In Brewbound’s final feature coverage of the Brewers Association’s (BA) 2024 craft production numbers, we dove into trends amongst some of the smaller subsets: microbreweries, taprooms and brewpubs.
Brewbound previously covered top 50 craft (with the top 10 in its own story), regionals beyond the top 50 and big beer craft. Catch up on that coverage in the links above.
Here are the highlights, with data from the BA’s May/June issue of the New Brewer magazine:
Microbreweries Record Largest Volume Decline
The BA defines microbreweries as breweries that produce fewer than 15,000 barrels a year and sell at least 75% of their volume offsite.
Microbreweries produced a collective 3.79 million barrels of beer in 2024, declining 7.5% year-over-year (YoY), from 4.1 million in 2023 and 4.6 million in 2022.
2024 marked microbreweries’ lowest production volume in at least a decade, with the subset’s volume peaking in 2018 at 5.91 million barrels.
Microbreweries recorded the largest percentage decline among craft brewery types, and was more than double the loss recorded by regional breweries (-3.1%).
“We expect that this discrepancy between distribution-focused sizes is tied closely to the rationalization of craft beer portfolios of distributors and retailers mentioned above,” the BA wrote. “Scale across your footprint, whether local or regional, is more critical than ever.”
The latest production decline was in spite of an increase in the number of microbreweries. An estimated 2,029 microbreweries operated in 2024, up from 1,017 in 2023 and 1,132 in 2022. That number is less than half of microbreweries’ peak of 4,518 in 2018.
Closings (98) outpaced openings (42) in 2024. Closings were up compared to 2023 (79) and 2022 (80), while openings were down (53 in 2023, 105 in 2022).
Washington-based Icicle Brewing was the largest microbrewery in the country, producing 14,818 barrels of beer, a 28% increase compared to 2023 (11,600). 2024 marked Icicle’s fourth-consecutive year of double-digit growth (+16% in 2021, +19% in 2022 and +10% in 2023), effectively doubling its output between 2020 (7,091 barrels) and 2024. The company was the 37th largest microbrewery in 2023.
California-based MadeWest Brewing, which was the largest microbrewery in 2023, moved up to regional brewery status in 2024, as did former No. 2 Missouri-based Urban Chestnut.
The second largest microbrewery is now Colorado-based Weldwerks Brewing, which increased production 8%, to 14,476 barrels. Weldwerks was not included in the 2023 May/June New Brewer, but its volume of 13,457 barrels would have put it at No. 9.
Washington-based Iron Horse was the third largest microbrewery, losing its regional brewery status, as production fell under the 15,000-barrel threshold, to 14,412 barrels, a 9% decline YoY. 2024 market the third consecutive year of volume contraction for the brewery, with a 14% loss in 2023 and 15% in 2022. The brewery’s volume has fallen by more than 10,000 barrels since 2017 (24,794 barrels).
Other microbreweries in the top 10 include (in order): Westbrook Brewing (-6%, to 14,284 barrels); Yee-Haw Brewing (+28%, to 14,026 barrels); Lone Pine Brewing (-22%, to 13,984 barrels); 3 Sheeps Brewing (+9%, to 13,538 barrels); Lift Bridge Brewing (+5%, to 13,444 barrels); Third Space Brewing (+5%, to 13,273 barrels); and Indeed Brewing (-26%, to 13,214 barrels).
Indeed led volume declines among the top 50 microbreweries, losing its regional brewery status after ranking as the 144th largest regional craft brewery in 2023. 2024 marked Indeed’s second consecutive year of production decline, following a 11% loss in 2023. Its beer production peaked at 20,100 barrels in 2022.
Among the top 50 microbreweries, 19 recorded production volume growth. Beyond the top 10, some of the largest barrelage gains were recorded by No. 15 Dewey Beer Co. (+87%, to 12,986 barrels) and No. 32 Tripping Animals Brewing (+96%, to 12,149 barrels).
