Below is the 2024–2025 national top ten craft brewing companies by volume, then each state (and D.C.) with two data lines: who leads on production and sales reach, and who leads on the 2026 ratings and sentiment list with a named beer and score where the source included one.
In the same 2024–2025 window, overall craft production was down about 1.2 percent by volume; independent brewers held about 13.3 percent of beer volume, roughly flat to the prior period.
Industry headwinds called out in the source data
- A 2025 survey: nearly half of Americans report drinking less alcohol, with more interest in RTD spirits and functional drinks.
- Ingredient and labor inflation still squeezes small brewer margins.
- Federal tariffs on imported brewing equipment, steel kegs, and aluminum cans add cost pressure versus the largest producers.
The ten biggest craft brewing companies in the U.S.
Volume and distribution still decide which names fill grocery sets and multi-brand portfolios (for example Tilray Beer Brands) stay competitive through acquisitions and shared operations.
| Rank | Brewery | Headquarters | Note from the 2024–2025 list |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D.G. Yuengling and Son Inc | Pottsville, PA | The persistent volume leader since 2014; working-class craft with national reach. |
| 2 | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co | Chico, CA | Legacy West Coast craft with steady operations and deep influence. |
| 3 | Boston Beer Co | Boston, MA | National flagship house; the same data pass had it slide from second to third. |
| 4 | Tilray Beer Brands | New York, NY | Growth through buying familiar labels such as Shock Top. |
| 5 | Duvel Moortgat USA | Cooperstown, NY | Stable premium portfolio including Firestone Walker and Boulevard. |
| 6 | Athletic Brewing Company | Milford, CT | Top-ten placement with a non-alcoholic / functional craft focus. |
| 7 | Gambrinus | San Antonio, TX | Regional strength through Shiner and Texas distribution muscle. |
| 8 | Brooklyn Brewery | Brooklyn, NY | Strong urban footprint and serious export volume. |
| 9 | Monster Brewing | Longmont, CO | Formerly CANarchy; houses the Oskar Blues family of brands. |
| 10 | Deschutes Brewery | Bend, OR | Pacific Northwest craft anchor with broad retail presence. |
Athletic at #6 sits next to traditional craft brands in the same table; the source ties that to non-alcoholic and wellness-oriented craft growing next to high-ABV lines. National leaders (Yuengling, Sierra Nevada, Boston Beer, etc.) stay volume-heavy; Blue Moon and Lagunitas are called out as widely available “approachable craft” bridges; small-batch and cult labels skew local in the same source notes.
State list (two columns)
- Biggest reach in the state: production scale and sales volume in the source ranking.
- Ratings standout: 2026 critical acclaim and consumer sentiment in the source list, with beer name and score when given.
Jump to a state: Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · District of Columbia · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming
Alabama
- Biggest reach in the state: Good People Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Chandlers Ford Brewing (Top Beer: Triple J's IPA - 4.43)
Alaska
- Biggest reach in the state: Alaskan Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Anchorage Brewing Company (Top Beer: Blessed - 4.82)
Arizona
- Biggest reach in the state: Four Peaks Brewing Co. (AB InBev) / Huss Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Wren House Brewing Company (Top Beer: Decadence - 4.57)
Four Peaks leads media spend in the source notes. Huss and SanTan are cited as independent leaders with female leadership and beers that use regional ingredients (hibiscus, prickly pear), with extra visibility around major events such as the Super Bowl.
Arkansas
- Biggest reach in the state: Ozark Beer Co.
- Ratings standout: Greenhouse Aleworks (Top Beer: Poppy - 4.72)
California
- Biggest reach in the state: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Private Press Brewing (Top Beer: Take 1, Volume 1: Barrel #138 - 4.66)
Colorado
- Biggest reach in the state: New Belgium Brewing (Kirin)
- Ratings standout: Off Script Brewing (Top Beer: He's An Angry Elf! - 4.74)
Connecticut
- Biggest reach in the state: Athletic Brewing Company
- Ratings standout: Transcend Beer Crafters (Top Beer: Schmucker Up Fluffables - 4.61)
Delaware
- Biggest reach in the state: Dogfish Head (Boston Beer Co.)
