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The Top 50 American Breweries of 2007

There’s no denying that American brewers are crafting some of the best and most exciting beers in beerdom today. It’s just a fact. If you think otherwise, you 1) have never been to America, 2) have failed to truly experience American beers and culture or 3) are in a beer coma. There are currently about 1,400 craft breweries and brewpubs in the US. Recent stats released by the Brewers Association (beertown.org) list the top 50 craft brewing companies in the US, based on sales. It makes for some interesting reading—but we wondered what beer geeks think are the top American breweries in US. After all, taste is more important to most beer lovers than the volume of beer a brewery produces.
To kick off our American Beer Fest celebrations (June 15 and 16, in Boston), we thought we’d unleash our own list of the top 50 American breweries, based on BeerAdvocate.com user reviews.
The Top 50 American Breweries
1. Surly Brewing Co.
Brooklyn Center, Minnesota
2. Stone Brewing Co.
Escondido, California
3. AleSmith Brewing
Co. San Diego, California
4. Oskar Blues Grill & Brewery
Lyons, Colorado
5. Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
Pleasantville, New York
6. Port Brewing Co. / The Lost Abbey
San Marcos, California
7. Alpine Beer Co.
Alpine, California
8. Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Dexter, Michigan
9. Live Oak Brewery
Austin, Texas
10. Three Floyds Brewing Co. / Brewery & Pub
Munster, Indiana
11. Midnight Sun Brewing
Anchorage, Alaska
12. High Point Wheat Beer Co.
Butler, New Jersey
13. Brewery Ommegang
Cooperstown, New York
14. Russian River Brewing Co.
Santa Rosa, California
15. Thomas Hooker Ales & Lagers
Hartford, Connecticut
16. Ballast Point Brewing Co.
San Diego, California
17. Baron Brewing
Seattle, Washington
18. Hair of the Dog Brewing Co.
Portland, Oregon
19. Victory Brewing Co.
Downingtown, Pennsylvania
20. New England Brewing Co.
Woodbridge, Connecticut
21. Berkshire Brewing Co. Inc.
South Deerfield, Massachusetts
22. Sixpoint Craft Ales
Brooklyn, New York
23. Great Divide Brewing Co.
Denver, Colorado
24. Central Waters Brewing Co.
Amherst, Wisconsin
25. Great Lakes Brewing Co.
Cleveland, Ohio
26. Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Paso Robles, California
27. Moonlight Brewing Co.
Fulton, California
28. Allagash Brewing Co.
Portland, Maine
29. Drake’s Brewing Co.
San Leandro, California
30. Tröegs Brewing Co.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
31. East End Brewing Co.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
32. Pisgah Brewing Co.
Black Mountain, North Carolina
33. Defiant Brewing Co.
The Pearl River, New York
34. Bear Republic Brewing Co.
Healdsburg, California
35. Southern Tier Brewing Co.
Lakewood, New York
36. Lake Louie Brewery Co.
Arena, Wisconsin
37. Tuckerman Brewing Co.
Conway, New Hampshire
38. Climax Brewing Co.
Roselle Park, New Jersey
39. Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
The Farmville, North Carolina
40. Bristol Brewing Co.
Colorado Springs, Colorado
41. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Chico, California
42. Tyranena Brewing Co.
Lake Mills, Wisconsin
43. Dark Horse Brewing Co.
Marshall, Michigan
44. Rogue Ales Brewery / Brewer’s on the Bay
Newport, Oregon
45. Smuttynose Brewing Co.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
46. Goose Island
Chicago, Illinois
47. Alaskan Brewing Co.
Juneau, Alaska
48. Fish Brewing Co. / Fishbowl Brewpub
Olympia, Washington
49. Pennsylvania Brewing Co.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
50. Cape Cod Beer
Hyannis, Massachusetts
This is certainly not the definitive list, but it’s a great snapshot of the most popular breweries among the community of reviewers on BeerAdvocate.com. If your favorite brewery didn’t make the list, don’t get mad: Start reviewing!
Respect Beer. ■