Other top 50 microbreweries to record volume growth include:
- No. 18 4 Noses Brewing, +7%, to 12,760 barrels;
- No. 20 Black Raven Brewing, +3%, to 12,710 barrels;
- No. 22 Drekker Brewing, +11%, to 12,643 barrels;
- No. 24 Regal Brau Brewing, +17%, to 12,579 barrels;
- No. 28 Bissell Brothers, +14%, to 12,500 barrels;
- No. 30 Barrio Brewing, +3%, to 12,284 barrels;
- No. 31 Threes Brewing, +10%, to 12,218 barrels;
- No. 34 Longboat Brewing, +11%, to 11,800 barrels;
- No. 35 Stoneface Brewing, +5%, to 11,775 barrels;
- No. 37 Lone Pint Brewery, +11%, to 11,627 barrels;
- No. 44 Jackie O’s Brewery, +4%, to 11,000 barrels;
- No. 48 Union Craft Brewing, +4%, to 11,000 barrels.
(Editor’s Note: The New Brewer lists Threes Brewing as growing 659% YoY, up from 1,610 barrels in 2023. However, the 2023 edition of the magazine listed the New York brewery’s volume as 11,088 barrels. The percentage change based on that volume is listed above.)
Thirty-one of the top 50 microbreweries recorded a loss in production volume, with nine recording double-digit declines. Beyond the top 10, microbreweries with double-digit losses include No. 16 Yazoo Brewing, -16%, to 12,978 barrels; No. 17 Burlington Beer Co., -19%, to 12,960 barrels; No. 19 Anderson Valley Brewing, -12%, to 12,715 barrels; No. 25 Coppertail Brewing, -22%, to 12,560 barrels; No. 29 3 Daughters Brewing, -18%, to 12,414 barrels; No. 39 Exile Brewing, -17%, to 11,286 barrels; and No. 49 Track 7 Brewing, -10%, to 10,606 barrels.
Earlier this year, Anderson Valley was acquired by wine industry entrepreneur Jason McConnell. The deal marked the California brewery’s second ownership change in just over five years.
All other top 50 microbreweries recorded single-digits declines.
Taproom Volume -4.1% Despite Peak Number in Operation
The BA defines taproom breweries as those that sell more than 25% of their beer onsite and do not have a significant food element. Those breweries produced a collective 1.92 million barrels of beer, down 4.1%, from nearly 2 million in both 2023 and 2022.
The production decline was in spite of more taprooms operating in 2024 than ever before, with an estimated 3,936 in operation last year, up from 3,868 in 2023 and 3,771 in 2022. The total taprooms numbers increased despite initial closings (232) outpacing openings (219). However, the latter two figures are estimates and will be updated as more data becomes available, which could explain the discrepancy.
The largest overall taproom was Massachusetts-based Tree House Brewing, which produced 40,262 barrels of beer, a 3% increase YoY. Tree House was also the largest taproom in 2023, despite recording a 11% production decline, to 39,172 barrels.
The next three largest taprooms also remained unchanged from 2023: No. 2 New York-based Other Half Brewing (+11%, to 39,431 barrels); No. 3 Virginia-based Aslin Beer (+8%, to 25,343 barrels); and No. 4 Kentucky-based Braxton Brewing (+30%, to 23,850 barrels).
Other Half has increased production every year since at least 2018, with double-digit increases every one of those years except for 2023, when volume grew 5%, to 35,500 barrels. If that trajectory continues, Other Half will pass Tree House this year to become the largest taproom by production volume.
Other taprooms in the top 10 include:
- No. 5 Alchemist Cannery (flat, at 18,000 barrels);
- No. 6 Fieldwork Brewing (+2%, to 13,867 barrels);
- No. 7 Trillium Brewing (-3%, to 13,004 barrels);
- No. 8 BarrelHouse Brewing (-2%, to 11,826 barrels);
- No. 9 Crooked Can Brewing (+52%, to 9,853 barrels);
- No. 10 New Province Brewing (+217%, to 8,747 barrels).
