Breweries that fall outside of the Brewers Association’s (BA) craft brewer definition collectively declined 5%, to 8.2 million barrels in 2020, according to data in the May/June issue of the New Brewer.
The BA’s criteria for a craft brewery excludes companies that are at least 25% owned by a larger brewing company. That production is not included in the BA’s craft brewery data set.
Read: Amid Pandemic Challenges, Majority of Top 50 Craft Brewers Post Production Declines in 2020.
Despite the challenges and on-premise shutdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, New Belgium gained 88,5000 barrels in 2020, a 10% increase, to 975,000 barrels. That marked the largest volume output ever for the Fort Collins, Colorado-headquartered craft brewery, which was acquired by Lion Little World Beverages in November 2019. New Belgium’s Voodoo Ranger franchise drove the company’s growth last year.
Meanwhile, Heineken-owned Lagunitas Brewing Company fell below the million-barrel mark for the first time since 2017. Production at the Petaluma, California-based brewery declined -11%, to 950,000 barrels.
Growth of Mahou San Miguel-owned Founders Brewing Company continued to slow, as the Michigan brewery eked out 2% growth, to 592,000 barrels. Mahou’s other craft brewery, Colorado’s Avery Brewing, declined -15%, to 46,750 barrels.
Anheuser-Busch’s collection of craft breweries collectively declined 5% last year, to around 2.7 million barrels. The world’s largest beer manufacturer’s single largest craft brewery, Chicago’s Goose Island, declined 12%, to 475,000 barrels. Since reaching peak production of 605,000 barrels in 2016, Goose Island has steadily declined, shedding 130,000 barrels.
Fast-growing, Seattle-based Elysian, increased production 10%, to 270,000. Since A-B acquired it in 2016, the maker of Space Dust IPA has increased its output by 180,000 barrels.
Karbach Brewing in Texas and Wicked Weed in North Carolina each increased production 30%, to 163,800 and 97,500 barrels, respectively, tying with the highest growth percentages of any A-B craft brand.
Arizona’s Four Peaks (131,250 barrels) and Oregon’s 10 Barrel Brewing (115,000 barrels) each grew 5% in 2020, while California’s Golden Road stayed flat at 240,000 barrels.
A-B craft breweries in decline included Colorado’s Breckenridge (-5%, 105,000 barrels), Virginia’s Devils Backbone (-6%, 80,000 barrels), New York’s Blue Point (-20%, 78,500 barrels), and Ohio’s Platform Beer Co. (-4%, 22,500 barrels).
The now A-B-owned Craft Brew Alliance platform of craft breweries — including Kona (outside of Hawaii), Widmer Brothers, Redhook, Omission, Cisco Brewers, Appalachian Mountain Brewery, and Wynwood — produced 710,000 barrels, down -7%.
As for A-B’s Shock Top brand, the brand lost -25% of its production in 2020, to 240,000 barrels. The Belgian white beer brand has dropped 660,000 barrels since 2014, when it was a 900,000-barrel brand.
Molson Coors’ Blue Moon portfolio — which includes its Belgian white, the best-selling craft beer in scan data nationwide — declined -8%, to 1.8 million barrels last year. Blue Moon’s volume has declined 425,000 barrels since 2015, when it produced 2.2 million barrels.
Molson Coors’ other craft brands fared worse, with the exception of Hop Valley, which was flat at 70,000 barrels. Every other Molson Coors craft brand declined, with the company’s 2020 craft production down -11%, to around 2.6 million barrels. Compare that to Molson Coors’ peak craft production of 3.37 million barrels in 2015.
Acquired brands Terrapin (-10%, 94,500 barrels), Saint Archer (-15%, 55,000 barrels), Revolver (-24%, 30,500 barrels), and Atwater (-25%, 16,600 barrels) each posted double-digit declines.
Meanwhile, the slide of Molson Coors’ Leinenkugel’s brand continued for the third consecutive year, declining 20% in 2020, to 550,000 barrels. After reaching 1 million barrels in 2015, Leinenkugel’s has lost 450,000 barrels in the five years since.
Constellation Brands’ remaining craft breweries both posted production declines. Florida’s Funky Buddha declined -10%, to 37,750 barrels, while Texas’ Four Corners declined -7%, to 15,863 barrels. The company unloaded the Ballast Point brand in late 2019.
Sapporo-owned Anchor Brewing Co. recorded 50,000 barrels, a -29% year-over-year decline. The San Francisco brewery has shed more than 100,000 barrels since 2014.
Finally, FIFCO USA, which has shuttered its physical craft brewery locations, recorded a -27% decline for its remaining craft brands. Magic Hat production declined -29%, to 30,000 barrels, while Pyramid declined -25%, to 33,000 barrels.