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Brewers Association Releases Top 50 Craft Breweries by Volume for 2022
The Brewers Association, the trade association representing America’s craft brewers, has released its annual beer production report for 2022. Each year, this data is the best available when assessing the real “state of beer and craft beer” in America.
Definition of “craft.”
The Brewers Association’s definition of a “craft brewery” has changed slightly over the years. The biggest change to the definition was in 2011 when the production cap was changed from 2,000 to 6,000. Then in 2018, the BA stated the majority of a craft brewer’s production doesn’t have to come from beer. The latest definition includes an ownership statement – less than 25% of a great brewery is owned or controlled by an economic interest that is not itself a craft brewer. (For example, Monster Energy. More on that later.)
For years, you would see movement in and out of the Top 50 Craft, based on production volume shift, or a craft brewer departing the list after being purchased by an entity like Anheuser Busch. Lately, the list is seeing the rise of brewing “collectives” like CANarchy and Artisanal Brewing Ventures.
Rise of the “Collectives”
The craft brewing collectives are becoming pretty common as craft brewing is changing. A few years ago Victory Brewing and Southern Tier dropped from the top 50 to be found under the Artisanal Brewing Ventures header, along with Sixpoint. CANarchy was formed in 2015, and purchased by Monster Energy in 2022, which includes Cigar City, Deep Ellum, Oskar Blues, Perrin, and Utah Brewers Cooperative.
The newer collectives and new to the BA Top 50 include Tilray Beer Brands, which is a pharmaceutical/cannabis company that owns SweetWater Brewing, Montauk, Green Flash, and Alpine Beer. In July 2022, Maui Brewing purchased Modern Times and formed Craft Ohana.
No Top Surprises
Yuengling still holds the number one spot in craft brewing and has since at least 2014, followed by Boston Beer Co., whose volume includes Alchemy & Science, Angel City, Dogfish Head, Concrete Beach, and Coney Island brands. Sierra Nevada speaks for itself at 3, followed by Duvel Moortgat (Firestone Walk, Boulevard, Ommegang) and Gambrinus (Shiner & Trumer brands).
Most in the United States
When considering the total U.S. beer volume with craft included, Anheuser Busch will most likely always have the top spot, unless they find another business-damaging PR move. Number one in craft volume Yuengling ranks 7th in overall U.S. volume, with Boston Beer at 9th and Sierra Nevada at 10th.
Top 50 Craft Breweries by Volume – 2022
1 | D. G. Yuengling and Son Inc | Pottsville | PA |
2 | Boston Beer Co | Boston, Milton | MA, DE |
3 | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co | Chico | CA |
4 | Duvel Moortgat USA | Paso Robles, Kansas City, Cooperstown | CA, MO, NY |
5 | Gambrinus Company | Shiner, Berkeley | TX, CA |
6 | Artisanal Brewing Ventures | Dowingtown, Lakewood, Brooklyn | PA, NY, NY |
7 | Stone Brewing* | Escondido | CA |
8 | CANarchy | Longmont, Tampa, Salt Lake City, Comstock, Dallas | CO, FL, UT, MI, TX |
9 | Tilray Beer Brands | Atlanta, Montauk, San Diego | GA, NY, CA |
10 | Brooklyn Brewery | Brooklyn | NY |
11 | Deschutes Brewery | Bend | OR |
12 | New Glarus Brewing Co | New Glarus | WI |
13 | Athletic Brewing Company | Milford | CT |
14 | Matt Brewing Co | Utica | NY |
15 | Minhas Craft Brewery | Monroe | WI |
16 | Harpoon Brewery | Boston | MA |
17 | Gordon Biersch Brewing Co | San Jose | CA |
18 | Great Lakes Brewing Company | Cleveland | OH |
19 | Stevens Point Brewery | Stevens Point | WI |
20 | Allagash Brewing Company | Portland | ME |
21 | Georgetown Brewing Co | Seattle | WA |
22 | Odell Brewing Co | Fort Collins | CO |
23 | Rhinegeist Brewery | Cincinnati | OH |
24 | Three Floyds Brewing | Munster | IN |
25 | Troegs Brewing Co | Hershey | PA |
26 | Summit Brewing Co | Saint Paul | MN |
27 | Narragansett Brewing Co | Providence | RI |
28 | Craft Ohana | Kihei, San Diego | HI, CA |
29 | August Schell Brewing Company | New Ulm | MN |
30 | Kings & Convicts Brewing | San Diego | CA |
31 | Pittsburgh Brewing Co | Pittsburgh | PA |
32 | Alaskan Brewing Co | Juneau | AK |
33 | Kona Brewing Co | Kailua-Kona | HI |
