The top 50 craft breweries in America for 2016

The Brewers Association (BA)—the not-for-profit trade group representing small and independent craft brewers—just released its annual lists of the top 50 craft brewing companies in the U.S., based on 2016 beer sales volume. These are the top craft beer producers, not the “best” craft breweries.

“With such a broad range of brewers in today’s beer landscape, the leading small and independent producers have helped build the craft brewing industry to what it is today,” said Bart Watson, chief economist, Brewers Association. “Embracing their experience and ability to thrive and overcome challenges, the top producing craft brewers will continue to inspire, innovate and influence the future of beer.”

Some things to think about:

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• The rankings are based on beer sales and do not reflect anyone’s opinion about which brewery makes the best beer.
• The Brewers Association also released its list of the top 50 overall brewing companies in America. As you might expect, Anheuser-Busch tops that list. Of the top 50 overall, 40 were craft breweries.
• No Washington breweries made the list. Not surprising. Four Oregon breweries made the list: Deschutes, Full Sail, Ninkasi, and Rogue.
• Ballast Point, Breckenridge, and Four Peaks fell off the list this year because they were acquired by larger companies: Constellation Brands and  Anheuser-Busch. Therefore they are no longer considered craft breweries by the BA. Likewise, Lagunitas fell off the list this year because they “partnered” with Heineken.
• You can see the list of last year’s Top 50 here.

Rank – Brewery – State

1. D. G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. PA
2. Boston Beer Co. MA
3. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. CA
4. New Belgium Brewing Co. CO
5. Gambrinus. TX
6. Duvel Moortgat USA. CA/MO/NY*
7. Bell’s Brewery, Inc. MI
8. Deschutes Brewery. OR
9. Stone Brewing Co. CA
10. Oskar Blues Brewing Holding Co. CO
11. Brooklyn Brewery. NY
12. Minhas Craft Brewery. WI
13. Artisanal Brewing Ventures. PA/NY **
14. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. DE
15. SweetWater Brewing Co. GA
16. New Glarus Brewing Co. WI
17. Matt Brewing Co. NY
18. Harpoon Brewery. MA
19. Alaskan Brewing. AK
20. Abita Brewing Co. LA
21. Great Lakes Brewing Co. OH
22. Anchor Brewing Co. CA
23. Stevens Point Brewery. WI
24. August Schell Brewing Co. MN
25. Long Trail Brewing Co. VT
26. Summit Brewing Co. MN
27. Odell Brewing Co. CO
28. Shipyard Brewing Co. ME
29. Full Sail Brewing Co. OR
30. Rogue Ales. OR
31. 21st Amendment Brewery. CA
32. Flying Dog Brewery. MD
33. Ninkasi Brewing Co. OR
34. Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. CA
35. Allagash Brewing Co. ME
36. Narragansett Brewing Co. RI
37. Green Flash Brewing Co. CA
38. Tröegs Brewing Co. PA
39. Uinta Brewing Co. UT
40. Bear Republic Brewing Co. CA
41. Karl Strauss Brewing Co. CA
42. Surly Brewing Co. MN
43. Sixpoint Brewery. NY
44. Left Hand Brewing Co. CO
45. Lost Coast Brewery. CA
46. Revolution Brewing. IL
47. North Coast Brewing Co. CA
48. Avery Brewing Co. CO
49. Real Ale Brewing Co. TX
50. BJ’s Brewery. CA

* Duvel Moortgat owns three American craft breweries: Boulevard Brewing, Firestone Walker Brewing, and Brewery Ommegang. Those three breweries still qualify as craft breweries according to the BA.

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**Artisinal Brewing Ventures operates two breweries: Southern Tier and Victory.

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