- Ratings standout: Dewey Beer Company (Top Beer: Thrills – 5th Anniversary - 4.54)
District of Columbia
- Biggest reach in the state: DC Brau
- Ratings standout: Other Half DC (Top Beer: Anniversary Series Sentiment - 4.45)
Florida
- Biggest reach in the state: Cigar City Brewing (Monster Brewing)
- Ratings standout: Corporate Ladder Brewing Company (Top Beer: Member Pick: BA Stout 2025 - 4.68)
Georgia
- Biggest reach in the state: Creature Comforts Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: MAZURT Brewing Company (Top Beer: DAMP-2 - 4.69)
Hawaii
- Biggest reach in the state: Kona Brewing Hawaii
- Ratings standout: Inu Island Ales (Top Beer: Da Kine Keeper - 4.46)
Idaho
- Biggest reach in the state: Grand Teton Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Bombastic Brewing (Top Beer: Phat's Blend - 4.65)
Illinois
- Biggest reach in the state: Revolution Brewing
- Ratings standout: Afterthought Brewing Company (Top Beer: Bière de Pieces #5 - 4.75)
Indiana
- Biggest reach in the state: Three Floyds Brewing
- Ratings standout: Gnosis Brewing (Top Beer: HypGnosis II - 4.62)
Iowa
- Biggest reach in the state: Toppling Goliath Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Lua Brewing (Top Beer: Again Topped with Torched Meringue - 4.85)
Kansas
- Biggest reach in the state: Free State Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Discourse Brewing (Top Beer: Critics Got Opinions - 4.54)
Kentucky
- Biggest reach in the state: Against the Grain
- Ratings standout: Tradewater Brewing Company (Top Beer: Bluegrass Festbier - 4.66)
Louisiana
- Biggest reach in the state: Abita Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Parish Brewing Co. (Top Beer: Bourbon Barrel Our Cake Is A Lie - 4.60)
Maine
- Biggest reach in the state: Allagash Brewing Company
- Ratings standout: Bissell Brothers Brewing Company (Top Beer: Angels With Filthy Souls - 4.56)
Maryland
- Biggest reach in the state: Union Craft Brewing
- Ratings standout: Sapwood Cellars Brewery (Top Beer: B.S.C.V. Concentrate - 4.76)
Massachusetts
- Biggest reach in the state: Boston Beer Co. (Samuel Adams)
- Ratings standout: Tree House Brewing Company (Top Beer: Truth (Still) - 4.84)
Michigan
- Biggest reach in the state: Bell's Brewery / Founders Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Smooj (Top Beer: BLACKBERRY PIÑA COLADA - 4.67)
Minnesota
- Biggest reach in the state: Summit Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Forager Brewery (Top Beer: Ancient Otter Treats - 4.87)
Mississippi
- Biggest reach in the state: Southern Prohibition
- Ratings standout: Bicentennial Beer Company (Top Beer: Bolshevik's Revenge - 4.71)
Missouri
- Biggest reach in the state: Boulevard Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Side Project Brewing (Top Beer: O.W.K. (2018) - 4.92)
Montana
- Biggest reach in the state: Big Sky Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Imagine Nation Brewing Co. (Top Beer: Little Things - 4.60)
Nebraska
- Biggest reach in the state: Nebraska Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Lumen Beer Co. (Top Beer: NYX - 4.63)
Nevada
- Biggest reach in the state: Revision Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Beer Zombies Brewing Co. (Top Beer: Sticky Brains – 17% Ninja - 4.57)
New Hampshire
- Biggest reach in the state: Stoneface Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Modestman Brewing (Top Beer: The Realest - 4.38)
New Jersey
- Biggest reach in the state: Kane Brewing Company
- Ratings standout: Troon Brewing (Top Beer: Scourge of Tijuana - 4.71)
New Mexico
- Biggest reach in the state: La Cumbre Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Keeping Together (Top Beer: Undulant & Implement - 4.44)
New York
- Biggest reach in the state: Brooklyn Brewery
- Ratings standout: Fidens Brewing Co. (Top Beer: Alex's Axe with Pineapple - 4.91)
North Carolina
- Biggest reach in the state: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. / Old Mecklenburg Brewery
- Ratings standout: Lesser-Known Beer Co. (Top Beer: Time Stacking - 4.54)
Charlotte and Winston-Salem are called out as growing local hubs next to Asheville traffic. Sierra Nevada remains the state's highest-rated destination in the source set; Old Mecklenburg is the Charlotte-area regional anchor named in the same notes.
