How Microbreweries, Taprooms and Brewpubs Fared in 2022

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Data Christmas continues, following the release of the Brewer Association’s (BA) annual production survey of U.S. craft breweries.

Brewbound already covered the top 50 craft breweries by volume, how big beer craft fared and trends within regional breweries outside the top 50.

Now to look at some of the trends in craft’s smaller subsets: taprooms, microbreweries and brewpubs.

Taproom Volume +9%; Tree House and Topa Topa Among Largest Volume Contributors

Taproom breweries – those that sell more than 25% of their beer onsite and do not offer significant food service – increased production volume +9% collectively in 2022. An estimated 3,838 taprooms operated in 2022, up from 3,702 in 2021.

The largest overall taproom was Charlton, Massachusetts-based Tree House Brewing, which increased production volume +10% year-over-year (YoY), to 44,000 barrels in 2022. That volume is expected to increase again in 2023, as the company purchased a 50-acre golf course and events venue in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, in early 2022, and began serving beers in the fall. The brewery was also included among regional breweries by the BA, ranking No. 61 by volume.

The largest taproom below regional status was Ventura, California-based Topa Topa Brewing, which increased production +49%, to 14,900 barrels, 100 barrels short of regional brewery status (15,000 barrels). This is the second consecutive year Topa Topa topped the BA’s taproom rankings (by volume), after increasing production +19%, to an estimated 10,000 barrels in 2021.

The BA also ranked the largest taproom breweries by region. The regional lists do not include breweries that elected not to publish production data.

In the Northeast Region (CT, DE, DC, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT, VA, WV) Tree House was again the largest. The rest of the top five in the region remained unchanged compared to last year. New York’s Other Half Brewing ranked as the Northeast’s second largest taproom by volume, increasing output +13%, to 33,825 barrels. Alexandria, Virginia-based Aslin Beer Company followed at No. 3, increasing its annual volume +4%, to 24,000 barrels, while Trillium was again No. 4, despite declining -9%, to 14,100 barrels.

In the South Region (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX), Covington, Kentucky’s Braxton Brewing was again the largest taproom brewery, despite volume declining -8%, to 18,500 barrels in 2022. The decline followed a flat year in 2021.

The next four largest taproom breweries in the region produced fewer than 6,000 barrels in 2022: No. 2 South Carolina-based Revelry Brewing (+10%, to 5,775 barrels); No. 3 North Carolina-based Wilmington Brewing Company (flat, at 5,750 barrels); No. 4 Georgia-based Reformation Brewery (+5%, to 5,600 barrels); and No. 5 North Carolina-based Deep River BRewing (+5%, to 5,500 barrels).

In the Mountain West Region (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY), Salt Lake City’s Kiitos Brewing was the largest taproom brewery, increasing production +22%, to 6,422 barrels. Idaho-based Wallace Brewing, which ranked first in the region in 2021 with 7,706 barrels (+1,206% versus 2020), was not included in the latest edition of the New Brewer.

In the North Central Region (IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, WI), Illinois’ Noon Whistle Brewing (+16%, to 7,800 barrels) and Indiana’s Daredevil Brewing (+25%, to 6,000 barrels) overtook Ohio’s Seventh Son Brewing for the No. 1 and No. 2 spot, respectively. Seventh Son fell from No. 1 to No. 3 after recording a -13% decline in 2022, to 5,850 barrels.

In the Pacific Northwest Region (AK, OR, WA), Oregon’s Level Beer was the largest taproom brewery again, despite volume declining -1%, to 5,672 barrels in 2022. Washington’s Dru Bru rose from No. 3 in 2021 to No. 2, with an increase of +22%, to 4,532 barrels.

In the Pacific Region (CA, HI), Topa Topa was No. 1, followed by California’s Fieldwork Brewing, which increased volume +11%, to 13,085 barrels. All of the taproom breweries in the top 10 list for the region were based in California, including No. 10 Paperback Brewing, which increased volume +207%, to 4,600 barrels.

