The end of 2013 found the United States brewery population to be the highest since the 1876. The Brewers Association counted 2,722 brewing facilities open an operating as of December 31st.
In 1870, the the Register of United States Breweries had the count at 3,286 breweries, the highest of all time. The total breakdown looks like this:
Regional breweries: 120
Microbreweries: 1376
Brewpubs: 1202
Large breweries: 24
Total: 2,722
98% of this total are micro/craft breweries. This also marks the first time since 1987 that microbreweries outnumbered brewpubs in the U.S.
In January, 2014, there are 1,744 breweries in planning in the United States. Keep drinking, folks. There just might be something to this…