The Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade group that tabulates production statistics for U.S. breweries, released its annual lists reporting the top 50 brewing companies in the country, based on 2010 beer sales volume.
The two lists are the Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies, comprising small and independent craft brewers, and the Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies. Thirty-six of the top 50 brewing companies are small and independent craft brewing companies.
"At more than 1,700, the number of breweries in the U.S. is higher than any time since the late 1800s," says Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association. "Beer lovers' appreciation for American craft brewers and their craft beers continues to grow.”
The top 10 craft brewing companies based on 2010 sales volume are:
- Boston Beer Co., Boston, Massachusetts
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, California
- New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, Colorado
- Spoetzl Brewery, Shiner, Texas
- Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Oregon
- Independent Brewers United (IBU), Burlington, Vermont
- Matt Brewing Co., Utica, New York
- Bell’s Brewery, Inc., Galesburg, Michigan
- Harpoon Brewery, Boston, Massachusetts
- Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City, Missouri
The top 10 brewing companies are:
- Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, Missouri
- MillerCoors Brewing Co., Chicago, Illinois
- Pabst, Woodbridge, Illinois
- D.G. Yuengling and Son Inc., Pottsville, Pennsylvania
- Boston Beer Co., Boston, Massachusetts
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, California
- New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, Colorado
- North American Breweries, Rochester, New York
- Craft Brewers Alliance, Inc., Portland, Oregon
- Spoetzl Brewery, Shiner, Texas
