differential defined small brewers as producing less than 2 million barrels,” said Nick Matt, chair of the Brewers Association board of directors and chairman and CEO of F.X. Matt Brewing Company. “A lot has changed since 1976. The largest brewer in the U.S. has grown from 45 million barrels to 300 million barrels of global beer production.”

Matt added, “The craft brewer definition and bylaws now more accurately reflect and align with our government affairs efforts.” On the legislative front in 2010, the Brewers Association supported H.R. 4278/S. 3339, which sought to update the cap on an excise tax differential for small brewers to 6 million barrels per year in production for their first 2 million barrels.

Retaining Market Share for Craft Brewers
The industry’s largest craft brewer, The Boston Beer Company, is poised to become the first craft brewer to surpass 2 million barrels of traditional beer within the next few years. Loss of The Boston Beer Company’s production in craft brewing industry statistics would inaccurately reflect on the craft brewing industry’s market share.

In addition to Boston Beer, the current growth trajectory of other sizable BA member breweries places them on a course approaching the 2 million barrel threshold in the coming years.

“With this change to the craft brewer definition and BA bylaws, statistics will continue to accurately reflect the 30-year growth of market share for craft brewed beer,” said Matt. “Brewers Association statistics on craft brewers will continue to keep pace with the growth of the industry.”

Craft brewed beer market share is now approximately five percent of the U.S. beer industry, and growing. The BA has a stated mission of helping America’s craft brewers achieve more than five percent market share by 2013.

Matt added, “Rather than removing members due to their success, the craft brewing industry should be celebrating our growth.”

(Boulder, CO) – Loads of information was learned today during today’s Brewers Association Power Hour. 2010 craft beer stats galore found below . . .

Earlier this year, I provided a few nuggets of info I heard while on a year-end conference call with the BA. Well, my membership ran out, I haven’t re-upped yet and I missed out on today’s mid-year call. During (some of) these calls, Dan Wandel of SymphonyIRI, a marketing group that tracks data on various product industries, reports out on what this agency has discovered about the beer industry. Fortunately, two kind folks took my place today and tweeted their little hearts out during the call.

The following is courtesy of Cicerone Program Founder/Director (and former Brewers Association Marketing Director), Ray Daniels, and North Carolina Brewers Guild Financial Advisor, Audra Marotta. Here’s what we learned today (with some re-organizing and a few notes from myself):

Macro Industry Stats:

Top 10 major brewer brands DOWN more than 5 million cases so far this year. /Ray

AB down 1.9%, MC down 2.4%, Heineken down 1.0%, Crown Imports down .8%, tho Boston Beer up 14.7%, Yuengling up 14.1%, PBR up 1.5% ($ sales) /Audra

2010 case sales down in 3 largest off-premise channels. $ sales flat in grocery, down in Convenience & Liquor /Audra

Combined case sales for 7 Megabrands in supermarkets down 4.1%, $ sales down 3.1% for 1st 6 mos of 2010. /Audra

Pricing erosion seen in import segment, while craft segment increases about 1-2%, depending on channel during 1st half of 2010. /Audra

Bad news: progressive adult bev sales in 24-oz can sales are exploding, esp in convenience stores. /Ray

Sadly, Progressive Adult Beverages seem to be the one other sector of the beer business that is growing (other than craft). /Ray

3 of top 10 new brands are IPAs … the rest are Progressive Adult Beverages like Smirnoff Blueberry & Limonade. Sad. /Ray

7 of 15 top NEW beer brands are progressive adult beverage brands (Smirnoff, Mikes). New Belgium Ranger in top 5. Dundee IPA in top 15. /Audra

It’s a pleasant surprise to see Ranger IPA doing so well since its introduction last year. The IRI figures regularly published in Modern Brewery Age tend to exclude this beer for whatever reason.

Blue Moon Belgium White Ale, Shock Top and Leinie’s leading way in top 15 super premium brands $ sales. Blue Moon #1 momentum brand. /Audra

Blue Moon $ sales up 27% vs 2009, and is SIG’s #1 “momentum” brand. Amazing. Shocktop up 34%. /Ray

Blue Moon White fastest growing craft/specialty brand in case sales % change in supermarket channel. /Audra

Newcastle Brown up 10% this year: I’d say that’s good for craft as it helps to create craft drinkers. /Ray

I’d also say that Blue Moon’s success bodes well for craft as well. Some of those drinkers may stick to Blue Moon, sure, but some of them will be more open to craft brands after liking Blue Moon.

Import brands % change leaders: Modelo Especial, Stella Artois, Newcastle Brown, Dos Equis, Labatt. /Audra

NAB + IBU = #6 [Regional] Brewer /Audra

Craft Overall Stats:

Listening to BA Powerhour on first half of 2010 sales data. Craft volume up 11.9%! /Ray

More stats from the BA’s Mid-Year Report here

Craft segment experiencing DOUBLE DIGIT [year-over-year] case and $ sales growth 2009 vs. 1st half 2010. /Audra

Dan Wandel from SIG says craft beer the “shining star” of US beer market, on track for 6th (I think he said) year of >10% growth. /Ray

What recession? First half craft sales showing best growth of any year since 2007. /Ray

With social media a big news source for some of us, it may seem like craft beer is at levels that are unheard of with all the day-to-day chatter but we’re really just getting back to pre-recession growth levels.  What makes craft beer growth in 2009 and 2010 so remarkable, though, is that we’re still in the recession.

Symphony IRI Group shows craft beer being 8.7% of the total beer market in H1 2010. /Ray

Craft beer $ market share 5.4% in 2005 vs. 8.7% in 2010. Domestic premium fell from 45.3% to 40.9% over same 5 year time period. /Audra

Beer continues to lose share to wine/spirits, although craft segment continues to lead all beer segments in case and $ sales growth for 2010 /Audra

Craft case sales velocity supermarkets up in each of 8 quad wk reporting periods of 2010 vs. 2009. Minus craft? Down 1% $, Case down 2.8%. /Audra

Merchanding support flat in craft segment while sales in cases and dollars continue to grow. Single 22oz, 4-packs sales contributing a lot. /Audra

Sales of craft beer 22 oz bottles up 28% in 2010 vs. 2009 in supermarkets. /Ray

One tweeter makes a good point: many wine drinkers that go for 750s are looking for value these days.  Despite 22′s being much more expensive per oz. than 6-packs, they still provide an attractive alternative, (perhaps) especially to wine drinkers.

Craft 6pk/12pk 12oz cans in convenience channel HUGE growth (80%, 49.4% respectively in $ sales % change). /Audra

More households in the US now purchasing craft beer versus a year ago–better than any other segment. /Ray

Consumers on avg. spend $12.34 per craft purchase occasion. Just over $80/yr. total spend. /Audra

8 of the top 15 new craft brands this year are IPAs. /Ray

Good news is that craft lead brands continue to grow–a good sign of vitality for the sector. Way to go craft brewers! /Ray

Craft Regional Stats:

Craft sales growing in all regions of the US, but Southeast is #1 and Great Lakes is #2. Cool! /Ray

Abita and SweetWater are, by far, the top brands in the Southeast.  After them, we’re looking at Highland with 16k barrels.  Lots of room for growth in this region!

Great Lakes is leading region for case and dollar craft sales growth in the US. Time to hire more people! /Ray

Southeast region up 24.6% craft $ change YOY. Northeast and Southcentral highest price case sales inc. YOY. /Audra

In $ sales top 10 craft lead brands comprise 39.1% of segment. The Southeast region greatest amount of growth! /Audra

Based on case sales, craft segment food state leaders: CA, WA, TX, OR, NY, NC (in order)! /Audra

Craft sales account for more than 20% of all beer sold in supermarkets in Portland, OR and other PNW markets. /Ray

Craft Brand Stats:

Stone & Alaskan Brewing are #9 and #10 of the top ten craft brewers in US with folks like Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada, New Belgium at top. /Ray

Hmm, I think Stone would have to be at growing in excess of 30% more than Alaskan is growing in 2010 for this to be possible. Something seems wonky here.