North Dakota
- Biggest reach in the state: Drekker Brewing Company
- Ratings standout: Drekker Brewing Company (Top Beer: Ansari's Pushin' Currant Techno - 4.66)
Ohio
- Biggest reach in the state: Rhinegeist Brewery / Great Lakes Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: ill will brewing (Top Beer: The Great Tribulation - 4.89)
Oklahoma
- Biggest reach in the state: Prairie Artisan Ales
- Ratings standout: American Solera (Top Beer: Barrel Aged Distraction's Grasp - 4.86)
Oregon
- Biggest reach in the state: Deschutes Brewery
- Ratings standout: Tall Trees Brew Lab (Top Beer: Barrel Aged Banana Fluffernutter Helios - 4.68)
Pennsylvania
- Biggest reach in the state: D.G. Yuengling and Son Inc.
- Ratings standout: Willow Park Brewing (Top Beer: Vinyl Combat - 4.95)
Willow Park Brewing is currently the #1 rated brewery in the United States according to 2026 Untappd community data, maintaining a 4.78 brewery score.
Rhode Island
- Biggest reach in the state: Narragansett Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Long Live Beerworks (Top Beer: Barrel Aged Holy (2020) - 4.68)
South Carolina
- Biggest reach in the state: Westbrook Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Free Reign Brewing Co. (Top Beer: Barrel Aged Offshore Account - 4.70)
Craft Brew Inc. merged Peak Drift and Columbia Craft. The source cites a shared 25,000-square-foot production facility and digital can printing, with economies of scale for regional brands.
South Dakota
- Biggest reach in the state: Fernson Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Covert Artisan Ales (Top Beer: Pod Squad (2020) - 4.55)
Tennessee
- Biggest reach in the state: Wiseacre Brewing / Yazoo Brewing
- Ratings standout: Xul Beer Company (Top Beer: Spaceships and Woodgrain - 4.65)
Texas
- Biggest reach in the state: Shiner (Spoetzl Brewery/Gambrinus)
- Ratings standout: Shelton Brewing (Top Beer: Single Ready To Jingle - 4.80)
Utah
- Biggest reach in the state: Epic Brewing Company
- Ratings standout: Offset Bier (Top Beer: Nothing But Lasers - 4.47)
Vermont
- Biggest reach in the state: Fiddlehead Brewing
- Ratings standout: Freak Folk Bier (Top Beer: Everything Is A Lie - 4.58)
Virginia
- Biggest reach in the state: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery / Smartmouth Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: The Answer Brewpub (Top Beer: Chef Knows - 4.95)
Virginia runs the largest state competition in the U.S. The Answer leads the elite rating tier in the source list; Aslin Beer Company is cited with "Double Orange Starfish"; Parkway Brewing won 2024 Best in Show for its Scotch Ale in the same competition notes.
Washington
- Biggest reach in the state: Georgetown Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Floodland Brewing (Top Beer: MMXXIV Voice-Hearers - 4.77)
West Virginia
- Biggest reach in the state: Greenbrier Valley Brewing
- Ratings standout: Stumptown Ales (Top Beer: Scorched Otter - 4.29)
Wisconsin
- Biggest reach in the state: New Glarus Brewing Co.
- Ratings standout: Black Rose Blending Co. (Top Beer: CNSRV 01 - 4.74)
Wyoming
- Biggest reach in the state: Melvin Brewing
- Ratings standout: Mountains Hops Brewhouse (Top Beer: Livin The Dreamsicle - 4.37)
Mid-Atlantic and South (source notes)
New York is listed at about $3.9 billion in economic impact. Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the Carolinas are highlighted for brewery prestige in the same industry snapshot.
2024 Virginia Craft Beer Cup: IPAs still led volume-oriented wins. Parkway Brewing, Best in Show, Billy Boys Scotch Ale. SuperFly Brewing Co., third Best in Show, Midnight Train Porter.
Three style trends (2026 list)
- Non-alcoholic craft — Athletic and Pure Project are named; Athletic’s #6 national rank is in the top-ten volume table above.
- Sessionable / light beer — lower-ABV pilsners and lagers; the source uses the phrase "moderation without sacrifice."
- Fruit and adjunct-forward — smoothie-style ales through candy-infused experiments and other sweeter, bolder profiles; the source notes friction with traditional-style fans and ties the segment to a growing share of women buyers and to retailer commentary on who buys those SKUs.