Brewers Association Lists Top 50 U.S. Breweries of 2014

Discussion in 'Beer News' started by Todd, Mar 31, 2015.

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  1. Todd

    Todd Founder (13,254) Aug 23, 1996 Finland
    Staff Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Boulder, CO • March 31, 2015—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, 42 were craft brewing companies*.

    “The companies on this list include the vanguard of the craft industry,” said Bart Watson, chief economist, Brewers Association. “They are exposing new beer lovers to craft, opening new markets and creating opportunities for the entire category. As they continue to grow, so will the availability of innovative and high-quality beers produced for all to enjoy.”

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    The Association’s full 2014 industry analysis, which shows regional trends and sales by individual breweries, will be published in the May/June issue of The New Brewer, available in May 2015.

    For additional statistics, see the Brewers Association’s craft brewing statistics for 2014.

    * An American craft brewer is small, independent and traditional. Small: Annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less (approximately 3 percent of U.S. annual sales). Beer production is attributed to the rules of alternating proprietorships. Independent: Less than 25 percent of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member that is not itself a craft brewer. Traditional: A brewer that has a majority of its total beverage alcohol volume in beers whose flavor derives from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients and their fermentation. Flavored malt beverages (FMBs) are not considered beers.

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  2. jmdrpi

    jmdrpi Grand High Pooh-Bah (8,245) Dec 11, 2008 Pennsylvania
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  3. Domingo

    Domingo Grand Pooh-Bah (4,206) Apr 23, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I'll admit I'm not that familiar with Minhas. Do they have additional brands that they brew or are they just a large regional presence?
     
  4. jmdrpi

    jmdrpi Grand High Pooh-Bah (8,245) Dec 11, 2008 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    It looks like besides Yuengling, that Minhas and August Schell are also "new definition" entries. Never heard of Minhas before.
     
  5. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    They contract brew other labels than their own, but every beer they brew has a bad "house" character of strong dactyl. This is what used to be the old Huber brewery and has seen better days.
     
  6. jmdrpi

    jmdrpi Grand High Pooh-Bah (8,245) Dec 11, 2008 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    From their History page:

    In 2003, the Brewery started to make Beers for Ravinder Minhas for export to Alberta, Canada on a contract basis. Ravinder Minhas also invested in additional can packaging equipment to expand the Mountain Crest line and other brands. This new arrangement increased the production of the Brewery by 5 times.

    By 2005, the beer exported to Alberta made up 85% of the Brewery’s total production. The Minhas Family purchased 100% interest in the Brewery on October 3, 2006 and changed the name of the Brewery to Minhas Craft Brewery.
     
  7. fredmugs

    fredmugs Initiate (0) Aug 11, 2012 Indiana
    Deactivated

    Don't ask. Don't tell. Don't drink.
     
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  8. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Right. Every time I give them "another chance" I'm disappointed.
     
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  9. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Wow -- reading the list, New Glares beats out Anchor. Pretty impressive for a brewery that only sells in one state.
     
  10. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,282) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    New Glarus continues to amaze me. They're the 25th largest brewery in the country, and still, not a drop sold outside of Sconnie. Well done!
     
  11. lordofthemark

    lordofthemark Initiate (0) Jan 28, 2015 Virginia

    So in descending orders of localism and from my narrow POV - the largest craft brewery east of the Mississippi (excluding Yuengling and Boston Brewing) is Bell's. The largest in the northeast (includng the mid Atlantic) is Brooklyn. The largest in the mid-Atlantic (by which I do not include Pennsylvania) is Dogfish Head. And the largest in DC-Va-Md (and also in greater Washington is Flying Dog.
     
  12. AlcahueteJ

    AlcahueteJ Grand Pooh-Bah (3,088) Dec 4, 2004 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Depending your definition of "better" I'd think at #10 they're doing just fine. :wink:
     
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  13. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,282) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
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    And, Rogue continues to slip a bit more each year. Sure, some of the spots it lost this year are due to the new additions, but from, IIRC, 25 down to 32 in one year can't be good for them.
     
  14. MaltLickyWithTheCandy

    MaltLickyWithTheCandy Initiate (0) Apr 22, 2013 Maryland

    Pretty crazy how New glarus is number 19 and they only distribute in wisconsin
     
  15. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,282) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    And, of the top 50 Craft list, 23 of them aren't distributed to my state. 5 more have limited distro to WA.
     
  16. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I honestly don't know how, other than some nostalgic favorites and low pricing. Their beer is really not that good.
     
  17. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Um. Yeah. :wink:

    (Of course, auto-spell check doesn't want me to type Glarus properly... any way to turn that off? :astonished:)
     
  18. chipawayboy

    chipawayboy Pooh-Bah (1,977) Oct 26, 2007 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Pretty crazy how several brewers using that vile Ringwood yeast continue to prosper --- let along one. Me and my taste buds don't get it!
     
  19. rgordon

    rgordon Pooh-Bah (2,677) Apr 26, 2012 North Carolina
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I agree with Lost Coast. That is an under-appreciated brewery.
     
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  20. cavedave

    cavedave Grand Pooh-Bah (4,145) Mar 12, 2009 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    @woodychandler loves Minhas beers, he can't get enough of them. His reviews are all amazing.
     
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