Microbreweries: 27 of Top 50 Record Declines; Total Volume +1%

Just over 2,000 microbreweries (2,035) – those producing fewer than 15,000 barrels a year and selling less than 25% of their production onsite – operated in the U.S. in 2022, up from 2,007 in 2021, according to the BA. Those microbreweries collectively increased volume +1% on a comparable basis, a significant growth decline from the +11% increase in 2021.

Microbreweries in 2022 collectively output a total of nearly 4.25 million barrels, which is a decline from 2021 (then nearly 4.47 million barrels). The discrepancy is due to breweries growing or falling out of microbrewery status.

More than half (27) of the top 50 microbreweries by volume recorded production volume declines, seven of which were in the top 10:

  • No. 2 Waltham, Massachusetts-based Mighty Squirrel (-6%, to 14,522 barrels);
  • No. 3 Athens, Ohio-based Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery (-12%, to 14,500 barrels);
  • No. 4 Tampa, Florida-based Tampa Bay Brewing Co. (-16%, to 14,460 barrels);
  • No. 6 Branford, Connecticut-based Stony Creek Brewery (-5%, to 14,250 barrels);
  • No. 8 Fredericksburg, Texas-based Altstadt Brewery (-2%, to 14,200 barrels);
  • No. 9 Williamston, Michigan-based Old Nation Brewing (-2%, to 14,100 barrels);
  • And No. 10 Fuquay Varina, North Carolina-based Aviator Brewing Company (-3%, to 14,000 barrels).

Alvarado Street was the largest microbrewery in 2022, increasing volume +24%, to 14,589 barrels. The Salinas, California-headquartered brewery has increased production volume every year since at least 2016, now less than 500 barrels short of regional brewery status.

The next three largest microbreweries – Mighty Squirrel, Jackie O’s and Tampa Bay Brewing – each fell below 15,000 barrels, falling off the BA’s regional list.

After Alvarado, eight of the top 50 microbreweries posted double-digit volume increases:

  • No. 5 St. Petersburg, Florida-based 3 Daughters Brewing (+10%, to 14,300 barrels);
  • No. 18 St. Ventura, California-based MadeWest Brewing Company (+24%, to 13,399 barrels);
  • No. 23 Sterling, Virginia-based Solace Brewing Company (+13%, 13,047 barrels);
  • No. 26 Princeton, California-based Farmers Brewing Co. (+46%, to 12,710 barrels);
  • No. 33 El Segundo, California-based El Segundo Brewing (+28%, 12,187 barrels);
  • No. 38 Fort Myers, Florida-based Fort Myers Brewing (+41%, to 12,000 barrels);
  • No. 40 Tempe, Arizona-based The Shop Beer Co. (+57%, to 11,757 barrels);
  • And No. 45 Marquette, Michigan-based Blackrocks Brewery (+14%, to 11,400 barrels).

Other microbreweries beyond the top 50 with significant production increases in 2022 include:

  • No. 55 Tonewood Brewing (+107%, to 10,765 barrels);
  • No. 101 Pryes Brewing (+37%, to 8,644 barrels);
  • No. 102 Florida Avenue Brewing (+56%, to 8,600 barrels);
  • No. 125 Tennessee Brew Works (+44%, to 7,947 barrels);
  • No. 146 Connecticut Valley Brewing (+62%, to 7,275 barrels);
  • No. 157 Schilling Beer (+27%, to 7,000 barrels);
  • No. 158 Finback Brewery (+44%, to 6,999 barrels);
  • No. 161 Grand Canyon Brewing (+39%, to 6,946 barrels);
  • No. 165 Honky Tonk Brewing (+33%, to 6,800 barrels);
  • No. 174 Santa Monica Brew Works (+30%, to 6,625 barrels);
  • No. 184 Atlas Brew Works (+33%, to 6,487 barrels);
  • No. 185 Sugar Creek Brewing (+29%, to 6,467 barrels);

Brewpubs: Collective Volume +5%, to Nearly 1.71 Million Barrels

An estimated 3,418 brewpubs operated in the U.S. in 2022. Collectively, those brewpubs – defined as brewery restaurants with at least 25% of their beer sales onsite – increased production volume +5% YoY, to nearly 1.71 million barrels.

