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Brewers Association Releases Top 50 Breweries of 2015 List

The hotly-anticipated annual list compiled by craft beer's governing body was released today with some big changes since last year's list.

All of the macro acquisitions of 2015 have yet to be finalized in the BA's eyes, and brands such as Lagunitas (#6), Ballast Point (#11), Breckenridge (#47) and Four Peaks (#49) remain on the list despite being snapped up by conglomerates hungry for craft beer's sales numbers.

Ballast Point, once again, was the largest mover on the list, skyrocketing up 20 places on the list to land at number 11.

Founders, which was a big mover on last year's list, was left off because it sold a 30 percent stake to Spain's largest brewer, Mahou San Miguel.

Lower down, Chicago's Revolution Brewing made its first appearance, rounding out the list at number 50.

Here is the release and full list from the Brewers Association:

Boulder, CO • April 5, 2016 – The Brewers Association (BA)—the not-for-profit trade group representing small and independent craft brewers—today released its annual lists of the top 50 craft and overall brewing companies in the U.S., based on beer sales volume. Of the top 50 overall brewing companies, 43 were craft brewing companies.¹

"The top U.S. brewers continue to drive demand, growth, innovation and exponential interest in beers from small and independent brewers," said Bart Watson, chief economist, Brewers Association. "With a historic record number of breweries in U.S., the top brewers continue to open new markets and expose beer drinkers to a variety of fuller-flavored styles and offerings."

Top 50 U.S. Craft Brewing Companies

(Based on 2015 beer sales volume*)

Download Map Here

 

 

Brewing Company

City

State

1

D. G. Yuengling and Son, Inc

Pottsville

PA

2

Boston Beer Co

Boston

MA

3

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co

Chico

CA

4

New Belgium Brewing Co

Fort Collins

CO

5

Gambrinus

San Antonio

TX

6

Lagunitas Brewing Co*

Petaluma

CA

7

Bell's Brewery, Inc

Kalamazoo

MI

8

Deschutes Brewery

Bend

OR

9

Minhas Craft Brewery

Monroe

WI

10

Stone Brewing Co

Escondido

CA

11

Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits*

San Diego

CA

12

Brooklyn Brewery

Brooklyn

NY

13

Firestone Walker Brewing Co

Paso Robles

CA

14

Oskar Blues Brewing Holding Co

Longmont

CO

15

Duvel Moortgat USA

Kansas City & Cooperstown

MO/NY

16

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Milton

DE

17

Matt Brewing Co

Utica

NY

18

SweetWater Brewing Co

Atlanta

GA

19

Harpoon Brewery

Boston

MA

20

New Glarus Brewing Co

New Glarus

WI

21

Great Lakes Brewing Co

Cleveland

OH

22

Alaskan Brewing Co.

Juneau

AK

23

Abita Brewing Co

Abita Springs

LA

24

Anchor Brewing Co

San Francisco

CA

25

Stevens Point Brewery Co

Stevens Point

WI

26

Victory Brewing Co

Downingtown

PA

27

August Schell Brewing Co

New Ulm

MN

28

Long Trail Brewing Co

Bridgewater Corners

VT

29

Summit Brewing Co

Saint Paul

MN

30

Shipyard Brewing Co

Portland

ME

31

Full Sail Brewing Co

Hood River

OR

32

Odell Brewing Co

Fort Collins

CO

33

Southern Tier Brewing Co

Lakewood

NY

34

Rogue Ales Brewery

Newport

OR

35

21st Amendment Brewery

Bay Area

CA

36

Ninkasi Brewing Co

Eugene

OR

37

Flying Dog Brewery

Frederick

MD

38

Narragansett Brewing Co

Providence

RI

39

Left Hand Brewing Company

Longmont

CO

40

Uinta Brewing Co

Salt Lake City

UT

41

Green Flash Brewing Co

San Diego

CA

42

Allagash Brewing Co

Portland

ME

43

Lost Coast Brewery

Eureka

CA

44

Bear Republic Brewing Co

Cloverdale

CA

45

Troegs Brewing Co

Hershey

PA

46

Karl Strauss Brewing Co

San Diego

CA

47

Breckenridge Brewery*

Littleton

CO

48

North Coast Brewing Co Inc.

Fort Bragg

CA

49

Four Peaks Brewing Co*

Tempe

AZ

50

Revolution Brewing Co

Chicago

IL

 

*Craft volume pro-rated in 2015 or will be pro-rated/exiting craft brewer data set in 2016