In 2008, there were just over 1,500 breweries in the United States. As of late 2018, there were 7,450+ breweries in America.
That’s growth of nearly 500% in ten years – for a market that had been stagnant for decades.
Millennials interest in craft beer and microbreweries in a staple of its generation and the trend isn’t slowing down. From 2017 to 2018, nearly 1,000 new breweries opened in the US. Combine that with the rise of brewpubs, home-brewing kits, and the overall microbrewery culture and the numbers become even more impressive.
Here are the leading statistics that show the explosion and continued growth of craft beer and breweries in 2019.
Craft Beer Statistics
- Craft beer made up for 24 percent of the total US beer sales market in 2018 (Brewers Association)
- Retail craft beer sales hit $27.6B in 2018, up 7 percent from the previous year (Brewers Association)
- Craft beer sales by volume were up 3.9 percent in the previous year, while overall beer sales were slightly down by .8 percent (Brewers Association)
- Craft beer sales by volume made up 13.2 percent of the overall beer marketplace share (Brewers Association)
- Blue Moon was the leading craft-beer brand in 2018 at $338M (Statistica)
- The most popular craft-beer type in the US is the IPA (BrandonGaille.com)
Microbrewery Statistics
- In 2018 there were 7,450 overall breweries in the US including brewpubs, microbreweries, and regional breweries (Brewers Association)
- Since 2010, there has been a 411% increase in overall breweries in the US (Brewers Association)
- In 2018 there were 4,522 microbreweries in the US, making up nearly 61% of the total brewery market share (Brewers Association)
- Since 2010, there has been a 729% increase in microbreweries in the US (Brewers Association)
- In 2018, 1,049 new craft breweries opened while 219 closed (USA Today)
- Almost a quarter of US breweries were classified as brewpubs that only brew beer for direct-to-consumer sale on brewery-restaurant premises (NBWA)
- California has the most active breweries of any state in the US at 1,236 (NBWA)
- California also led the US in terms of total economic impact of their breweries at $7.3B (BrandonGaille.com)
- Mississippi has the fewest breweries of any state in the US at 19 (NBWA)
- Vermont has the most breweries per capita at 11.5 (Visual Capitalist)
- Vermont also produces most pints per capita at 151.2 (Visual Capitalist)
- Montana and Maine are tied at 2nd on the list of most breweries per capita at 9.6 (Visual Capitalist)
- Colorado leads the US in terms of economic impact per capita $764, with Maine in second at $667 (Visual Capitalist)
- Over 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a craft brewery (BrandonGaille.com)
The number of breweries in the US by year
2018 – 7,450
2017 – 6,596
2016 – 5,606
2015 – 4,672
2014 – 3,860
2013 – 3,032
2012 – 2,475
2011 – 2,047
2010 – 1,813
Future of Breweries in the US
As nanobreweries and brewpubs help fuel the trend of breweries in America, more-and-more money will continue to support the industry.
For some, opening their own craft brewery is a dream – but it doesn’t have to be. There has never been a better time to open your own microbrewery.
Additional Resources for Craft Brewers:
Start Serving Food in Your Taproom – without a Kitchen
Increase time spent in your brewery by serving a full food menu to your customers – at no cost.