Pinthouse Brewing (also known as Pinthouse Pizza) was the largest overall brewpub, increasing production +17%, to 20,954 barrels, after a +92% increase in 2021. The BA also includes Pinthouse among regional breweries, ranking No. 131.

New York’s Ellicottville Brewing Co. was the largest brewpub below 15,000 barrels, producing 14,000 barrels in 2022 (flat versus 2021). Ellicottville was defined as a microbrewery in 2021, ranking within the top 50.

Similar to taprooms, the BA also ranked brewpubs by region.

Pennsylvania’s Iron Hill Brewery was the largest brewpub in the Northeast Region, producing 9,950 barrels (flat vs. 2021). New Hampshire’s Moat Mountain Smoke House and Brewing Co. was the second largest brewpub, also with a flat year, producing 7,700 barrels, followed by Virginia’s Blue Mountain Brewery (-7%, to 6,808 barrels).

In the South Region, Pinthouse Brewing was the largest brewpub, followed by North Carolina’s Legion Brewing, which increased volume double-digits for the second consecutive year (+47% in 2022), to 10,799 barrels. Four other North Carolina craft breweries made it in the top 10 for the region: No. 3 Carolina Brewery (+9%, to 5,655); No. 4 Asheville Brewing Co. (-10%, to 4,500 barrels); No. 5 Blowing Rock Brewing (flat, at 4,000 barrels); and No. 10 Granite Falls Brewing (-6%, to 3,000 barrels).

No. 9 Naked River Brewing in Tennessee also recorded a significant YoY increase (+77%, to 3,023).

In the Mountain West Region, New Mexico’s Bosque Brewing Co. was the largest brewpub, increasing production volume +4%, to 10,500 barrels. Colorado’s Outer Range Brewing (-1%, to 6,179 barrels) and New Image Brewing (-1%, to 5,450 barrels) were the second and third largest brewpubs in the region.

Three of the top 10 brewpubs in the region recorded double- or triple-digit increases: No. 4 Pedal Haus Brewery (+80%, to 4,790 barrels); No. 6 Second Street Brewery (+39%, to 3,557 barrels); and No. 9 Bridger Brewing (+114%, to 3,000 barrels).

Ohio’s March First Brewing was the largest brewpub in the North Central Region, increasing volume +39%, to 13,185 barrels. The brewpub has recorded five consecutive years of growth, with triple-digit increases in three of the past five years: +100% in 2018, +156% in 2019 and +221% in 2021.

Fellow Ohio-based brewpub The Brew Kettle was the second largest in the region (-5%, to 9,000 barrels), followed by Wisconsin’s Eagle Park Brewing (+16%, to 8,100), Illinois’ More Brewing Company (+8%, to 4,300 barrels) and Wisconsin’s Great Dane Pub and Brewing Co. (+2%, to 4,008 barrels).

McMenamins Breweries was the largest brewpub in the Pacific Northwest in 2022, increasing volume +3%, to an estimated 13,300 barrels. The Oregon brewery held regional brewery status in 2021, with an estimated 16,600 barrels, but that barrelage was adjusted in this year’s New Brewer, which now lists McMenamins as producing 12,911 barrels in 2021.

Fellow Oregon brewpubs Great Notion Brewing (+5%, to 10,500 barrels) and Double Mountain Brewery (flat, at 8,000 barrels) were the No. 2 and No. 3 largest brewpubs in the region, respectively, last year.

In the Pacific Region, California’s Garage Brewing Company ranked No. 1, despite a -1% decline in volume, to 6,683 barrels, followed by Hawaii’s Waikiki Brewing (+28%, to 6,057 barrels. Three other brewpubs in the region’s top 10 recorded double-digit increases: Hawaii’s Big Island Brewhaus (+89%, to 2,800 barrels); California’s Highland Park Brewery (+21%, to 2,545 barrels); and Hawaii’s Hana Koa Brewing Co. (+60%, to 1,978 barrels).