Annual Craft Brewing Industry Production Report and Top 50 Producing Craft Brewing Companies
Boulder, CO — The Brewers Association (BA)—the trade association representing small and independent American craft brewers1 —today released its annual production figures for the U.S. craft brewing industry2, highlighting the new realities of a maturing market in a rapidly evolving environment.
Craft brewers produced 23.1 million barrels of beer in 2024, a 4.0% decrease from 20233. However, craft’s market share by volume remained essentially flat at 13.3%, the same share as in 2023, as the overall U.S. beer market* declined by 1.2% in volume.
Employment in the craft brewing sector grew to 197,112 in 2024, a 3.0% increase over the previous year. The rise was driven by the shift toward hospitality-focused models such as taprooms and brewpubs, which create more jobs in local communities.
Craft beer’s retail dollar value rose to an estimated $28.9 billion, a 3% increase over the previous year. This growth reflects pricing adjustments and steady performance in onsite sales, which outpaced distributed sales in many markets. Craft beer accounted for 24.7% of the total beer market in retail dollar sales.
In 2024, the number of operating U.S. craft breweries was 9,612, including 1,934 microbreweries, 3,389 brewpubs, 3,695 taproom breweries, and 266 regional craft breweries. 2024 was the first year since 2005 that the overall number of operating craft breweries declined nationwide. The total number of breweries in the U.S. dropped to 9,680, down from 9,747 in 2023. Over the year, 434 new breweries opened while 501 closed. Although openings declined for the fourth consecutive year—reflecting a maturing and highly competitive industry—the closure rate remained relatively low at approximately 5%.
“In a mature market, not every year is going to be defined by substantial growth,” said Matt Gacioch, the Brewers Association’s staff economist. “While progress may not come in additional production volume, it can still come in honing operations, business practices, and world-class beer. Even in this challenging environment, small brewers have demonstrated that they have the skills and resilience to fight through this period to be better positioned for the months and years ahead.”
Small brewers are already grappling with rising ingredient costs, shifting consumer preferences, and increased competition in a saturated market. Tariffs on imported brewing equipment, steel kegs, aluminum cans, and key ingredients such as hops and malt only exacerbate these financial pressures. These added costs can be particularly challenging for small and independent breweries, which often operate on tight profit margins. As a result, many are forced to delay expansion plans, raise prices, or absorb losses—further compounding the headwinds already challenging the craft beer industry.
“There is still plenty of room for optimism in our industry,” added Gacioch. “Brewers’ proven ability to connect with their customers’ evolving preferences will lead to more opportunities for craft beer success stories into the future.”
The Brewers Association also published its annual rankings of the top 50 craft brewing companies4 and overall U.S. brewing companies by beer sales volume. In 2024, 41 of the top 50 overall U.S. brewing companies were small and independent craft brewers.
“While distribution is only becoming more competitive, the top 50 list reflects some of the strongest, most emblematic companies in craft beer,” said Gacioch. “Enduring brands continue to resonate with drinkers—regardless of size or location. In 2024, eight new breweries moved into the top 50 craft list since the year prior—evidence that brewers are still finding ways to lean into what’s working.”
Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies
Rank
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
Tilray Beer Brands
New York
NY
5
Duvel Moortgat USA
Cooperstown
NY
6
Gambrinus
Shiner
TX
7
Matt Brewing Co
Utica
NY
8
Athletic Brewing Company
Milford
CT
9
Brooklyn Brewery
Brooklyn
NY
10
Monster Brewing
Longmont
CO
11
Deschutes Brewery
Bend
OR
12
New Glarus Brewing Co
New Glarus
WI
13
Barrel One Collective
Boston
MA
14
Georgetown Brewing Co
Seattle
WA
15
Gordon Biersch Brewing Co
San Jose
CA
16
Rhinegeist Brewery
Cincinnati
OH
17
Craft ‘Ohana (Maui/Modern Times)
Kihei
HI
18
Great Lakes Brewing Company
Cleveland
OH
19
Narragansett Brewing Co
Pawtucket
RI
20
Tröegs Brewing Co
Hershey
PA
21
Allagash Brewing Company
Portland
ME
22
August Schell Brewing Company
New Ulm
MN
23
Fiddlehead Brewing
Shelburne
VT
24
Stevens Point Brewery
Stevens Point
WI
25
Pittsburgh Brewing Co
Pittsburgh
PA
26
Three Floyds Brewing
Munster
IN
27
Odell Brewing Co
Fort Collins
CO
28
Great Frontier Holdings
Eugene
OR
29
Abita Brewing Co
Covington
LA
30
BrewDog Brewing Co
Canal Winchester
OH
31
Creature Comforts Brewing Co.
Athens
GA
32
Hendler Family Brewing Company
Framingham
MA
33
Alaskan Brewing Co.