Based on $ sales change %, Sierra Nevada explosive growth. In case sales top 10 craft lead brands comprise 40.9% share of segment. /Audra

Sierra Nevada is at 10% growth so far this year.  Bang it here for the latest on the burgeoning brewery.

Top craft brand distributor gainer in CA: Sierra Nevada Torpedo. # of [Craft] UPCs in CA supermarkets: 511. Sam Adams also big gainer. /Audra

SN Torpedo is fastest growing of the top 15 craft brands: up more than 200% versus last year. /Ray

New Belgium $ sales % change up 28%, Boston Beer up 14.3%, Deschutes up 13.2%, Stone up 22%, Full Sail up 3.1%. /Audra

Pretty remarkable to see NBB growth rate higher in a year where it’s not expanding into any new markets over a year in which distribution did expand to several states.  Though NBB’s peers are growing faster than they were last year and this is the first full year of sales for some of those markets so not all that surprising perhaps. . .

Congrats to Lucky Bucket Brewing, the top craft vendor sales gainer in the Plains region! /Audra

(Boulder, CO) – August 8, 2010 – Brewers Association (BA) Export Development Program (EDP) subscribers recently participated in the inaugural Asia Beer Award international competition in conjunction with Beerfest Asia 2010 in Singapore. All told, BA Export Development Program subscribers took a total of 15 gold, silver, and bronze awards in 10 different categories.

Gold award winners included Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Pelican Pub and Brewery and Stone Brewing Company. Please refer to our comprehensive competition results to see the rest of the award-winners.

Traditionally, lager and pilsner beers have dominated the Asian beer market, but over the past decade Asian consumers have displayed a greater desire for diversity in their favorite beers. As a reaction to this maturing market, importers have improved the availability of artisan and craft beers from around the world, and many EDP subscribers are eager to tap the lucrative market, which is already seeing a greater variety of available beers.

Dick Cantwell of Elysian Brewing Company, one of the judges at the inaugural competition, stated, “It was a well-run festival emblematic of the cultural confluence that is a place like Singapore-the mass-produced alongside the artisanal, the quirky with the traditional. The promoters took it very seriously and put on a great show for attendees.”

As of 2009, U.S. craft beer exports have been increasing substantially for seven consecutive years (representing all years the Brewers Association has collected data). The BA estimates 2009 international sales by independent craft brewers were up nine percent by volume over 2008; some regions saw export increases of more than 25 percent. In 2009, BA Export Development Program subscribers exported more than 1.4 million gallons of beer.

Winston Kwang of Beerstyle Distribution in Singapore-who hosted the American craft beer booth at the festival-stated: “Beerfest Asia 2010 attracted over 30,000 visitors from June 16th to June 20th. Beerfest Asia aims to be the signature event for the beer trade industry as well as avid beer consumers. In its second year, Beerfest Asia is twice the size and scale of last year’s inaugural event,” added Kwang; “More than 250 types of beer from 30 countries worldwide are available for festival goers to sample. Beers range from the mainstream brands such as Fosters, Carlsberg and Tiger to exotic seasonal niche brands from Armenia, Poland and Vietnam, among others.”

The Brewers Association EDP members submitted 37 different beers to the Asia Beer Awards competition and festival, ensuring the U.S. industry was well represented. Participants included:
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Epic Brewing Company
Flying Dog Brewery
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Kona Brewing Co.
Lakefront Brewery
Moylan’s Brewery & Restaurant
Oskar Blues Brewery
Pelican Pub & Brewery
Rogue Ales
Stone Brewing Co.

About the Export Development Program
The Brewers Association’s Export Development Program began in 2004 with a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Market Access Program. Since its inc eption , object ives for the Export Development Program have remained unchanged. These include the following:

Educate international trade and media about the quality and diversity of products offered by the U.S. craft beer industry and about the U.S. craft beer culture.

Inform member breweries about opportunities for their products in key international target markets.
Complement the industry’s own efforts to increase international distribution of U.S. craft beer.

To date, the Export Development Program has been able to promote its members’ beer in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, China, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia.

Based in Boulder, Colorado, USA, the Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade and education association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. Visit BrewersAssociation.org to learn more. The association’s activities include events and publishing: CraftBeer.com, World Beer Cup®; Great American Beer Festival℠; Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America®; National Homebrewers Conference; National Homebrew Competition; SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience; American Craft Beer Week; Zymurgy magazine; The New Brewer magazine; and books on beer and brewing. The Brewers Association has an additional membership division of 22,000+ homebrewers: American Homebrewers Association.

Consumers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com.

(Boulder, CO) — The Brewers Association‘s Export Development Program (EDP) will showcase a variety of American craft beers from small and independent breweries at the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF), August 3-7 at Earls Court, London.

For the first time ever, the Brewers Association’s EDP is the official sponsor of Bières Sans Frontières, a program that introduces new, unique beers to the British market.

The UK is a market of interest to many EDP members, and the Brewers Association has strong ties to the GBBF and to GBBF host organization, the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). “American craft beer exports to the UK are particularly strong,” explained Bob Pease, Brewers Association’s chief operating officer: “Between 2008 and 2009, UK exports grew 14%, compared to a 9% growth in total export volumes during the same period.”

As of 2009, U.S. craft beer exports have been increasing substantially for seven consecutive years (representing all years for which the Brewers Association has collected data). The BA estimates 2009 international sales by independent craft brewers were up 9 percent by volume over 2008; some regions saw export increases of more than 25 percent. In 2009, BA Export Development Program (EDP) subscribers exported more than 1.4 million gallons of beer, representing a 9 percent increase over total export volumes in 2008.

The Brewers Association will be displaying an assortment of U.S. craft beers in the “USA and Rest of World” section of the show. This area will be branded with U.S. craft beer promotional materials, Brewers Association posters and other materials. It will provide excellent exposure for American craft beers in general and, in particular, for brands already in the UK.

“This is the 33rd year that the Great British Beer Festival has been celebrating great beer and honoring brewing tradition,” said Doug Odell, Odell Brewing Company president and founder. “The American craft brewing scene is one of the most vibrant in the world and we are proud to present beers of distinction that are brewed with integrity, passion and style to beer enthusiasts from the UK and beyond.”

During the week of the Great British Beer Festival, the Brewers Association will be urging British retailers to get behind American craft beers by hosting a series of receptions for importers, distributors, retailers and media, where beers from Brewers Association EDP member breweries will be exclusively showcased.

The following Brewers Association EDP members are sending beers to the Great British Beer Festival:
Arcadia Brewing Company
Ballast Point Brewing Company
Big Sky Brewing Co.
Buckbean Brewing Company
Butternuts Beer & Ale
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Eel River Brewing Company
F. X. Matt Brewing Company
Flying Dog Brewery
Great Divide Brewing Co.
Green Flash Brewing Co.
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Lagunitas Brewing Co.
Left Hand Brewing Co.
Odell Brewing Co.
Oskar Blues Brewery
Rogue Ales
Shipyard Brewing Co.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Smuttynose Brewing Co.
Southern Tier Brewing Company
Stone Brewing Co.
Tommyknocker Brewery
Uinta Brewing Company
Uncommon Brewers
Victory Brewing Co.

In addition to sending their beers, the following Brewers Association EDP members will be wor king the booth at the Great British Beer Festival to promote all U.S. craft beers:
Mark Huges, Lagunitas Brewing Co.
Doug Odell, Odell Brewing Co.

About the Export Development Program
The Brewers Association ‘s Export Development Program began in 2004 with a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Market Access Program. Since its inception, objectives for the Export Development Program have remained unchanged. These include the following:

*Educate international trade and media about the quality and diversity of products offered by the U.S. craft beer industry and about the U.S. craft beer culture.
*Inform member breweries about opportunities for their products in key international target markets.
*Complement the industry’s own efforts to increase international distribution of U.S. craft beer.

To date, the Export Development Program has been able to promote its members’ beer in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, China, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia.

Based in Boulder, Colorado, USA, the Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade and education association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. Visit BrewersAssociation.org to learn more. The association’s activities include events and publishing: CraftBeer.com, World Beer Cup®; Great American Beer Festival℠; Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America®; National Homebrewers Conference; National Homebrew Competition; SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience; American Craft Beer Week; Zymurgy magazine; The New Brewer magazine; and books on beer and brewing. The Brewers Association has an additional membership division of 21,000+ homebrewers: American Homebrewers Association.