The BA also ranked the largest taproom breweries by region, excluding breweries that elected not to publish production data.
In the Northeast Region (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.), Tree House, Other Half, Aslin, Alchemist and Trillium made up the top 5, followed by Pennsylvania-based Sly Fox Brewing (-13%, to 7,779 barrels); New York-based Talea Beer Co. (+36%, to 7,200 barrels); Pennsylvania-based Neshaminy Creek Brewing (flat, at 6,250 barrels); New Jersey-based Bonesaw Brewing (+1%, to 5,632 barrels); and Massachusetts-based Riverwalk Brewing (+268%, to 5,624 barrels).
In the South Region (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas), Braxton and Crooked Can make up the top 2, followed by Arkansas-based New Province Brewing (+217%, to 8,747 barrels), Texas-based Meanwhile Brewing (+24%, to 7,631 barrels) and North Carolina-based Wilmington Brewing (+11%, to 7,182 barrels).
In the Mountain West Region (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming), Colorado-based Ratio Beerworks was the largest taproom by annual production volume (+13%, to 5,130 barrels), followed by Utah-based Templin Family Brewing (+16%, to 4,650 barrels); Colorado-based New Terrain Brewing (+3%, to 4,436 barrels); Colorado-based Lone Tree Brewing (+11%); and Montana-based Blackfoot River Brewing (flat, at 3,272 barrels).
Nevada-based Lead Dog Brewing did not make the top 10 list after leading the region in 2023. The brewery went through an ownership change in 2024, with the original owner and brewmaster Ryan Gaumer buying the brewery back from California-based Mammoth Brewing, three years after he sold it to them.
Gaumer reacquired Lead Dog along with several partners, including Revision Brewing CEO Jeremy Warren and head brewer Jeb Taylor, among others. With the May deal, Lead Dog shut down its taproom and production facility in Sparks – maintaining its Reno taproom – and moved production to Revision’s Nevada facilities, joining a collective that also includes Great Basin.
In the North Central Region (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin), Dovetail moved up to the top spot after a 10% production increase, to 6,282 barrels. The Washington-based brewery ranked No. 3 in 2023, behind Noon Whistle (moved to brewpub status in 2024) and Fretboard Brewing (-8%, to 6,137 barrels).
The top 5 in North Central was rounded out by Minnesota-based Utepils Brewing (-15%, to 5,944 barrels); Illinois-based Sketchbook Brewing (+15%, to 4,782 barrels); Michigan-based Eastern Market Brewing (+59%, to 4,671 barrels); and Ohio-based Seventh Son Brewing (-14%, to 4,451 barrels).
In the Pacific Northwest (Alaska, Oregon and Washington), Washington-based Stoup Brewing – considered a microbrewery in 2023 – was the largest taproom brewery (+4%, to 6,100 barrels). Meanwhile, Pike Brewing, which took the top spot last year, fell to No. 10 after a 63% decline in volume, to 1,995 barrels.
Stoup was followed by Washington-based Dru Bru (+15%, to 5,085 barrels); Oregon-based Level Beer (+1%, to 4,600 barrels); Oregon-based Wild Ride Brewing (-4%, to 2,992 barrels); and Washington-based Hellbent Brewing (-13%, to 2,962 barrels).
And in the Pacific Region (California, Hawaii), the top 10 was once again all California-based taproom breweries, with the top four unchanged from 2023, including (in order): Fieldwork Brewing (+2%, to 13,867 barrels); BarrelHouse Brewing (-2%, to 11,826 barrels); Humble Sea Brewing (+15%, to 7,459 barrels); and Pure Project (-7%, to 6,669 barrels).
Enegren Brewing (+6%, to 6,250 barrels) ranked No. 5, after not making the top 10 in 2023.
Brewpub Volume -2.8%; Pinthouse Maintains No. 1 Status
The BA defines brewpubs as those that sell 25% or more of its beer onsite and offer significant food service.