Juneau
AK
34
Summit Brewing Co
St. Paul
MN
35
Saint Arnold Brewing Co
Houston
TX
36
Revolution Brewing
Chicago
IL
37
Kona Brewing Hawaii
Kailua-Kona
HI
38
Pizza Port
Carlsbad
CA
39
Surly Brewing Company
Minneapolis
MN
40
pFriem Family Brewers
Hood River
OR
41
Fremont Brewing
Seattle
WA
42
The Florida Brewery
Auburndale
FL
43
BJ's Restaurants, Inc.
Huntington Beach
CA
44
Russian River Brewing Co
Santa Rosa
CA
45
Shipyard Brewing Co
Portland
ME
46
New Trail Brewing Company
Williamsport
PA
47
Zero Gravity Craft Brewery
Burlington
VT
48
Fat Head's Brewery
Middleburg Heights
OH
49
Drake's Brewing Co./Bear Republic
San Leandro
CA
50
Rogue Ales Brewery
Newport
OR
City/State: Corporate headquarters or largest production facility.
Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies
Rank
Company
City
State
1
Anheuser-Busch Inc
St. Louis
MO
2
MolsonCoors
Chicago
IL
3
Constellation
Chicago
IL
4
Heineken USA
White Plains
NY
5
Pabst Brewing Co
Los Angeles
CA
6
Diageo
Norwalk
CT
7
D.G. Yuengling and Son Inc
Pottsville
PA
8
Kirin-Lion
Fort Collins
CO
9
FIFCO USA
Rochester
NY
10
Boston Beer Co
Boston
MA
11
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co
Chico
CA
12
Tilray Beer Brands
New York
NY
13
Duvel Moortgat USA
Cooperstown
NY
14
Sapporo-Stone Brewing
Escondido
CA
15
Mahou San Miguel
Grand Rapids
MI
16
Gambrinus
Shiner
TX
17
Matt Brewing Co
Utica
NY
18
Athletic Brewing Company
Milford
CT
19
Brooklyn Brewery
Brooklyn
NY
20
Monster Brewing
Longmont
CO
21
Artisanal Brewing Ventures
Charlotte
NC
22
Deschutes Brewery
Bend
OR
23
New Glarus Brewing Co
New Glarus
WI
24
Barrel One Collective
Boston
MA
25
Georgetown Brewing Co
Seattle
WA
26
Gordon Biersch Brewing Co
San Jose
CA
27
Rhinegeist Brewery
Cincinnati
OH
28
Craft ‘Ohana (Maui/Modern Times)
Kihei
HI
29
Great Lakes Brewing Company
Cleveland
OH
30
Narragansett Brewing Co
Pawtucket
RI
31
Tröegs Brewing Co
Hershey
PA
32
Allagash Brewing Company
Portland
ME
33
August Schell Brewing Company
New Ulm
MN
34
Fiddlehead Brewing
Shelburne
VT
35
Stevens Point Brewery
Stevens Point
WI
36
Pittsburgh Brewing Co
Pittsburgh
PA
37
Three Floyds Brewing
Munster
IN
38
Odell Brewing Co
Fort Collins
CO
39
Great Frontier Holdings
Eugene
OR
40
Abita Brewing Co
Covington
LA
41
BrewDog Brewing Co
Canal Winchester
OH
42
Creature Comforts Brewing Co.
Athens
GA
43
Hendler Family Brewing Company
Framingham
MA
44
Alaskan Brewing Co.
Juneau
AK
45
Summit Brewing Co
St. Paul
MN
46
Saint Arnold Brewing Co
Houston
TX
47
Revolution Brewing
Chicago
IL
48
Kona Brewing Hawaii
Kailua-Kona
HI
49
Pizza Port
Carlsbad
CA
50
Surly Brewing Company
Minneapolis
MN
City/State: Corporate headquarters or largest production facility.
Note: Numbers are preliminary. For additional insights, visit Insights & Analysis on the Brewers Association website. The complete 2024 industry analysis will be published in the May/June 2025 issue of The New Brewer, highlighting regional trends and production by individual breweries.
* Figures do not include FMBs/FSBs
1An American craft brewer is a small and independent brewer. Small: Annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less (approximately 3 percent of U.S. annual sales). Beer production is attributed to a brewer according to the rules of alternating proprietorships. Independent: Less than 25 percent of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by a beverage alcohol industry member that is not itself a craft brewer. Brewer: Holds a Brewer’s Notice issued by the Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau, or its successor, or control the intellectual property for one or more brands of beer, has that brand or brands brewed for it in the United States, and have as its primary business purpose the resale of the brand or brands it controls.
2Absolute figures reflect the dynamic craft brewer data set as specified by the craft brewer definition. Growth numbers are presented on a comparable basis.
3Volume by craft brewers represents total taxable production.
4Figure based on companies that met the craft brewer definition for all or part of 2024.
View a list of brands included under the companies in the overall brewing category.
About MyBeer Buzz
RELATED POSTS
0 comments (click to read or post):
Post a Comment
Please leave a comment...I do moderate each comment so it may not appear immediately...and please be nice! You can also comment using Disqus (below) or even comment directly on Facebook (bottom).