Consumers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com.

Zymurgy has been conducting the annual survey for eight years, inviting readers to send in a list of their 20 favorite beers that are commercially available beers in the United States. Votes were received from Zymurgy’s 22,000 readers around the world.

“We are flattered to be voted Zymurgy’s number one beer for a second year in a row,” said Russian River owner and brewer Vinnie Cilurzo. “Russian River is so blessed to have such a great customer base that seeks our beer out and often travels from all over the country to visit our brewpub. We are very appreciative of the homebrew community and the support they give us!”

Pliny the Elder narrowly edged Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, an IPA brewed in Kalamazoo, Mich., by two votes. Stone Arrogant Bastard, an American strong ale from Escondido, Calif., finished third for the second straight year. Following recent trends, six of the top 10 vote-getters in the competition are IPAs, proving that hoppy beers are still king among readers.

“As homebrewers and beer lovers, Zymurgy readers are some of the most knowledgeable beer connoisseurs on the planet,” said Jill Redding, editor of Zymurgy. “This is a very prestigious list to be on if you’re a professional brewer.”

See the complete Zymurgy “Best Commercial Beers in America” list.

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Based in Boulder, Colorado, USA, the Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade and education association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. Visit BrewersAssociation.org to learn more. The association’s activities include events and publishing: CraftBeer.com, World Beer Cup®; Great American Beer Festival℠; Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America®; National Homebrewers Conference; National Homebrew Competition; SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience; American Craft Beer Week; Zymurgy magazine; The New Brewer magazine; and books on beer and brewing. The Brewers Association has an additional membership division of 21,000+ homebrewers: American Homebrewers Association.

Consumers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com.

House Bill 2348, sponsored by Representative Colby Schwartz and Senator Mike Schulz, officially legalized the home production of beer for personal use in Oklahoma. Home production of wine and cider for personal use was already legal in Oklahoma.

The passage of HB 2348 leaves Alabama and Mississippi as the only remaining states where the homebrewing hobby is not yet legal. The U.S. government made homebrewing legal on a federal level in 1979.

“I’m excited to see Oklahoma finally bring homebrewing into parity with wine and cider, and it was an honor to author the legislation,” said Representative Schwartz. “The success of this measure would not have been possible without the overwhelming support of the active homebrewing community in Oklahoma.”

The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) estimates that there are approximately 750,000 homebrewers in the United States, including 7,000 homebrewers residing in Oklahoma. Oklahoma and Utah are the only states to have legalized homebrewing in the last 10 years.

Gary Shellman, AHA member and editor for Oklahoma City’s homebrew club, the High Plains Draughters, initiated the legalization process and worked tirelessly to ensure the bill’s passage. Shellman spent months lining up a sponsor for a homebrew bill. He kept up with the bill throughout the process, advising the bill’s sponsors and reporting on the bill’s progress to the American Homebrewers Association staff and Oklahoma homebrew club members.

“Our theme from the very beginning was to get support from all sectors of the brewing community to bring parity for homebrewed beer with that already long enjoyed by home wine and cider makers,” said Shellman. “We are proud to say that we finally got the job done, but none of this would have been possible without the diligent efforts of Rep. Colby Schwartz.”
The American Homebrewers Association assisted the legalization effort by providing advice and by mobilizing Oklahoma AHA members and Brewers Association member breweries in support of HB 2348.

“Gary Shellman’s dedication to homebrew legalization and the response of Oklahoma’s homebrewers has been truly inspiring,” said Gary Glass, director of the American Homebrewers Association. “I’m glad that the AHA was there to help with the process, as I believe that legalizing homebrewing for all U.S. citizens is one of the most important issues that the AHA addresses.”
The AHA is currently working with homebrewers in Alabama and Mississippi on efforts to legalize homebrewing in those states.
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Based in Boulder, Colorado, USA, the Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade and education association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. Visit BrewersAssociation.org to learn more. The association’s activities include events and publishing: CraftBeer.com, World Beer Cup®; Great American Beer Festival℠; Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America®; National Homebrewers Conference; National Homebrew Competition; SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience; American Craft Beer Week; Zymurgy magazine; The New Brewer magazine; and books on beer and brewing. The Brewers Association has an additional membership division of 20,000+ homebrewers: American Homebrewers Association.

The craft beer industry grew more than most of us could have imagined in 2009. Now with the recession behind us (for the most part), the near future could bring great prosperity to craft beer makers. Surprisingly, the government of all things could provide the biggest boost.

[5/13 Update: The links to the bills are now correct. Thanks, Tammie!]

Brewers Association President, Charlie Papazian, reported this week that Senators, John Kerry and Mike Crapo, introduced a new bill supporting small brewers. If you are feeling Déjà vu all of a sudden, it is probably because a similar bill was introduced in the House of Representatives (HR 4278) in December. That bill now has 66 cosponsors which comprises 15% of the House of Representatives. You can track the progress of the Senate bill here and the House bill here.

And then there is HR 5034 which could reportedly threaten direct-to-consumer wine shipments and, in the process, threaten your online beer purchases as well. But we’ll leave that one for another post . . .

Back to the two bills mentioned above, they are effectively the same. Although the bills are both very short and propose changes to a minute section of the Internal Revenue Code, we can still use Papazian’s help in translating what these bills actually do (in plain English):

* To reduce the excise tax on the first 60,000 barrels of beer produced from $7 to $3.50 per barrel.
* To redefine small brewers as producing 6 million barrels of beer annually from current 2 million barrel definition. Senator Kerry notes, “The small brewer tax rate was established in 1976 and has never been updated. Since then the annual production of America’s largest brewery increased from about 45 million to 107 million barrels.
* To reduce the tax from $18 to $16 per barrel of production exceeding 60,000 barrels up to 2 million barrels. A small brewer will pay the same $18 per barrel excise tax rate that the largest brewer pays at over 100 million barrels.

The increase in the small brewer cap from two million barrels to six million barrels might as well be called the “Sam Adams Clause.” As I’ve discussed previously, Boston Beer Co. is close to two million barrels annually and in danger of losing its “craft” status. With Boston Beer Co. reporting big numbers in Q1, there is a strong possibility that the brewery surpasses the mark this year.

The Brewers Association has been aiming for 10% craft market share for sometime. You can bet that they will keep BBC “craft” no matter what it takes. It seems unlikely that expanding the definition to six million barrels would qualify any other breweries as craft (but I’ve been wrong many times before).

Back off another tangent, the Brewers Association website outlines the benefits of the legislation:

# The estimated cost of the provision is about $44 million per year and less than $500 million over 10 years.
# A Harvard study of the Economic Impact of H.R. 4278 indicates that:
* The bill would generate more than 2,700 new jobs over the first year to 18 months, followed by an average of 375 new jobs per year over the following 4 years.
* Each new job would cost less than $4,000 in foregone government revenue in 2010.

Though this will help hundreds of small craft brewers and brewpubs, there is one thing to note. Of the 63 small brewing companies producing more than 60,000 barrels listed on the Brewers Association website, approximately half of those are craft brewers while the other half encompass some “craft misfits” (breweries like Goose Island that are technically not “craft” definition-wise) and a bunch of big brewer-owned subsidiaries and pseudo-craft breweries. You may not be in support of some of these other breweries, but we will take the bad with the good here, no?

Nevertheless, if legislation passes, it would be an absolute coup for craft breweries. The Brewers Association page informs on how to contact your local representatives to support the bill.

Photo Credits:

The Brewers Association’s recently-concluded annual export survey revealed that for the seventh consecutive year (representing all years for which data has been collected), U.S. craft beer exports increased substantially. In 2009, BA Export Development Program (EDP) subscribers exported more than 1.4 million gallons of beer, representing a 9 percent increase over total export volumes in 2008.

