The Brewers Association today released its annual rankings of the 50 largest US beer companies based on 2017 sales volume estimates.
Here’s how things went:
Among craft beer producers defined by BA – companies that produce less than 6 million barrels per year and are less than 25% owned by a member of the alcohol industry who is not also a craft brewer – DG Yuengling & Son of Pennsylvania is once again at the top of the list.
Boston Beer Company placed second, while Sierra Nevada Brewing, New Belgium Brewing and Duvel Moortgat – which includes Boulevard Brewing, Firestone Walker and Brewery Ommegang in the US – rounded out the top five.
Duvel actually moved up one spot on the list, ahead of Gambrinus Company of Texas, which owns the Shiner, Bridgeport and Trumer brands and fell to number six.
Although still ranked among the top 10 craft beer companies, Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery dropped two spots, to tenth place, while Stone Brewing Company and Canarchy – Oskar Blues, Cigar City, Perrin Brewing and the Cooperative of the Utah Brewers – each moved up one spot, to eighth place. and ninth, respectively.
Other notable moves included:
- Delaware’s Dogfish Head moved up two spots to 12th
- Odell Brewing Company of Colorado moved from No. 27 to No. 22 on the list
- California’s 21st Amendment moved up five places, to 26th
- Pennsylvania-based Tröegs climbed eight places and now ranks 30th among BA-defined craft beer companies in the United States.
- Chicago’s Revolution Brewing, which first broke into the top 50 in 2015, moved up six more spots to 40th on the list.
Meanwhile, fast-growing Cincinnati startup Rhinegeist made the top 50 for the first time, ranking 33rd ahead of some notable craft beer makers including Allagash Brewing in Maine, Surly Brewing in Minnesota and Ninkasi Brewing. .
Speaking of Ninkasi, the Oregon-based company fell five spots to 38th place. And San Diego’s Green Flash Brewing, which recently pulled 32-state distribution and began a recapitalization process, also fell six spots, to No. 43.
You can view the full ranking here. Official production estimates will be published in the May/June issue of The New Brewer magazine.
Previous Top 50 lists:
Additional information is also included in the press release, below.
Brewers Association Releases Top 50 Brewing Companies of 2017 by Sales Volume
Boulder, Colo • March 14, 2018 – The Brewers Association (BA) – the non-profit trade group representing small independent craft brewers – today released its annual lists of the top 50 craft brewing companies and the aggregate of brewing companies in the United States, based on beer sales volume. Of the top 50 breweries, 40 were small independent craft breweries.1
“In an increasingly competitive and mature market, these brewing companies continue to lead and pave the way for small, independent craft brewers,” said Bart Watson, Chief Economist, Brewers Association.
For a complete list of brewer brands, please visit BrewersAssociation.org.
A full report on the state of the industry will be presented at the Craft Brewers 2018 conference, taking place April 30-May 3. 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. The association’s full 2017 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 2018.
1 Figure based on companies that met the craft brewer definition for all or part of 2017. A US craft brewer is small, independent and traditional. Small: Annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less (about 3% of annual sales in the United States). Beer production is attributed to the rules of alternate ownership. Independent: less than 25% of the craft brewer is owned or controlled (or an equivalent economic interest) by a member of the beverage alcohol industry who is not themselves a craft brewer. Traditional: A brewer whose majority of total beverage alcohol volume comes from beers whose flavor comes from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients and their fermentation. Flavored malt beverages (FMB) are not considered beers.
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 by small independent craft brewers. The BA hosts events such as the World Beer CupSM, Great American Beer Festival®, Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America®, SAVOR℠: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience, Homebrew Con, National Homebrew Competition and American Craft Beer Week ®. The BA publishes The New Brewer® magazine 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 homebrewing through the BA’s American Homebrewers Association and the free Brew Guru™ mobile app. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
The Brewers Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, orientation or marital/family status. The BA complies with the provisions of Executive Order 11246 and relevant rules, regulations and orders of the Secretary of Labor.
