Brewers Association Lists Top 50 Brewers of 2013

Boulder, CO - March 31, 2014 - The Brewers Association — the trade association representing small and independent American 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 and the craft brewer definition in 2013¹. Of the top 50 overall brewing companies, 38 were small and independent craft brewing companies.

"In 2013, craft breweries reached new all-time highs in production volume and dollar sales," said Bart Watson, staff economist, Brewers Association. "Beer lovers continue to demand high-quality, fuller-flavored and local beers from small and independent craft breweries."

(Link: http://www.brewersassociation.org/attachments/0001/4531/CBP13-Top-50_HR.jpg or click to expand.)

¹The definition of a craft brewer as stated by the Brewers Association in 2013: An American craft brewer is small, independent, and traditional. Small: Annual production of beer less than 6 million barrels. Beer production is attributed to a brewer according to the rules of alternating proprietorships. Flavored malt beverages are not considered beer for purposes of this definition.Independent: Less than 25% of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer.Traditional: A brewer who has either an all malt flagship (the beer which represents the greatest volume among that brewer's brands) or has at least 50% of its volume in either all malt beers or in beers which use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavor.

Note: The Brewers Association updated the craft brewer definition in 2014. The new definition can be found on the Brewers Association website and will be used to collect 2014 data, published in 2015.

2Top 50 U.S. Overall Brewing Companies notes: (a) includes Bass, Beck’s, Bud Light, Budweiser, Busch, Goose Island, Landshark, Michelob, Rolling Rock, Shock Top and Wild Series brands. Does not include partially owned Coastal, Craft Brew Alliance, Fordham, Kona, Old Dominion, Omission, Red Hook and Widmer Brothers brands; (b) includes A.C. Golden, Batch 19, Blue Moon, Colorado Native, Coors, Keystone, Killian’s, Leinenkugel’s, Miller and Tenth & Blake brands; (c) includes Pabst, Schlitz and 28 other brand families; (d) includes Alchemy & Science and Sam Adams brands; (e) includes Dundee, Genesee, Labatt Lime, Magic Hat and Pyramid brands; (f) includes Kona, Omission, Red Hook and Widmer Brothers brands; (g) includes BridgePort, Shiner and Trumer brands; (h) includes Boulevard and Ommegang brands; (i) includes Mountain Crest and 10 other brand families; (j) includes Flying Bison, Saranac and Utica Club brands; (k) includes Casco Bay, Sea Dog and Shipyard brands; (l) includes Grain Belt and Schell’s brands; (m) private label brands, primarily for grocery store chains; (n) includes Long Trail, Otter Creek, The Shed and Wolaver’s brands; (o) includes Butte Creek, Kingfisher, Mendocino and Olde Saratoga brands; (p) includes Cold Spring and John Henry brands; (q) includes James Page, Point and Whole Hog brands; (r) includes Iron City and 17 other brand families.

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Note: an update has been applied by the Brewers Association.