Brewers Association Releases Top 50 Breweries of 2012 - The New York Spin

Earlier today, the Brewers Association released their annual list of the Top 50 Breweries of 2012.  The list is based solely on the production statistics, i.e. who produces the most beer. 

The full list is broken into two categories; the list of Top 50 U.S. Craft Brewing Companies and the list of the Top 50 Overall U.S. Brewing Companies.  F.X. Matt Brewing, Brooklyn Brewery, Blue Point Brewing Company, and Southern Tier Brewing Company were the four representatives from New York State on both lists.  North American Breweries made an appearance on the overall list but was excluded from the craft brewing list.  Below are our thoughts on each list.



Craft Brewing Companies List
F.X. Matt Brewing was the highest at #8 followed by Brooklyn Brewery at #11, Blue Point Brewing Company at #36, and Southern Tier Brewing Company at #37.

*F.X. Matt is not only the oldest brewery in NY but also the biggest.  In addition to their wildly popular Saranac line, they also produce the historic Utica Club line as well as contract brew for Flying Bison (Buffalo).  Saranac has become almost as easy to find across the country as Sam Adams or Sierra Nevada. 

*Brooklyn Brewery's new expansion has allowed them to climb the ladder.  In addition to producing award winning beers, head brewer Garret Oliver has become the country's foremost expert on craft beer.  Brooklyn brews great beer and has a great distribution network set up, but you would have to imagine that Oliver helps as well. 

*Southern Tier has also been continuously expanding their brewing capacity.  Everyone has always enjoyed their 22 ounce bottle line, but they have made a move in recent years to put great beers in 12 ounce bottles.  It is rare that I have a bad beer from Southern Tier so it makes sense that the rest of the country feels the same way.  I have a feeling they will continue to climb this list each year.  

Overall List
The addition of the big boys bumped each of the four New York craft breweries down but also brought about the inclusion of a fifth NY member.  North American Breweries was listed at #6, Matt Brewing Company is next at #15, followed by Brooklyn Brewery at #18, Blue Point Brewing Company at #47, and Southern Tier Brewing Company at #48.

*North American Breweries is the parent company the brews for several beer brands/lines.  This list included the production numbers for the Dundee, Genesee, Labatt Lime, Magic Hat and Pyramid brands.  The whole portfolio and infrastructure has been sold multiple times over the last few years and is currently up for sale again.  None of the other big brewers are allowed to purchase it because of anti-trust laws, but current owner KPS Capital seems to have reached a $388 million deal with Cerveceria Costa Rica.

*It really does not matter to me who owns the Dundee and Genesee lines as long as the owner gives them the time, money and respect they deserve.  KPS did a flat out wonderful job with the Genesee brand.  They revived the historic sign, built a museum and brewpub and made numerous other countless moves to help revive the brand.  Let's hope that Cerveceria continues the momentum that KPS built.

*Blue Point has always been one of the biggest craft brewers in New York but I was surprised to see it on the Top 50 overall list.  Their beer is everywhere in New York but it just did not seem to be as widely as distributed as other breweries on the same list.  You learn something new everyday.  Congrats to Blue Point as well as the other breweries representing New York on the lists.    

Savor Coming To New York

SAVOR℠ HOPS TO NEW YORK CITY IN 2013

Big Apple Hosts Premier Craft Beer and Food Pairing Experience

 

Boulder, CO • November 8, 2012 – After five consecutive years of hosting SAVOR℠: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience in Washington, D.C., the Brewers Association is bringing the event to New York City. In 2013, SAVOR will be held on June 14 and 15 at the Metropolitan Pavilion and adjoining Altman Building in Manhattan. The two-night event will return to the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. the year after on May 9 and 10, 2014.

As the benchmark beer and food pairing event, SAVOR’s format will remain the same—an intimate and engaging reception, with a menu carefully designed by Brewers Association culinary consultant Adam Dulye, chef/owner of The Monk’s Kettle and The Abbot’s Cellar in San Francisco. As in years past, small and independent breweries representing all geographic regions of the country will be selected to participate by a lottery drawing. Guests will be served by the notable personalities behind the craft beer brands and have an opportunity to interact with them during private tastings throughout the two nights.

“Part of our mission as a national, industry association is to promote small and independent craft brewers and their craft brewed beers to audiences around the country,” said Sam Calagione, chair of the Brewers Association’s board of directors. “Moving SAVOR to New York City, the culinary capital of the world, in 2013 is an incredible opportunity to showcase craft beer from a diverse sampling of small U.S. producers who have helped shift the perception of beer from something predictable and homogenized into the dynamic, flavorful, food-friendly beverage it is recognized as today. Craft brewers, beer lovers and foodies who attend SAVOR contribute to a historic localization of beer and a shift in the culinary arts world.”

The nation’s capital will play host to other Brewers Association events in 2013. The industry-only Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America^® will be held from March 26-29 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The craft brewing industry’s largest annual event gathers thousands of small and independent American brewers and their trade partners for workshops, collaboration, education and discussion on important matters facing the community.

“With D.C. hosting the Craft Brewers Conference in 2013, this was the right time for the Brewers Association to bring SAVOR to a new market and expand the audience,” added Calagione. “We’re excited to see what New York has in store for SAVOR, and look forward to returning SAVOR to the National Building Museum in 2014.”

Tickets go on sale to the public April 17, 2013. A ticket pre-sale exclusively for members of the American Homebrewers Association and the Brewers Association will take place April 16. For more information about SAVOR, visit SavorCraftBeer.com

About the Brewers Association

The Brewers Association is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The Brewers Association (BA) represents more than 70 percent of the brewing industry, and its members make more than 99 percent of the beer brewed in the U.S. The BA organizes events including the World Beer Cup^®, Great American Beer Festival^®, Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America^®, SAVOR℠: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience and American Craft Beer Week. The BA publishes The New Brewer magazine and its Brewers Publications division is the largest publisher of contemporary and relevant brewing literature for today's craft brewers and homebrewers. Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com and about homebrewing via the BA's American Homebrewers Association. Follow us on Twitter.

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2009 Great American Beer Festival

The 2009 Great American Beer Festival is over and eight New York brews are taking home medals from Denver.

Category: 8, Rye Beer, 21 Entries
Silver: Blue Point Brewing Co. RastafaRye, Blue Point Brewing Co., Patchogue, NY

Category: 13 Out of Category – Traditionally Brewed Beer, 82 Entries
Silver: Brooklyner-Schneider Hopfen-Weisse, Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn, NY

Category: 16 American-Style Sour Ale, 32 Entries
Gold: Rosso e Marrone, Captain Lawrence Brewing Co, Pleasantville, NY

Category: 35 American-Style Dark Lager, 15 Entries
Bronze: Saranac Black Forest, Saranac/F.X. Matt Brewing Co., Utica, NY

Category: 55 Irish Style Red Ale, 32 Entries
Bronze: Saranac Irish Red Ale, Saranac/F.X. Matt Brewing Co., Utica, NY

Category: 59 German-Style Sour Ale, 13 Entries
Gold: Berliner Weisse, Southampton Publick House, Southampton, NY

Category: 63 French- and Belgian Style Saison, 56 Entries
Silver: Belgian Summer Ale, Great Adirondack Brewing Co., Lake Placid, NY

Category: 71 Foreign Style Stout, 20 Entries
Bronze: Whiteface Black Diamond Stout, Great Adirondack Brewing Co., Lake Placid, NY

New York's eight medals was good enough to place it as the 7th best state in terms of medals won. New York breweries only entered 117 beers which paled in comparison to California's 594 and Colorado's 459.