34 | Flying Dog Brewery | Frederick | MD |
35 | Abita Brewing Co | Covington | LA |
36 | Fiddlehead Brewing | Shelburne | VT |
37 | Creature Comforts Brewing Co | Athens | GA |
38 | BrewDog Brewing Company | Canal Winchester | OH |
39 | Revolution Brewing | Chicago | IL |
40 | Lost Coast Brewery | Eureka | CA |
41 | Rogue Ales Brewery | Newport | OR |
42 | Surly Brewing Company | Minneapolis | MN |
43 | Ninkasi Brewing Co | Eugene | OR |
44 | Saint Arnold Brewing Co | Houston | TX |
45 | IndieBrew | Atlanta, Nashville | GA, TN |
46 | Shipyard Brewing Co | Portland | ME |
47 | Jack’s Abby Brewing | Framingham | MA |
48 | North Coast Brewing Co | Fort Bragg | CA |
49 | Pizza Port Brewing Company | Carlsbad | CA |
50 | Made by the Water | New Orleans, Apalachicola, Asheville, Charleston | LA, FL, NC, SC |
Top 50 Breweries by Volume Overall – 2022
1 | Anheuser-Busch Inc (a) | St. Louis | MO |
2 | MolsonCoors (b) | Chicago | IL |
3 | Constellation (c) | Chicago | IL |
4 | Heineken USA (d) | White Plains | NY |
5 | Pabst Brewing Co (e) | Los Angeles | CA |
6 | Diageo (f) | Norwalk | CT |
7 | D. G. Yuengling and Son Inc | Pottsville | PA |
8 | FIFCO USA (g) | Rochester | NY |
9 | Boston Beer Co (h) | Boston, Milton | MA, DE |
10 | Kirin-Lion / New Belgium Brewing (i) | Fort Collins, Comstock | CO, MI |
11 | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co | Chico | CA |
12 | Duvel Moortgat USA (j) | Paso Robles, Kansas City, Cooperstown | CA, MO, NY |
13 | Founders Brewing / Mahou San Miguel (k) | Grand Rapids, Boulder | MI, CO |
14 | Gambrinus (l) | Berkeley, Shiner | CA, TX |
15 | Artisanal Brewing Ventures (m) | Downingtown, Lakewood, Brooklyn | PA, NY, NY |
16 | Stone Brewing (n) | Escondido | CA |
17 | CANarchy (o) | Longmont, Tampa, Salt Lake City, Comstock, Dallas | CO, FL, UT, MI, TX |
18 | Tilray Beer Brands (p) | Atlanta, Montauk, San Diego | GA, NY, CA |
19 | Sapporo USA (q) | San Francisco | CA |
20 | Brooklyn Brewery | Brooklyn | NY |
21 | Deschutes Brewery | Bend | OR |
22 | New Glarus Brewing Co | New Glarus | WI |
23 | Athletic Brewing Company | Stratford | CT |
24 | Matt Brewing Co (r) | Utica | NY |
25 | Minhas Craft Brewery (s) | Monroe | WI |
26 | Harpoon Brewery | Boston | MA |
27 | Gordon Biersch Brewing Co | San Jose | CA |
28 | Great Lakes Brewing Company | Cleveland | OH |
29 | Stevens Point Brewery (t) | Stevens Point | WI |
30 | Allagash Brewing Company | Portland | ME |
31 | Georgetown Brewing Co | Seattle | WA |
32 | Odell Brewing Co | Fort Collins | CO |
33 | Rhinegeist Brewery | Cincinnati | OH |
34 | Three Floyds Brewing (u) | Munster | IN |
35 | Troegs Brewing Co | Hershey | PA |
36 | Summit Brewing Co | Saint Paul | MN |
37 | Narragansett Brewing Co | Pawtucket | RI |
38 | Craft Ohana (v) | Kihei, San Diego | HI/CA |
39 | August Schell Brewing Company (w) | New Ulm | MN |
40 | Kings & Convicts Brewing/Ballast Point | San Diego | CA |
41 | Pittsburgh Brewing (x) | Pittsburgh | PA |
42 | Alaskan Brewing Co | Juneau | AK |
43 | Kona Brewing Co (y) | Kailua-Kona | HI |
44 | Flying Dog Brewery | Frederick | MD |
45 | Abita Brewing Co | Covington | LA |
46 | Fiddlehead Brewing | Shelburne | VT |
47 | Creature Comforts | Athens | GA |
48 | BrewDog Brewing Co | Canal Winchester | OH |
49 | Revolution Brewing | Chicago | IL |
50 | Lost Coast Brewing Co | Minneapolis | MN |
NoFo Brewing acquires Tantrum Brewing
NoFo Brewing, located just north of Atlanta, has acquired Cleveland, Georgia-based Tantrum Brewing. The deal was closed this morning.
NoFo is acquiring the brewing equipment, 10,000+ square foot building, and 5.3 acres of land owned by Tantrum, located just two miles from the base of popular North Georgia hiking spot Mount Yonah.
This is NoFo’s third location in just over three years of operation, as the brewery will open a taproom in Gainesville, Georgia this summer. This move is part of NoFo’s strategy to dominate the North Georgia market.
“North Georgia is a special place for NoFo, and we think our brand will be an excellent addition to White County and the surrounding area. We look forward to serving customers in Cleveland very soon,” says Joe Garcia, Co-Founder and CEO.
Tantrum Brewing will retain its recipes and intellectual property. NoFo will not be brewing or maintaining any of Tantrum’s current lineup.