The increase in international sales is substantial in light of the lingering global economic recession. Despite decreasing purchasing power, consumer demand for American craft beers has remained strong and importers have continued to expand their portfolios of American craft beer brands. Sweden continues to represent the largest single export market for American craft beer and exports to Canada and the UK are growing considerably.
“The 2009 export numbers for U.S. Craft breweries is clear evidence that beer drinkers across the globe are continuing to demand and enjoy the brewing creativity, style diversity, and high quality that are hallmarks of US craft brewers,” said Brett Joyce, CEO of Rogue Ales and EDP Steering Committee Chair.

The Brewers Association’s Export Development Program began in 2004 with a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Market Access Program. Since its inception, objectives for the Export Development Program have remained unchanged. These include the following:

* Educating international trade and media about the quality and diversity of products offered by the U.S. craft beer industry and about U.S. craft beer culture
* Informing member breweries about opportunities for their products in key international target markets
* Complementing the industry’s own efforts to increase international distribution

To date, the Export Development Program has successfully promoted its members’ beer in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Italy, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, China, Japan, Brazil, Philippines and Australia.

Learn more about the BA Export Development Program in the business tools section at BrewersAssociation.org.

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Based in Boulder, Colorado, USA, the Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade and education association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. Visit BrewersAssociation.org to learn more. The association’s activities include events and publishing: CraftBeer.com, World Beer Cup®; Great American Beer Festival℠; Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America®; National Homebrewers Conference; National Homebrew Competition; SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience; American Craft Beer Week; Zymurgy magazine; The New Brewer magazine; and books on beer and brewing. The Brewers Association has an additional membership division of 20,000+ homebrewers: American Homebrewers Association.

For 2010, American-style Imperial Porter, American-Style India Black Ale, Belgian-Style Quadrupel and Fruit Wheat Ale or Lager categories were added and defined, reflecting the emergence of these styles as popularly available in the U.S. and other beer-drinking countries.

Since 1979 the Brewers Association has provided beer style descriptions as a reference for brewers and beer competition organizers. The beer style guidelines developed by the Brewers Association use sources from the commercial brewing industry, beer analyses, and consultations with beer industry experts and knowledgeable beer enthusiasts as resources for information. Much of the early work was based on the assistance and contributions of beer journalist Michael Jackson.

“These guidelines help to illustrate the growth of craft brewers in the United States and also offer insight and a foundation for helping appreciate the hundreds of beer types brewed for the beer lover,” said Charlie Papazian, president of the Brewers Association.

The style revisions and additional styles will be used as the basis for the 2010 Great American Beer Festival℠ competition. The 2010 Beer Style Guidelines are available for download [pdf] in the Publications section of BrewersAssociation.org.

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Based in Boulder, Colorado, USA, the Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade and education association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. Visit BrewersAssociation.org to learn more. The association’s activities include events and publishing: CraftBeer.com, World Beer Cup®; Great American Beer Festival℠; Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America®; National Homebrewers Conference; National Homebrew Competition; SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience; American Craft Beer Week; Zymurgy magazine; The New Brewer magazine; and books on beer and brewing. The Brewers Association has an additional membership division of 20,000+ homebrewers: American Homebrewers Association.

Consumers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com.

Boulder, CO • April 14, 2010—The Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade group that tabulates production statistics for U.S. breweries, released its annual lists reporting the top 50 brewing companies in the country, based on 2009 beer sales volume. The two lists are the Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies, comprising small and independent craft brewers¹ and the Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies. The Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies list contains 76 percent craft brewing companies.

“Beer lovers continue to find great value and enjoyment in fuller flavored craft beers,” said Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association. “Americans have an increasing appreciation of craft beers, and the growing number of brewers behind them.”

Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies

(Based on 2009 beer sales volume)
Rank Brewing Company City State
1 Boston Beer Co. Boston MA
2 Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Chico CA
3 New Belgium Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
4 Spoetzl Brewery Shiner TX
5 Pyramid Breweries Inc. Seattle WA
6 Deschutes Brewery Bend OR
7 Matt Brewing Co. Utica NY
8 Magic Hat Brewing Co. Burlington VT
9 Boulevard Brewing Co. Kansas City MO
10 Harpoon Brewery Boston MA
11 Alaskan Brewing Co. Juneau AK
12 Bell’s Brewery, Inc. Galesburg MI
13 Kona Brewing Co. Kailua-Kona HI
14 Full Sail Brewing Co. Hood River OR
15 Stone Brewing Co. Escondido CA
16 Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Milton DE
17 The Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn NY
18 Abita Brewing Co. Abita Springs LA
19 Summit Brewing Co. Saint Paul MN
20 Anchor Brewing Co. San Francisco CA
21 Shipyard Brewery Portland ME
22 New Glarus Brewing Co. New Glarus WI
23 Great Lakes Brewing Co. Cleveland OH
24 Rogue Ales/Oregon Brewing Co. Newport OR
25 Long Trail Brewing Co. Bridgewater Corners VT
26 The Lagunitas Brewing Co. Petaluma CA
27 Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. San Jose CA
28 SweetWater Brewing Co. Atlanta GA
29 Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Paso Robles CA
30 Victory Brewing Co. Downingtown PA
31 Flying Dog Brewing Co. Frederick MD
32 BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery Huntington Beach CA
33 Odell Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
34 Rock Bottom Brewery Restaurants Louisville CO
35 BridgePort Brewing Co. Portland OR
36 Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe Eureka CA
37 Big Sky Brewing Co. Missoula MT
38 Stevens Point Brewing Co. Stevens Point WI
39 Mac and Jack’s Brewery Redmond WA
40 Karl Strauss Brewing Co. San Diego CA
41 The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. St. Louis MO
42 Blue Point Brewing Co. Patchogue NY
43 Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants Chattanooga TN
44 Oskar Blues Brewery Longmont CO
45 North Coast Brewing Co. Fort Bragg CA
46 Breckenridge Brewery Denver CO
47 Utah Brewers Cooperative Salt Lake City UT
48 Saint Arnold Brewing Co. Houston TX
49 Boulder Beer Co. Boulder CO
50 Bear Republic Brewing Co. Cloverdale CA

Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies

(Based on 2009 beer sales volume)
Rank Brewing Company City State
1 Anheuser-Busch InBev St. Louis MO
2 MillerCoors Brewing Co. Chicago IL
3 Pabst Brewing Co. Woodridge IL
4 D. G. Yuengling and Son Inc. Pottsville PA
5 Boston Beer Co. Boston MA
6 Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Chico CA
7 New Belgium Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
8 Craft Brewers Alliance, Inc. Portland OR
9 Spoetzl Brewery (part of Gambrinus) Shiner TX
10 High Falls Brewing Co. Rochester NY
11 Minhas Craft Brewery Monroe WI
12 Pyramid Breweries (part of IBU) Seattle WA
13 Deschutes Brewery Bend OR
14 F.X. Matt Brewing Co. Utica NY
15 Magic Hat Brewing Co. (part of IBU) Burlington VT
16 Boulevard Brewing Co. Kansas City MO
17 Harpoon Brewery Boston MA
18 Alaskan Brewing Co. Juneau AK
19 Bell’s Brewery, Inc. Galesburg MI
20 Goose Island Beer Co. Chicago IL
21 Kona Brewing Co. Kailua-Kona HI
22 Full Sail Brewing Co. Hood River OR
23 Stone Brewing Co. Escondido CA
24 Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Milton DE
25 Iron City Brewing Co. Pittsburgh PA
26 August Schell Brewing Co. New Ulm MN
27 The Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn NY
28 Abita Brewing Co., L.L.C. Abita Springs LA
29 Summit Brewing Co. Saint Paul MN
30 Anchor Brewing Co. San Francisco CA
31 Shipyard Brewing Co. Portland ME
32 New Glarus Brewing Co. New Glarus WI
33 Great Lakes Brewing Co. Cleveland OH
34 Rogue Ales/Oregon Brewing Co. Newport OR
35 Long Trail Brewing Co. Burlington VT
36 The Lagunitas Brewing Co. Petaluma CA
37 Mendocino Brewing Co. Ukiah CA
38 Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. San Jose CA
39 SweetWater Brewing Co. Atlanta GA
40 Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Paso Robles CA
41 Victory Brewing Co. Downingtown PA
42 Flying Dog Brewing Co. Frederick MD
43 BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery Huntington Beach CA
44 Odell Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
45 Rock Bottom Brewery Restaurants Louisville CO
46 Straub Brewery Saint Marys PA
47 BridgePort Brewing Co. (part of Gambrinus) Portland OR
48 Lost Coast Brewery & Cafe Eureka CA
49 Big Sky Brewing Co. Missoula MT
50 Stevens Point Brewery Co. Stevens Point WI

Notable changes and additions:

* Three new breweries have made their first appearance on the Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies list: Oskar Blues Brewery, Saint Arnold Brewing Co. and Bear Republic Brewing Co.
* Stevens Point Brewery was added to the Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies list for 2008 and 2009, as the majority of its sales are now in traditional all-malt beers.
* Independent Brewers United and Gambrinus, each with two separate brand families in the Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies list, are shown by their seperate companies.
* Flavored malt beverages are not considered beer for the Top 50 rankings.