Brewpubs produced a collective 1.52 million barrels in 2023, a 2.8% decline YoY, down from 1.56 million barrels in 2023 and 1.76 million barrels in 2022. The latter was the peak of brewpubs’ production.
An estimated 3,551 brewpubs were in operation in 2024, down from 3,555 in 2023 (the highest number of brewpubs to date) but up from the 3,511 in 2022. Brewpub openings fell YoY, to 166 (190 in 2023, 243 in 2022), while closings rose to 189 (123 in 2023, 170 in 2022).
Texas-based Pinthouse Pizza was once again the No. 1 brewpub by volume, increasing volume 3%, to 23,066 barrels. 2024 marked the fourth-consecutive year of production growth for Pinthouse, following a 92% increase in 2021, 18% in 2022 and 6% in 2023.
The rest of the top 10 was rounded out by:
- California-based Alvarado Street Brewery & Grill (+10%, to 12,7063 barrels);
- Oregon-based McMenamins Breweries (-7%, to 15,030 barrels);
- Pennsylvania-based Iron Hill Brewery (flat, at 13,750 barrels);
- North Carolina-based Legion Brewing (+2%, to 12,414 barrels);
- Colorado-based Prost Brewing (+5%, to 11,017 barrels);
- Washington, D.C.-based Right Proper Brewing (+116%, to 9,750 barrels);
- New Mexico-based Bosque Brewing (-4%, to 9,376 barrels);
- Illinois-based Noon Whistle Brewing (-6%, to 8,750 barrels);
- And Colorado-based Outer Range Brewing (+42%, to 8,500 barrels).
Brewpubs were also ranked by region.
Iron Hill and Right Proper led in the Northeast, the latter of which did not make the top 10 in 2023, ranking No. 31. New Hampshire-based Moat Mountain (-5%, to 7,081 barrels) maintained its status as No. 3, followed by Pennsylvania-based Ever Grain Brewing (-10%, to 6,488 barrels) and New York-based Druthers Brewing (+2%, to 5,500 barrels).
(Right Proper co-owner Leah Cheston, who is also chair of the BA board, recently joined the Brewbound Podcast and discussed the brewpub’s role as a “community hub.” Listen to the episode here).
Pinthouse led brewpubs in the South, followed by Legion and Smoky Mountain – all three rankings remaining unchanged from 2023. The top five was rounded out by Oklahoma-based Anthem Brewing (+31%, to 4,549 barrels) and North Carolina-based Asheville Brewing (-6%, to 3,765 barrels).
Prost Brewing led the Mountain West, followed by Bosque and Outer Range. Arizona-based O.H.S.O. Eatery was No. 4 (+8%, to 6,203 barrels), followed by Montana-based Mountains Walking Brewery (+87%, to 5,000 barrels).
Noon Whistle led North Central, followed by Minnesota-based Granite City Food (+16%, to 5,545 barrels); Ohio-based Nocterra Brewing (-2%, to 3,614 barrels); Illinois-based Alter Brewing (+3%, to 3,450 barrels); and Illinois-based More Brewing (-18%, to 3,302 barrels).
In the Pacific Northwest, McMenamins maintained its status as the largest brewpub, followed by Oregon-based Double Mountain Brewery (-7%, to 5,395 barrels) and Barley Brown’s Beer (+7%, to 4,494 barrels); and Alaska-based 49th State Brewing (-7%, to 3,821 barrels) and Broken Tooth Brewing (-5%, to 3,707 barrels).
And in the Pacific, California brewpubs dominated the top 10, with the exception of No. 7 Hawaii-based Hana Koa Brewing (+60%, to 2,821 barrels).
Alvarado Street was the largest brewpub in the region, with more than three-times the production volume of No. 2 Garage Brewing (flat, at 5,503 barrels). The top five was rounded out by Moonraker Brewing (+13%, to 4,621 barrels), Kern River Brewing (+8%, to 4,204 barrels) and Bootleggers Brewery (flat, at 3,827 barrels).