MORE: FULL CIRCLE BREWING ACQUIRES SPEAKEASY
The Cleveland facility has a 30-barrel brewhouse which NoFo expects to have online by June. The sale will be complete on May 15th and will start re-branding the facility immediately. A distillery will be added to the site sometime this year as well.
NoFo tells Beer Street Journal that their annual capacity will hover around 4,000 barrels annually after this purchase in 2023, only distributing in Georgia through Modern Hops.
The financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. NoFo Brewing Cleveland will be located at 1939 Helen Highway, Cleveland, Georgia.
Cheerwine is now officially a beer, thanks to Noda Brewing
NoDa Brewing Company and Cheerwine have debuted a new beer collaboration this week – Noda Cheerwine Ale.
Folks in the southeast are already familiar with Cheerwine, a cherry-flavored soda invented in Salisbury, North Carolina in 1917 during a sugar shortage. For the last 106 years, Cheerwine has gained a cult following, all while still being run by the same family. Cheerwine has been integrated into everything from barbeque sauces to cocktails, and starting this week – beer.
NoDa Cheerwine Ale, a year-round wheat ale not only carries the Cheerwine name but also uses Cheerwine in the brewing process.
“Cheerwine Ale can be enjoyed year-round – it’s an approachable craft beer perfect for all occasions. We’re excited to bring fans the perfect marriage of these two North Carolina staples.”
Jacob Virgil, director of strategic development for NoDa Brewing Company
NoDa Cheerwine Ale ships this week to select bars and retailers across North Carolina, and South Carolina in the coming weeks.
Style: Wheat Ale (w/ Cheerwine)
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft. Year-Round
Debut: Mid-February, 2023
5.2% ABV, 18 IBUs
For the Guild: This weekend’s Georgia Craft Brewers Festival
By now, buying a pint at a brewery in Georgia seems pretty unremarkable. Just a few years ago, it was a crime.
The Peach State’s brewers were mired in restrictive distribution laws and redundant taxes. As recent as 2016, a brewery paid the state excise taxes for the beer they produced. Visitors to taprooms wanting to drink beer from the source were forced to buy a tour of the facility, in which the state collected taxes on the price of the tour. The beer consumed as part of the tour were “samples” given out for free, up to 32 ounces. The final sting? Breweries then had to submit taxes to the state of Georgia for the free beer they weren’t allowed to charge for, based on the price it would sell for if it was legal to charge the customer for it.
If that sounds excessive, you aren’t alone. These restrictions on on-site beer sales, even hosting a food truck on-site, put Georgia brewery numbers at the bottom per capita in the United States. Meanwhile, wines were sold by the glass and to-go at Georgia wineries with few limitations. The beer industry was suppressed by a government that prided itself on being pro-business.
Finally, in 2017, Georgia took a step out of the stone age with the passage of Senate Bill 85, becoming the 50th state to allow direct sales to consumers. It marked the first forward progress for Georgia beer since 2006 when the state raised the legal alcohol by volume beer limit from 6% to 14%.
The Georgia Craft Brewers Guild (GCBG), which was founded 7 years earlier in 2010, helped move that needle. After all, Georgia was never going to be a beer destination without a group working on behalf of the state’s breweries. Despite the 2017 victory, there’s more work to be done. That brings us to this weekend.
The GCBG is hosting its first full-scale festival at Atlanta’s Atlantic Station. This unique festival will feature 65 Georgia breweries and more than 30 collaborations from across the state. The Guild wants this to be a 250+ beer reminder of what’s exciting about Georgia beer.
“Our hope is to make a premiere spring beer festival that you don’t want to miss,” says Rachel Kiley, COO of Monday Night Brewing and Guild president. “I think of something like Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer in Chicago with a Georgia spin, or something like that,” she adds. “I know getting there will take a while.”
The Georgia Craft Brewers Festival will also serve as a fundraiser for the GCBG, a 501(c)(6) trade organization. The guild doesn’t have the capital to undertake the festival on its own, so they’ve tapped Atlanta Beers Festivals to assist. The guild will get a fraction of the profits to continue its legal and advocacy work on behalf of the burgeoning brewery scene in the state.
Unique to the festival is a “Collab Competition” for all the participating breweries. This Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) sanctioned competition is split into two categories – “Big Beer” (over 7% ABV) and “Little Beer” (under 7% ABV). The judging will take place on Friday, before a special VIP Preview Session and brewer Meet and Greet.
“With the past two years behind us, we want to get back to what we love – Georgia Beer.” Kiley tells us. “This helps the GCBG advance the beer industry for all of us.”
Tickets are still available for the main festival on Saturday, April 2nd, rain or shine.
Wild Heaven Terminus Tripel
Atlanta Beer Week Opening Party 2012
Pics from the carnival-themed kickoff party for Atlanta Beer Week 2012, held at SweetWater Brewing Company on October 19, 2012.
Special sponsors- Savannah Distributing, United Distributing, Beer Street Journal, Taco Mac, Porter Beer Bar, & more.