The Association’s full 2009 industry analysis, which shows regional trends and sales by individual breweries, will be published in the May/June issue of The New Brewer, available on May 18.

For additional statistics, see the Craft Brewing Statistics section of the Brewers Association website, and 2009 Craft Brewer Sales Numbers press release.

¹The 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.

The Brewers Association Recognition Award went to Larry Bell, Founder and Owner of Bell’s Brewery, Inc. Bell started the Kalamazoo Brewing Company and Bell’s Brewery, Inc. in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1985, the earliest craft brewery in the eastern half of the United States. Larry’s dedication to the industry includes serving as a former chair of the Brewers Association’s predecessor organization and acting as a driving force with current Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper for the creation of American Beer Month (which evolved into American Craft Beer Week).

“Larry is a leader in our industry known for his innovative beers and the passion he brings to craft brewing,” said Brewers Association Board of Directors Chair Nick Matt, CEO of Matt Brewing Company. Mountain West Brewery Supply’s David Edgar noted in documents supporting Bell’s nomination that “Larry is continually pushing the envelope with experimenting with different grains, different yeast strains and plenty of hops.”

To select a winner of the Brewers Association Recognition Award each year, members of the association nominate candidates and the Brewers Association Board of Directors votes to determine the winner.

The Brewers Association presented the Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Brewing to Ken Grossman, CEO/President of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. Grossman received this year’s award for his leadership in technical brewing science for craft brewers. He is still deeply involved in technical brewing projects at Sierra Nevada and has led numerous initiatives in the area of sustainability and beer quality.

“Ken Grossman founded Sierra Nevada Brewing Company 30 years ago based on one principle, to make the highest quality beer in America,” said Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River Brewing Co. in a nominating document. “I think Ken’s never-ending quest in life is to make Sierra Nevada’s beers even better than they already are.”

The Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Brewing was first given in 1997 to honor Russell Schehrer, who died in 1996 at 38 years old, for his contributions to the brewing industry. Schehrer was a founding partner and original head brewer at Colorado’s first brewpub, Wynkoop Brewing Co. He was also one of the first brewers to produce mead, doppel alt, cream stout and chili beer.

Brewers Association brewery members submit nominations every year for the Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Brewing. The winner is chosen from the slate of nominees by a vote of the previous award winners.

The Brewers Association presented the F.X. Matt Defense of the Industry Award to Steve Hindy, Chairman and President of The Brooklyn Brewery. Hindy recently testified in a Congressional hearing to communicate how state franchise laws can hinder the ability for small brewers to grow their businesses and how self-distribution is important to many small brewers to develop their access to market.

“Steve’s work on behalf of the industry is almost too great to list,” says Brewers Association Past Chair Richard Doyle of Harpoon Brewery. “His involvement on the Beer Institute board established credibility for craft brewers there and reaffirmed our place at the table.”

The F.X. Matt Award is given in honor of a champion of small brewers, F.X. Matt (1933-2001), president of the F.X. Matt Brewing Co. in Utica, New York from 1980-1989 and chairman from 1989-2001.
Past Award Winners
Brewers Association Recognition Award Winners

2009 – Ken Allen, Anderson Valley Brewing Co.
2008 – Dr. Michael Lewis, U.C. Davis
2007 – Jack McAuliffe, New Albion Brewing Co.
2006 – Chuck Skypeck, Boscos Brewing Co.
2005 – Carol Stoudt, Stoudts Brewing Company
2004 – Jack Joyce, Rogue Ales
2003 – Mary-Anne Gruber, Briess Malting Co.
2002 – George Fix, Clemson University
2001 – Jim and Bobbie Kennedy, Admiralty Beverage Russell
2000 – Ralph Olson and Ralph Woodall, Hopunion CBS, LLC
1999 – Bill Owens, American Brewer Magazine
1998 – Charles Finkel, Merchant du Vin
1997 – Jim Koch and Rhonda Kallman, Boston Beer Co.
1996 – Karl Strauss, Karl M. Strauss Consulting
1995 – John Hickenlooper and Russell Schehrer, Wynkoop Brewing Co.
1994 – Fred Scheer, Frankenmuth Brewery
1993 – Jeff Mendel, Institute for Brewing Studies
1992 – Paul Shipman, Red Hook Ale Brewery
1991 – Ken Grossman, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
1990 – Bert Grant, Yakima Brewing and Malting
1989 – Roger Briess, Briess Malting Co.
1988 – Fritz Maytag, Anchor Brewing Co.
1987 – Michael Jackson
Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Brewing Winners

2009 – Steve Parkes, American Brewers Guild
2008 – Vinnie Cilurzo, Russian River Brewing Company
2007 – Matt Brynildson, Firestone Walker Brewing Company
2006 – Dan Carey, New Glarus Brewing Company
2005 – Greg Noonan, Vermont Pub and Brewery
2004 – Dick Cantwell, Elysian Brewing Company
2003 – Phil Markowski, Southampton Publick House
2002 – John Mallett, Kalamazoo Brewing Co.
2001 – John Harris, Full Sail Brewing Co.
2000 – Mark Carpenter, Anchor Brewing Co.
1999 – Fal Allen, Pike Brewing; Anderson Valley Brewing Co.
1998 – Garrett Oliver, The Brooklyn Brewery
1997 – John Maier, Oregon Brewing Co./Rogue Ales
F.X. Matt Defense of the Small Brewing Industry Award Winners

2009 – Eric Wallace, Left Hand Brewing Company
2008 – John Carlson, Colorado Brewers Guild
2007 – George Hancock, Pyramid Brewing Co.
2006 – Daniel Bradford, past BAA President
2005 – Marc Sorini, McDermott Will & Emery
2004 – Marc Sorini, BAA Counsel
2003 – Jim Parker, Oregon Brewers Guild
2002 – Mike McKinney, Texas Wholesalers Association
2001 – David Edgar, Past Institute for Brewing Studies Director
2000 – Fred Bowman, Portland Brewing Co.

Following member elections last fall, the Brewers Association seated the following new officers: Nick Matt of Matt Brewing Company as Chair; Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery as Vice Chair; and Mark Edelson of Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant as Secretary/Treasurer. Richard Doyle of Harpoon Brewery is Past Board Chair.

New members of the board are Chris P. Frey as an American Homebrewers Association designate; Chuck Skypeck, Boscos Brewing Company, as a brewpub designate; and Rob Tod, Allagash Brewing Company, as an at-large designate.

“I am delighted to work with leaders from across the craft brewing industry, along with the staff of the Brewers Association, to advance the Association’s strategic goals and help small and independent American brewers continue growing their market share,” said Nick Matt, chair. “It is exciting to see how the Brewers Association has developed over the past several years and it is an honor to play a leadership role in helping this organization continue to make progress in representing the interests of small brewers and the community of brewing enthusiasts.”

The Board provides strategic direction for the Brewers Association. With 31 full-time employees and additional independent contract staff, the Brewers Association serves 1,395 Brewery Members, 170 Wholesalers, 297 Allied Trade Members and 20,000+ American Homebrewers Association Members.

Following is a complete, alphabetical list of the Brewers Association board of directors and committee chairs.

