The Brewers Association Reveals America’s 50 Fastest-Growing Craft Breweries
Boulder, Colorado.—The Brewers Association (BA)—the non-profit trade group representing small independent craft brewers—released its second annual list of the 50 fastest growing small independent brewers today1 craft brewing companies of 2018.
Representing 27 states in the United States, these small independent breweries experienced a median growth of 163%, with the median size being 1,350 barrels of in-house production in 2018. The breweries on the list range from 50 barrels to over 40,000 , and grew from less than 70,000 barrels collectively in 2017 to over 170,000 barrels in 2018. As a group, these brewing companies account for approximately 10% of total craft volume growth for the year and include 13 breweries, 35 microbreweries and two regional craft breweries.
“Even as market competition continues to increase, these small independent breweries and breweries demonstrate that there are still opportunities for growth across a diverse set of regions and business models,” said Bart Watson, Chief Economist, Brewers Association.
Methodology: The list presented includes only small independent breweries. Growth is measured based on production at their own facilities. Breweries must have opened by December 31, 2016 to be considered. It only includes breweries that reported their 2018 production as part of the Brewers Association’s Annual Beer Industry Production Survey; breweries with staff estimates or data from state excise duty reports were not considered. Breweries also needed a validated production figure for 2017, either through the production survey or state excise duty data.
A comprehensive report on the state of the industry will be presented during the Craft Brewers Conference 2019® & BrewExpo America®, held April 8-11 in Denver, Colorado. The association’s comprehensive 2018 industry analysis, which shows regional trends and sales by individual breweries, will be published in the May/June issue of The new breweravailable in May 2019.
1 An American craft brewer is a small independent brewer. 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. Brewer: Has a TTB brewer rating and makes beer.
Contact: Abby Cohen (on behalf of the Brewers Association) abby@rosengrouppr.com, 646-695-7044
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 4,800 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® & BrewExpo America®, FLAVOR™: An American Craft Beer and Dining Experience, Homebrew Con™, and National Homebrew Competition. 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 Brewing Guru® mobile app. follow us on Facebook, Twitter and instagram.
