Two Vermont craft brewers among Top 50 in US

Vermont Business Magazine Two Vermont brewers have cracked the Top 50 Craft Brewers in the nation. Long Trail from Bridgewater Corners was ranked 36th (and 45th among all breweries) and Fiddlehead from Shelburne was ranked 49th. Boston-based Harpoon, with a plant and tasting room in Windsor, was ranked 21st. The Brewers Association (BA)—the trade association representing small and independent1 American craft brewers—released its annual production figures for the US craft brewing industry last Tuesday. In 2021, small and independent brewers collectively produced 24.8 million barrels of beer and realized 8% growth3, increasing craft’s overall beer market share by volume to 13.1%, up from 12.2% the previous year.

Fiddlehead Brewing Company has bucked the industry trends year after year. In 2020, the craft beer industry saw a 9% decline in production, while Fiddlehead Brewing Company saw a 25% increase in revenue as a result of a quick transition to canned products.

“Prior to the pandemic, we were 85% draft. When draft sales disappeared overnight as bars and restaurants closed, we were able to quickly pivot and begin canning our flagship IPA for the first time. We heard from many customers that Fiddlehead IPA cans were one of the few bright spots to come from the pandemic,” said Matt (Matty O) Cohen, President/Owner.

This past year while the industry grew 8%, Fiddlehead Brewing Company experienced 89% growth, an impressive feat in a relatively small footprint of 8 states.

“We could not have accomplished this without the support of strong partners, dedicated staff, and of course our loyal customers. We are excited by the growth but understand that the foundation of our success is steady and continuous commitment to quality and freshness.”

The meteoric rise is not expected to slow as the company has already successfully increased production in Q1 2022 by 85% over Q1 2021.

Meanwhile, the overall beer market* grew 1% by volume in 2021. Retail dollar value was estimated at $26.9 billion, representing 26.8% market share and 21% growth over 2020. This growth is stronger than volume primarily due to the channel shift back to on-premise, which has a higher average retail value. Craft brewers provided more than 172,643 direct jobs, a 25% increase from 2020.

“Craft brewer sales rebounded in 2021, lifted by the return of draught and at-the-brewery traffic,” said Bart Watson, chief economist, Brewers Association. “However, the mixed performance across business models and geographies as well as production levels that still lag 2019 suggest that many breweries remain in recovery mode. Add in continuing supply chain and pricing challenges, and 2022 will be a critical year for many brewers.”

The number of operating craft breweries continued to climb in 2021, reaching an all-time high of 9,118, including 1,886 microbreweries, 3,307 brewpubs, 3,702 taproom breweries, and 223 regional craft breweries. The total operating brewery count was 9,247, up from 9,025 in 2020. Throughout the year, there were 646 new brewery openings and 178 closings. Openings decreased for a second consecutive year, with the continued decline reflecting a more mature market. Ongoing pandemic challenges and rising interest rates were additional factors. The closing rate also declined in 2021, likely helped by a combination of better sales numbers and additional government relief through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, which was available to some brewpub and taproom brewers.

“While the boom in breweries of a few years before has certainly slowed, the continued growth in small breweries shows the solid foundation of demand for their businesses and beers,” added Watson.

In addition, the Brewers Association also released its annual list of the top 50 producing craft brewing companies and overall brewing companies in the U.S., based on beer sales volume. Of the top 50 overall brewing companies in 2021, 40 were small and independent craft brewing companies.4

View and download map of top 50 producing craft brewing companies

Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies

Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies

Note: Numbers are preliminary. For additional insights from Bart Watson, visit Insights & Analysis on the Brewers Association website. The full 2021 industry analysis will be published in the May/June 2022 issue of The New Brewer, highlighting regional trends and production by individual breweries.

* Does not include FMBs/FSBs. With those included, total taxed-as-beer products increased 2%.

1 An American craft brewer is a small and independent brewer. Small: Annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less (approximately 3% of U.S. annual sales). Beer production is attributed to the rules of alternating proprietorships. Independent: Less than 25% of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member that is not itself a craft brewer. Brewer: Has a TTB Brewer’s Notice and makes beer.

2 Absolute figures reflect the dynamic craft brewer data set as specified by the craft brewer definition. Growth numbers are presented on a comparable basis. See full methodology.

3 Volume by craft brewers represents total taxable production.

4 Figure based on companies that met the craft brewer definition for all or part of 2021.

View a list of brands included under the companies in the overall brewing category

Contact: Meg Weldon (on behalf of the Brewers Association) 970.963.4873 x212

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