The Largest Craft Brewery in Every State

We recently evaluated the amount of craft beer produced annually in each state. Through our research, we found that Pennsylvania and California were the highest producers in the country by a large margin. Both states produce an annual total of more than 3 million barrels of craft beer, which equates to over 1 billion 12 oz. bottles of craft beer per year. 

West Virginia, North Dakota, and South Dakota were at the bottom end of the production spectrum. And while the states’ total production is below 20,000 barrels per year, that’s still equivalent to over 5 million bottles of craft beer per year coming out of each state. 

Because of its higher alcohol content, craft beer tends to make people drunker in a shorter timeframe than regular beer does. As a result, craft beer consumption should be approached with caution – especially if you’re not accustomed to drinking it. For those that enjoy drinking craft beer responsibly, there are numerous breweries to visit, with more than 7,000 breweries in operation in the U.S as of the end of 2018. But which is the highest producing in each state? We used 2018 production data from the Brewers Association to identify the brewery in each state that produces the most barrels annually. Read on to learn more about what we uncovered in our research. 

The top producing breweries state by state are a variety of large nationwide distributors, such as Yuengling and Sierra Nevada, and more local producers, such as Fernson Brewing Company in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. 

The overall top producing brewery in the country is the Yuengling brewery in Pottsville, PA. It’s one of Pennsylvania’s more than 300 breweries, and it produced over 2.5 million barrels in 2018. The second highest producer in the nation is Boston Beer Co., located in Boston, MA. It produced almost 2 million barrels of craft beer in 2018. 

Top Producing Craft Brewery in Every State Map

Next, we mapped out where each state’s top brewery is located. While many of these are located in large cities like Chicago and Boston, smaller towns are also represented on the list. Are you surprised by the location of your state’s top-producing brewery? 

The below chart includes each state’s top-producing brewery, its annual production in barrels, and the number of barrels produced per age 21+ adult. The data can be toggled by the various columns to explore how the states compare. 

In terms of total craft beer production, Delaware ranks only 21st when compared to other states, but it tops the list when you look at the amount produced as compared to the drinking age population. Its 3,730.23 barrels produced per 10,000 age 21+ adults is the highest of any state. Florida has the lowest number of barrels produced per 10,000 21+ adults with only 19.84 in 2018.

As stated above, craft beer and all other types of alcohol should be consumed with caution. If you’re concerned that someone you know is abusing alcohol, review our resources to learn more about how you can get them the help they might need. 

SOURCES:

• Brewers Association 

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