The ten Greatest-Promoting Craft Beer Manufacturers of 2024

This may increasingly sound like a backhanded praise, however whereas craft beer gross sales proceed to gradual, the scenario isn’t almost as grim because it was this time final 12 months. In response to Chicago-based media firm Circana, for the 52 weeks main as much as Jan. 28, 2024, U.S. craft beer gross sales totalled $4.7 billion — a year-over-year lower of 0.8 p.c, with case gross sales down 4 p.c. The earlier 12 months, gross sales had been down 4.7 p.c and case gross sales dropped by an alarming 8.6 p.c.

Circana compiled the gross sales information into an inventory revealing the highest 10 best-selling craft beer manufacturers going into 2024. Among the many coveted list-makers are a number of breweries from Colorado, California, and Michigan, displaying that regardless of the extended hazy IPA craze of New England, the western pockets of the U.S. are main the cost in beer gross sales.

Breweries have pivoted a few of their efforts into canned cocktails and RTDs to nice avail, although IPAs stay the top-performing model throughout beer types with a 46 p.c quantity share throughout the craft beer phase. The principle driver for development within the phase has been flavor-forward, adjunct beers as seen within the increase of such beers as New Belgium’s Voodoo Ranger Juice Power Imperial IPA.

“Demand for sweeter, fruity, bolder taste profiles throughout all of alcohol has influenced craft innovation and the manufacturers which might be driving phase development,” in keeping with Circana consumer perception consultants Ryan Toenies and Cara Piotrowski. Although purists is likely to be rolling their eyes, plainly peach rings, gummy bears, and tropical fruit extracts may maintain the keys to success within the upcoming calendar 12 months.

Earlier than we dive into the checklist, it’s value noting that Circana’s checklist differs barely from the one reported by the Brewers Affiliation. This, in some ways, comes right down to the considerably nebulous common definition of what a “craft brewery” really is. Whereas the Brewers Affiliation defines a craft brewer as “a small and impartial brewer,” each lists embrace firms that don’t actually match that standards, like Samuel Adams and Tilray Beer Manufacturers.

Listed here are the ten best-selling craft beer manufacturers of this previous 12 months, in keeping with Circana.

10. Firestone Walker

Firestone Walker Brewing Firm, named after co-founders Adam Firestone and David Walker, is well-known for its myriad barrel-aged beers and has introduced dwelling a number of awards from the Brewers Affiliation’s World Beer Cup over time. Like many fellow list-makers, the vast majority of the model is owned by one other bigger firm — on this case Duvel Moortgat Brewery. Sadly, Firestone Walker noticed fairly the dip in gross sales over the previous 12 months, as greenback gross sales had been down by 7.9 p.c and case gross sales dropped by 10.5 p.c.

9. Elysian

Championed by beer lovers far and broad for its killer IPAs — particularly House Mud — Seattle’s personal Elysian Brewing Firm has been a drive within the American brewing panorama since 1995. Like Chicago’s Goose Island Brewery, Elysian was bought by AB InBev through the beverage conglomerate’s notorious craft brewery shopping for spree of the early 2010s. Regardless, the model continues to impress with its stalwarts and season choices, like 2022’s Dank Mud IPA.

8. Founders

As we enter the Michigan portion of the checklist, we discover Grand Rapids’ Founders Brewing Firm, arguably finest recognized for its KBS stout sequence and uber-crushable All Day IPA. As of 2019, 90 p.c of the brewery has been owned by Spanish brewing firm Mahou San Miguel, so the Brewers Affiliation not categorizes Founders as a craft brewery. Nonetheless, it’s holding it down at No. 8 on Circana’s checklist.

7. Bell’s

Half two of the Michigan part belongs to Kalamazoo’s Bell’s Brewery. Like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Bell’s Centennial hop-driven Two Hearted IPA has been a beer fanatic’s darling because it hit the market in 1997. Since then, the brewery has expanded its choices with out counting on kitschy adjuncts like a few of its opponents. In 2023, the model skilled an over-9-percent soar in each general greenback and case gross sales, thanks in no small half to the launch of its Hearted IPA Selection Pack in December 2022.

6. Shiner

Texas’s personal Shiner has been produced on the Spoetzl Brewery since 1909, and in 1989, the model was purchased by San Antonio’s Gambrinus Firm when enterprise was in a lull. Shiner is now sitting fairly with over $127 million in gross sales up to now calendar 12 months. Its flagship darkish lager Shiner Bock stays beloved and accessible nationwide.

5. Lagunitas

Till 2015, when Heineken purchased a 50 p.c share of the model, Lagunitas was a tried-and-true impartial brewery. The model, based in Petaluma, Calif., in 1993, took a fairly heavy dip in gross sales this previous 12 months, but it surely nonetheless continues to increase its choices, which embrace a lineup of seasonal beers, myriad West Coast IPAs, and a hop water.

4. Samuel Adams

Boston Beer Firm owns a slew of manufacturers like Dogfish Head and Twisted Tea, however the company arguably wouldn’t exist with out Samuel Adams. Based in Cambridge, Mass., by Jim Koch, what began with a humble micro brewery in his dwelling and a recipe for an amber lager has grown to be one of many high performers within the beer house. Almost $210 million {dollars} in gross sales is nothing to scoff at.

3. Sierra Nevada

Chico, Calif.’s Sierra Nevada Brewing Firm was based in 1979 — when American craft beer was nonetheless in its infancy — by Paul Camusi and Ken Grossman, the latter of whom nonetheless owns it to this present day. Their flagship pale ale was the beer that put Cascade hops on the map and stays a preferred “desert island beer” for even the nerdiest of beer fanatics. Though case gross sales for the model had been down this previous 12 months, general greenback gross sales had been up, so Sierra Nevada is in a stable spot.

2. Blue Moon

Blue Moon has been below the MillerCoors umbrella since its inception in 1995, begging the query: Is the model craft, or simply artful? All of it will depend on whom you ask, however regardless, the coriander-and-orange-peel-infused Belgian witbier has continued to be a crowd-pleaser, and a staple on draft strains nationwide.

1. New Belgium

2023 was a banner 12 months for Colorado’s New Belgium Brewing. Due in no small half to the continued enlargement of the model’s Voodoo Ranger line of IPAs, the model skilled a 22.6 p.c gross sales enhance over the previous 12 months, main the checklist by over $200 million in gross sales.

*Picture retrieved from Prostock-studio through Unsplash.com