Sam Calagione –Vice Chair
CEO/President
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Dick Cantwell
Owner
Elysian Brewing Company

Richard Doyle – Past Chair
Chairman/CEO
Harpoon Brewery

Mark Edelson –Secretary/Treasurer
Owner
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

Gary Fish
CEO/President
Deschutes Brewery

Chris P. Frey – AHA Representative

Chris Graham –AHA Representative
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Ken Grossman
CEO/President
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Kim Jordan
CEO & Founder
New Belgium Brewing Company

Greg Koch
CEO
Stone Brewing Co.

Jim Koch
President/Head Brewer
The Boston Beer Company

Nick Matt – Chair
CEO
Matt Brewing Company

John Pinkerton
Brewmaster/Partner
Moon River Brewing Company

Chuck Skypeck
Brewmaster/Owner
Boscos Brewing Company

Rob Tod
Owner
Allagash Brewing Company
Committee Chairs

* AHA Governing – Chris P. Frey, AHA Representative
* Communications – Dick Cantwell, Elysian Brewing Company
* Events – Greg Koch, Stone Brewing Co.
* Executive – Nick Matt, Matt Brewing Company
* Finance – Mark Edelson, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
* Governance – Gary Fish, Deschutes Brewery
* Government Affairs – Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
* Market Development Committee – Rob Tod, Allagash Brewing Company
* Pipeline Committee – Dick Cantwell, Elysian Brewing Company
* Public Relations & Marketing – Kim Jordan, New Belgium Brewing Company
* Technical – Ken Grossman, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

(Boulder, CO) – The craft beer industry grew to 7.2% in 2009 according to a Brewers Association press memo released Monday. This success, amidst economic conditions that adversely affected the beer industry, surprised analysts.

All the 2009 industry stats have been updated at the Brewers Association website. A few of the highlights:

# The craft brewing sales share in 2009 was 4.3% by volume and 6.9% by dollars.
# Craft brewer retail dollar value in 2009 was an estimated $6.86 billion, up from $6.32 billion in 2008.
# 1,585 breweries operated for some or all of 2009, the highest total since before Prohibition.

Here are a couple of my previous recaps of 2009 by the numbers: Craft Beer up significantly says IRI, New Belgium Brewing growth and style/brand trends. Below are growth figures for ten breweries that have released their figures already:

Founders Brewing – Annual Production – 72% Increase

Oskar Blues Brewery – Annual Production – 2008: 17k, 2009: 29k 71% Increase

O’Fallon Brewery – Annual Sales – 36% Increase

Great Divide Brewing – Annual Production – 34% Increase

Dogfish Head Brewery – Annual Production – 2008: ~75k, 2009: 97k – ~30% Increase

Saint Louis Brewery – Annual Production – 28% Increase

Dragonmead – Annual Sales – 2008: 1.3k, 2009: 1.5k- 15% Increase

Saint Arnold Brewing – Annual Production – 2008: 22.7k, 2009: 25.7k – 13% Increase

Sly Fox Brewing – Annual Production – 2008: ~6k, 2009: 6.7k – 13% Increase

Boulevard Brewing – Annual Production – 6% Increase

Boston Beer Co. – Annual Production – 2% Increase

Looking ahead to 2010, a handful of craft breweries have released projections and goals in the media. Lots of breweries are undertaking major expansion projects with a couple of them listed below. If these are indicative of what other breweries are thinking, we should see more of the same good fortune for the industry next year.

Founders Brewing – Annual Sales – 2009: 11-12k, 2010: 28k – 51% Increase

Saint Louis Brewery – Annual Production – 2009: 30k, 2010: 45k – 50% Increase

Maui Brewing – Annual Production – 2009: 7k, 2010: 12k – 71% Increase

Mt. Carmel Brewing – Annual Production – 2009: 3.2k, 2010: 6k – 88% Increase

O’So Brewing – Annual Production – 2009: 1k, 2010: 2k – 50% Increase

Brewers Association Launches CraftBeer.com

Boulder, Colo. • February 16, 2010— The Brewers Association, the trade association representing the majority of U.S. brewing companies, has just launched CraftBeer.com to celebrate the ever-growing interest in craft brewers and their liquid libations. The new site is a consumer portal providing information and community interaction for craft beer enthusiasts everywhere.

“Beer from small and independent craft brewers seems to have everyone—from wine lovers and famous chefs to restaurateurs and celebrities—talking about craft beer,” said Julia Herz, a spokesperson for the Brewers Association. “CraftBeer.com is an extension of that conversation. The site serves everyone, from the beer beginner to the budding beer enthusiast, highlighting the culture, authenticity and broad spectrum of beer from today’s craft brewers.”

Key areas of the website include:
• Beer and Food: This dynamic web area includes information on pairing, serving with and cooking using craft beer. Search through beer and food recipes, comment on those posted or post a personal favorite.
• Stories: Today’s craft beer revolution centers around the more than 1,400 small and independent breweries that have come of age as the U.S. beer culture has matured beyond light American lager to more robust beer styles.
• Beerology: Information is provided on everything from beer and health to selecting the optimal glass for your favorite style of beer.
• Brewery Tours: The majority of Americans live within 10 miles of a brewery. In this section, the user can experience virtual tours of craft breweries from the perspective of the brewers and visitors.
• Style Finder: Given the variety of beer styles available, this area provides an overview of the six main categories of today’s lagers and ales, which are divided into sub-categories and then finally into more than 50 individual beer styles.
• Get Local: This area is rich with resources for enjoying craft beer close to home, including arguably the world’s most extensive directory of the more than 1,500 breweries in the U.S.
• News & Events: Visitors to this section will find out about craft beer dinners, new beers in the marketplace and happenings at breweries, among other news.

###

Based in Boulder, Colorado, USA, the Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade and education association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. Visit the website, www.BrewersAssociation.org, to learn more. The association’s activities include events and publishing: CraftBeer.com, World Beer Cup®; Great American Beer Festival℠; Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America®; National Homebrewers Conference; National Homebrew Competition; SAVOR: An American Craft Beer and Food Experience; American Craft Beer Week; Zymurgy magazine; The New Brewer magazine; and books on beer and brewing. The Brewers Association has an additional membership division of 19,000+ homebrewers: American Homebrewers Association.

Consumers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com.

Craft beer growth hasn’t fallen off the map- not even close, but growth has declined significantly over the past two years. You may have not realized it with today’s craft beer news release though because the Brewers’ Association used the press release, not surprisingly, to hype that we broke a 100-year mark for independent craft breweries operating in the U.S.

The number of breweries in today’s report is officially 1,525 which exceeds the mark in 1910 of 1,498. 1,545 breweries operated during 2008 according to the association’s published statistics though that number includes breweries that closed down during the year. North American Brewery Updates released this past year indicate that somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 breweries closed down in 2008. As a result, The Brewers’ Association couldn’t have been certain that it broke the 100-year mark in December.

Still, it begs the question: why wait several months when we likely hit 1,500 breweries in January or maybe February? The answer to that question lies somewhere in, of all places in this high-speed internet age, a book. Maureen Ogle’s Ambitious Brew states that, “American brewing peaked in 1873, when there were 4,131 breweries.” This 100-year mark is about 1/3 of the U.S. record set just 27 years before it.

The truth of the matter is that what was mentioned today in that press release isn’t much of a mark at all and its timing is a bit helter-skelter. I’m not saying that the Brewers’ Association just pulled this out of thin air but it comes at the expense of what could be a much more critical dialogue about the health of the craft beer industry.

Craft beer numbers are floating back to earth. Dollar Growth has gone from 14% to 9% in two years with most of that coming before the word, “recession,” started gaining steam late last summer. In the same timeframe, production growth has dwindled from 11% to 5%. Meanwhile, we have 100 more breweries than we did two years ago. The beer supply is increasing despite demand decreasing.

Is this floating back to earth or two trains on a collision course?

Slowing growth is a good problem to have relative to the rest of the beer industry, one whose metrics even reveal 10% declines depending on the segment at which you’re looking. But it’s still a problem. While, there are dozens of breweries out there with distributors ringing their phones off of the hook, realize that those few breweries are not a microcosm of the craft beer industry, otherwise, we wouldn’t be 5% lower than we were two years ago.

Beer Advocate columnist, Andy Crouch, has taken multiple looks at craft beer and the economy. He mentions two interesting things (at least) which I bring up, less as arguments, and more as general talking points.

