Brewery Production Numbers: Reality vs Perception

I got a copy of the March 2013 WSLCB barrel report from all the breweries in the state. I have to say that I was amazed at how my perceptions were wrong about so many breweries. In my mind, many big name WA breweries produced far less beer than I thought they would. Obviously 1 month is only a snapshot, but it was still pretty revealing. Note that this list is per license... breweries with multiple locations, each license counts separately.

Top 20 in terms of sales in that month:
1 REDHOOK ALE BREWERY
2 GEORGETOWN BREWING CO.
3 MAC & JACKS BREWERY INC.
4 ELYSIAN BREWING COMPANY
5 FREMONT BREWING COMPANY
6 HALES ALES
7 PIKE BREWING COMPANY AND LIBERTY MALT SUPPLY
8 IRON HORSE BREWERY
9 FISH BREWING CO.
10 SILVER CITY BREWERY
11 MARITIME PACIFIC BREWING COMPANY
12 BOUNDARY BAY BREWERY AND BISTRO
13 SCUTTLEBUTT BREWING CO.
14 DICKS BREWING CO
15 DIAMOND KNOT BREWING COM.
16 NO-LI BREWHOUSE
17 AMERICAN BREWING COMPANY
18 SNOQUALMIE FALLS BREWING COMPANY
19 NORTHWEST BREWING COMPANY
20 PYRAMID BREWERIES

I guess I thought there would be other breweries in that top 20.......

 

Here is the top 20 for out-of-state suppliers, remember this is sales TO distributors primarily, not sales in stores, for the month of March 2013. I included the barrels on this one:


1 ANHEUSER BUSCH 98,054.55
2 MILLERCOORS 70,354.25
3 PABST BREWING 34,454.69
4 MARK ANTHONY BRANDS 17,824.88
5 WIDMER BROTHERS BREWING CO. 5,678.96
6 DESCHUTES BREWERY 4,345.63
7 GREAT DIVIDE BREWING CO INC 2,719.24
8 PHUSION PROJECTS 2,489.95
9 ALASKAN BREWING CO. 1,884.75
10 NEW BELGIUM 1,778.78
11 SIERRA NEVADA BREWING COMPANY 1,610.73
12 THE BOSTON BEER COMPANY 1,540.87
13 NINKASI BREWERY 1,539.28
14 UNITED BRANDS COMPANY INC 1,277.97
15 FULL SAIL BREWING COMPANY 1,043.48
16 BRIDGEPORT BREWING COMPANY 1,005.62
17 DIAGEO - GUINNESS USA 899.49
18 GORDON BIERSCH BREWING COMPANY 797.63
19 GOOSE ISLAND BEER COMPANY 617.78
20 JOSEPH JAMES BREWING CO. 539.2

 

Black Raven is at #24...

 

It would include any beers made at the facility except contract brews. So yes, multiple "brands" brewed at the same facility would count.. although I'm not 100% sure ciders are in this list, but Leavenworth certainly would be.

 

I guess maybe the way I should have phrased my posit was "gee, I'm surprised at how little beer some big reputation breweries actually produce."

The bottom of the list has breweries producing 2 barrels in a month..... tough business model.

 

It's on my computer at work, I'll try to snag it Monday.. maybe format it so it isn't too long..