Brewers Association unveils list of 50 small independent craft brewers in 25 states showing diversity of growth
Boulder, Colorado. • April 10, 2018—The Brewers Association (BA) today released its inaugural list of the 50 fastest growing independent small businesses1 craft breweries in 2017. The median growth from 2016 to 2017 for these breweries was 216%; the median size of breweries on the list increased from 284 barrels in 2016 to 963 barrels in 2017. These companies account for 5.5% of craft volume growth for 2017 and include eight breweries, 40 microbreweries and two craft breweries regional.
“With an overall growth of 5% for small independent brewers in 2017 and microbreweries and craft breweries providing the majority, we wanted to highlight some of the breweries driving this growth,” said Bart Watson, Economist in Chief, Brewers Association. “As the base for craft growth becomes more diffuse, these fast-growing brewing companies illustrate that a diverse set of success stories still exist.”
Methodology: The list presented includes only small independent breweries with all their production in their own facilities. Breweries had to have opened on or before 12/31/2015 to be considered. It only includes breweries that have participated in the Brewers Association’s Annual Beer Industry Production Survey; breweries with staff estimates or data from state excise duty reports were not considered. Finally, breweries must have at least three years of data to be considered.
A comprehensive report on the state of the industry will be presented during the Craft Brewers Conference 2018, from April 30 to May 3, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. In May 2018, the Brewers Association will publish the full 2017 industry analysis in the May/June issue of The new brewershowing regional trends and sales by individual breweries.
Contact: Abby Cohen (on behalf of the Brewers Association) abby@rosengrouppr.com, 646-695-7044
1An American craft brewer is small, independent and traditional.
About the Brewers Association
The Brewers Association (BA) is the nonprofit trade association dedicated to America’s small, independent brewers, their beers, and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents more than 4,000 American breweries. The BA Independent Craft Brewer Seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers from small independent craft brewers. The BA organizes events including the Beer World Cup℠, Great American Oktoberfest®, Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America®, SAVOUR℠: An American Craft Beer and Dining Experience, Homebrew Con, National Homebrew Competition and American Craft Beer Week®. The BA publishes The new brewer® magazines, and Brewers’ Publications™ is the leading publisher of brewing literature in the United States. Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the vibrant world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com and on homebrewing via BAs American Homebrew Association and free Brew Guru™ mobile app. follow us on Facebook, instagram and Twitter.