Point one: Crouch sees a looming problem in the distribution model of some craft beer brands in the States. A number of breweries are distributing beer to several markets across the country as opposed to distributing deeper into local markets. A brewery doing this could run the risk of long-term stability for short-term gain. This is by no means empirical but wouldn’t common sense say that you’re less likely to have loyal customers away from home? Within the past year, I have seen new displays in stores with discounted beers that need to be sold; it’s been sitting there for months. These are top notch brands that I am finding on those shelves.

Point two is more of a solution should things turn sour: adaptation. Crouch brings up an interesting anecdote about Greg Koch from Stone Brewing to illustrate: “Stone Brewing’s CEO Greg Koch recently told local business students that he wanted to change the company’s expansion model. Instead of selling more than 90,000 barrels of beer in thirty-three states, as Stone will do this year, he’d prefer to save on fuel costs and sell more beer in just five states.” For every Oskar Blues out there (they reported 84% growth as I write this), there are several breweries with stagnant growth, some of which may need to consider changing their approach. Just consider Hale’s Ales and Pete’s Brewing, each of which reported production sales losses in excess of 10% last year [ed. note: these figures appeared on pages 43-48 of the May/June issue of The New Brewer, a publication put out by the Brewers' Association.]

The Brewer’s Association isn’t unlike any other organization that paints a rosy picture with press releases. Let’s hope that their downplaying of what I’ve mentioned here is for good reason. That the numbers will bounce back and craft beer will grow at double digits again.

But we have nothing to worry about, right?

We have 27 more breweries today than we did in 1910.

Sources:
2008 – http://www.beertown.org/ba/media_2008/midyear2008.htm
2007 – http://www.beertown.org/ba/media_2007/midyear2007.htm
2006 – http://www.ibabuzz.com/bottomsup/2006/08/21/craft-beer-sales-still-soaring/
2005 – http://www.allbusiness.com/food-beverage/beverage-industry-beverage-manufacturing/5065706-1.html

Photo 1:

Photo 2:

Brewers Association reports Mid-Year Craft Brewing Numbers

Number of US Breweries the Highest in 100 Years

Boulder, CO • August 17, 2009 – The Brewers Association, the trade association representing the majority of U.S. brewing companies, reports America’s small and independent craft brewers¹ are still growing (see Craft Brewing Statistics) despite many challenges and are continuing to provide jobs to the U.S. economy. Dollar growth from craft brewers during the first half of 2009 increased 9%, down from 11% growth during the same period in 2008. Volume of craft brewed beer sold grew 5% for the first six months in 2009, compared to 6.5% growth in the first half of 2008. Barrels sold by craft brewers for the first half of the year is an estimated 4.2 million, compared to 4 million barrels sold in the first half of 2008.

“At a time when many of the giant beer brands are declining, small and independent craft brewers are organically growing their share and slowly gaining shelf and restaurant menu space one glass of craft beer at a time,” said Paul Gatza, Director of the Brewers Association.

The U.S. now boasts 1,525 breweries, the highest number in 100 years when consolidation and the run up to Prohibition reduced the number of breweries to 1,498 in 1910. “The U.S. has more breweries than any other nation and produces a greater diversity of beer styles than anywhere else, thanks to craft brewer innovation,” Gatza added.

Headlines from stories on beer and craft brewers in the first half of 2009 include the following:

* Winemakers Go After Beer Drinkers (Oregon Public Radio)
* Made by Small Brewers, But Delicious, Says Aficionado from Food & Wine Magazine (CBS Early Show)
* Frothy Diplomacy: What Beer Will Obama Choose for White House Meeting? (ABC News)
* Beer Edges Out Wine, Liquor as Drink of Choice in U.S. (Gallup Poll)

¹ 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 brewers 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.

Boulder, Colorado • July, 2009 – The Brewers Association’s Export Development Program for the second consecutive year is planning to participate in the Great British Beer Festival. The UK is a market of interest to many Export Development Program members and the Brewers Association itself has strong linkages to the GBBF and to CAMRA, this is a great opportunity to promote U.S. craft beer in the UK.

Event: Great British Beer Festival
Date: August 4-8, 2009
Location: Earls Court, London
Brewers Association Receptions

The Brewers Association will be displaying an assortment of U.S. craft beers in the “USA and Rest of World” section of the show. This area will be “branded” with U.S. craft beer promotional materials, Brewers Association posters and other materials. It will provide excellent exposure for American craft beers in general and, in particular, for brands already in the UK. “The Great British Beer Festival is an excellent venue to promote U.S. craft beers in the UK and northern Europe,” states Bob Pease, Brewers Association Vice President, “our Export Development Program members find great value in this event, which is why we are back for a second year.”

During the week of Great British Beer Festival, the Brewers Association will also be hosting a series of receptions for importers, distributors, retailers and media where beers from Brewers Association Export Development Program member breweries will be exclusively showcased.

The following Brewers Association Export Development Program members are participating in the Great British Beer Festival by sending beers:

* Alaskan Brewing Co
* Anderson Valley Brewing Co
* Ballast Point Brewing Co
* Big Sky Brewing Co
* Boulevard Brewing Co
* Caldera Brewing Co
* Coronado Brewing Co
* Deschutes Brewery
* Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
* Firestone Walker Brewing Co
* Flying Dog Brewery
* FX Matt Brewing Co

* Great Divide Brewing Co
* Lagunitas Brewing Co
* Left Hand Brewing Co
* Odell Brewing Co
* Rogue Ales Brewery
* Shipyard Brewing Co
* Steamworks Brewing Co
* Stone Brewing Co
* Terrapin Brewing Co
* Uinita Brewing Co
* Victory Brewing Co
* Wandering Aengus Ciderworks

In addition to sending their beers, the following Brewers Association Export Development Program members will be working the booth at the Great British Beer Festival promoting all U.S. craft beers:

* Ron Lindenbusch, Lagunitas Brewing Co
* Doug Odell, Odell Brewing Co
* Greg Koch, Stone Brewing Co
* Mitch Steele, Stone Brewing Co
* Bill Covaleski, Victory Brewing Co

The Brewers Association’s Export Development Program began in 2004 with a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Market Access Program. Since its inception, objectives for the Export Development Program have remained unchanged. These include the following:

* Educate international trade and media about the quality and diversity of products offered by the U.S. craft beer industry and about the U.S. craft beer culture.
* Inform member breweries about opportunities for their products in key international target markets.
* Complement the industry’s own efforts to increase international distribution of U.S. craft beer.

To date, the Export Development Program has been able to promote its members’ beer in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, China, Japan, the Philippines and Australia.

Dear Beer Enthusiast,

Small brewers are facing an imminent and extremely serious threat to their businesses. The consequences of remaining silent have the very real potential of reducing your choice of beer and dramatically increasing the price of any beer that you purchase.

The Senate Finance Committee in Washington, DC is currently considering a proposal to increase and equalize the excise tax for alcohol beverages as part of healthcare reform deliberations. This proposal would triple the excise tax for 4.5% ABV beer and impose even higher excise tax rates for higher ABV beers.

If such a proposal becomes reality, there is no question that many small brewery businesses will suffer, some will close and consumers will face higher prices and diminished choice in the marketplace.

The Brewers Association brewery members and leadership have been actively engaged in building the case against an excise tax increase, recently submitting a letter to the Committee outlining our opposition.

We need you to speak out now. Today or tomorrow at the latest.

If you live in the following states it is most urgent that you contact your Senator who is on the Senate Finance Committee:
Arizona Nevada
Arkansas New Jersey
Delaware New Mexico
Florida New York
Idaho North Dakota
Iowa Oregon
Kansas Texas
Kentucky Utah
Maine Washington
Massachusetts West Virginia
Michigan Wyoming
Montana

If your Senators are not members of that committee, ask them to contact their Finance Committee colleagues and express their opposition to this proposal moving forward.

Your ask of them is simple:

Oppose the Tax Increase. Let them know that you oppose, in the strongest possible terms, raising the federal excise tax on beer because of the serious consequences it would have on small brewers and the craft beer they brew. Additional talking points appear below.

Once again: If one of your Senators sits on the Senate Finance Committee (roster of members below), urge them to oppose this proposal in committee deliberations.

If your Senators are not members of that committee, ask them to contact their Finance Committee colleagues and express their opposition to this proposal moving forward.

Take Action – Call and/or email your Senators’ Washington or district offices and make your personal case against this massive excise tax increase.

As always, thanks for your support.

Charlie Papazian
Charlie Signature
President, Brewers Association

Senate Finance Committee Members:
Baucus, Max (MT), Chairman Bingaman, Jeff (NM)
Bunning, Jim (KY) Cantwell, Maria (WA)
Carper, Thomas R. (DE) Conrad, Kent (ND)
Cornyn, John (TX) Crapo, Mike (ID)
Ensign, John (NV) Enzi, Michael B. (WY)
Grassley, Chuck (IA), Ranking Member Hatch, Orrin G. (UT)
Kerry, John F. (MA) Kyl, Jon (AZ)
Lincoln, Blanche L. (AR) Menendez, Robert (NJ)
Nelson, Bill (FL) Roberts, Pat (KS)
Rockefeller, John D. (WV) Schumer, Charles E. (NY)
Snowe, Olympia J. (ME) Stabenow, Debbie (MI)
Wyden, Ron (OR)

ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE TO SMALL BREWERS EXCISE TAXES

Small brewers are small Main street businesses, typically employing 10 to 50 employees.

* Small brewers represent only 4% of the entire U.S. beer market by volume, with 95% of them being very small businesses (producing 15,000 barrels or less per year).

We strongly oppose proposals to increase the excise tax on beer.

* Proposals to increase and equalize the tax among all types of alcohol will tax small brewers at the highest rates because our specialty, gourmet and innovative beers typically have higher alcohol contents.
* Brewers already pay a disproportionately higher share of taxes compared with other products – federal, state and local taxes represent over 40% of the retail price for beer while the same taxes equal nearly 24% of the price for all other purchases.

Higher taxes will worsen the economic recession – resulting in less competitive products, reduced sales and revenues, lost jobs and, for some small brewers, business closures.

* $1 per case excise tax increase will typically cost the consumer at least $1.69 due to successive mark-ups as the case moves from brewer to wholesaler to retailer.
* Many small brewers are struggling to deal with the consequences of the 2008 spike in ingredient and operational costs.

“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. There was one new entrant into the Top 50 Craft list, The Saint Louis Brewery, and two craft brewers have claimed spots in the Top 50 Overall list—Big Sky Brewing Co. and Mac & Jack’s Brewery. Consolidation of MillerCoors, last year’s number 2 and 3 brewers, opened up a slot, and the merger of Widmer Brothers and Redhook into the company now named Craft Brewers Alliance, Inc. opened up another slot filled by emerging small and independent craft brewers.

A more extensive analysis of statistics on the craft beer segment in 2008 will be released April 22 during the Craft Brewers Conference in Boston, Massachusetts. The Association’s full 2008 industry analysis, which shows regional trends and sales by individual breweries, will publish in the May/June issue of The New Brewer on May 19.
Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies by Beer Sales Volume
(Based on 2008 sales)
Rank Brewing Company City State
1 Boston Beer Co. Boston MA
2 Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Chico CA
3 New Belgium Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
4 Spoetzl Brewery Shiner TX
5 Pyramid Breweries Inc. Seattle WA
6 Deschutes Brewery Bend OR
7 Matt Brewing Co. Utica NY
8 Boulevard Brewing Co. Kansas City MO
9 Full Sail Brewing Co. Hood River OR
10 Magic Hat Brewing Co. Burlington VT
11 Alaskan Brewing Co. Juneau AK
12 Harpoon Brewery Boston MA
13 Bell’s Brewery, Inc. Galesburg MI
14 Kona Brewing Co. Kailua-Kona HI
15 Anchor Brewing Co. San Francisco CA
16 Shipyard Brewing Co. Portland ME
17 Summit Brewing Co. Saint Paul MN
18 Stone Brewing Co. Escondido CA
19 Abita Brewing Co. Abita Springs LA
20 The Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn NY
21 New Glarus Brewing Co. New Glarus WI
22 Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Milton DE
23 Long Trail Brewing Co. Bridgewater Corners VT
24 Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. San Jose CA
25 Rogue Ales/Oregon Brewing Co. Newport OR
26 Great Lakes Brewing Co. Cleveland OH
27 The Lagunitas Brewing Co. Petaluma CA
28 Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Paso Robles CA
29 SweetWater Brewing Co. Atlanta GA
30 Flying Dog Brewing Co. Frederick MD
31 BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery Huntington Beach CA
32 Rock Bottom Brewery Restaurants Louisville CO
33 BridgePort Brewing Co. Portland OR
34 Odell Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
35 Victory Brewing Co. Downingtown PA
36 Mac and Jack’s Brewery Redmond WA
37 Big Sky Brewing Co. Missoula MT
38 Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants Chattanooga TN
39 Karl Strauss Brewing Co. San Diego CA
40 Breckenridge Brewery Denver CO
41 Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe Eureka CA
42 Otter Creek Brewing Co. Middlebury VT
43 Utah Brewers Cooperative Salt Lake City UT
44 North Coast Brewing Co. Fort Bragg CA
45 Blue Point Brewing Co. Patchogue NY
46 Boulder Beer Co. Boulder CO
47 Pete’s Brewing Co. San Antonio TX
48 McMenamins Breweries Portland OR
49 Anderson Valley Brewing Co. Boonville CA
50 The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. St Louis MO

Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies by Beer Sales Volume
(Based on 2008 sales)
Rank Brewing Company City State
1 Anheuser-Busch InBev St. Louis MO
2 MillerCoors Brewing Co. Chicago IL
3 Pabst Brewing Co. Woodridge IL
4 Boston Beer Co. Boston MA
5 D. G. Yuengling and Son Inc. Pottsville PA
6 Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Chico CA
7 Craft Brewers Alliance, Inc. Woodinville WA
8 New Belgium Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
9 High Falls Brewing Co. Rochester NY
10 Spoetzl Brewery Shiner TX
11 Pyramid Breweries Inc. Seattle WA
12 Deschutes Brewery Bend OR
13 Iron City Brewing Co. Pittsburgh PA
14 Minhas Craft Brewery Monroe WI
15 Matt Brewing Co. Utica NY
16 Boulevard Brewing Co. Kansas City MO
17 Full Sail Brewing Co. Hood River OR
18 Magic Hat Brewing Co. Burlington VT
19 Alaskan Brewing Co. Juneau AK
20 Harpoon Brewery Boston MA
21 Bell’s Brewery, Inc. Galesburg MI
22 Goose Island Beer Co. Chicago IL
23 Kona Brewery LLC Kailua-Kona HI
24 Anchor Brewing Co. San Francisco CA
25 August Schell Brewing Co. New Ulm MN
26 Shipyard Brewing Portland ME
27 Summit Brewing Co. Saint Paul MN
28 Stone Brewing Co. Escondido CA
29 Mendocino Brewing Co. Ukiah CA
30 Abita Brewing Co., L.L.C. Abita Springs LA
31 The Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn NY
32 New Glarus Brewing Co. New Glarus WI
33 Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Milton DE
34 Long Trail Brewing Co. Bridgewater Corners VT
35 Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. San Jose CA
36 Rogue Ales/Oregon Brewing Co. Newport OR
37 Great Lakes Brewing Co. Cleveland OH
38 The Lagunitas Brewing Co. Petaluma CA
39 Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Paso Robles CA
40 SweetWater Brewing Co. Atlanta GA
41 Flying Dog Brewing Co. Frederick MD
42 BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery Huntington Beach CA
43 Rock Bottom Brewery Restaurants Louisville CO
44 BridgePort Brewing Co. Portland OR
45 Odell Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
46 Victory Brewing Co. Downingtown PA
47 Straub Brewery Saint Marys PA
48 Cold Spring Brewing Co. Cold Spring MN
49 Mac and Jack’s Brewery Redmond WA
50 Big Sky Brewing Co. Missoula MT

For additional statistics, see Craft Brewing Statistics.

¹The 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.