The Brewers Association released its list of the top 50 craft breweries today, and while the top five has remained intact, there were some risers and fallers of note.
Lagunitas, which is close to launching a new brewing facility in Chicago, jumped from No. 9 in 2011 to No. 6 in 2012. This switch descended Matt Brewing from No. 6 in 2011 to No. 8 in 2012. Meanwhile, Stone Brewing cracked the top 10, moving from No. 11 in 2011 to No. 10 in 2012, with Boulevard falling from No. 10 in 2011 to No. 12 in 2012.
The top rookie on this year’s list is Cold Spring Brewing Co./Third Street Brewhouse, which debuts at No. 28. And benefiting from the craft-loving Northeast, Southern Tier Brewing Co. leaped into the top 50, landing at No. 37. Also climbing the list, Left Hand jumped from No. 49 in 2011 to No. 43 in 2012, while Founders moved from No. 42 in 2011 to No. 30 in 2012. Other brewery debuts on the list include Ballast Point at No. 46, Allasgash at No. 48, Uinta at No. 49, and Tr├Âegs at No. 50.
Here is the full list of the Top 50 craft brewers (based on 2012 sales volume), according to the Brewers Association:
| Rank | COMPANY | City | State |
| 1 | Boston Beer Co. | Boston | MA |
| 2 | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | Chico | CA |
| 3 | New Belgium Brewing Co. | Fort Collins | CO |
| 4 | The Gambrinus Co. | San Antonio | TX |
| 5 | Deschutes Brewery | Bend | OR |
| 6 | Lagunitas Brewing Co. | Petaluma | CA |
| 7 | Bell’s Brewery, Inc. | Galesburg | MI |
| 8 | Matt Brewing Co. | Utica | NY |
| 9 | Harpoon Brewery | Boston | MA |
| 10 | Stone Brewing Co. | Escondido | CA |
| 11 | Brooklyn Brewery | Brooklyn | NY |
| 12 | Boulevard Brewing Co. | Kansas City | MO |
| 13 | Dogfish Head Craft Brewery | Milton | DE |
| 14 | Abita Brewing Co. | Abita Springs | LA |
| 15 | Shipyard Brewing Co. | Portland | ME |
| 16 | Alaskan Brewing Co. | Juneau | AK |
| 17 | New Glarus Brewing Co. | New Glarus | WI |
| 18 | Long Trail Brewing Co. | Bridgewater Corners | VT |
| 19 | Great Lakes Brewing Co. | Cleveland | OH |
| 20 | Firestone Walker Brewing Co. | Paso Robles | CA |
| 21 | Anchor Brewing Co. | San Francisco | CA |
| 22 | Rogue Ales | Newport | OR |
| 23 | Summit Brewing Co. | St. Paul | MN |
| t. 24 | Full Sail Brewing Co. | Hood River | OR |
| t. 24 | SweetWater Brewing Co. | Atlanta | GA |
| 26 | Victory Brewing Co. | Downingtown | PA |
| 27 | Oskar Blues Brewery | Longmont | CO |
| 28 | Cold Spring Brewing Co./Third Street Brewhouse | Cold Spring | MN |
| 29 | Flying Dog Brewery | Frederick | MD |
| 30 | Founders Brewing Co. | Grand Rapids | MI |
| 31 | Ninkasi Brewing Co. | Eugene | OR |
| 32 | CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries, Inc. | Chattanooga, TN & Louisville, CO | |
| 33 | Odell Brewing Co. | Fort Collins | CO |
| 34 | Bear Republic Brewing Co. | Cloverdale | CA |
| 35 | Stevens Point Brewery Co. | Stevens Point | WI |
| 36 | Blue Point Brewing Co. | Patchogue | NY |
| 37 | Southern Tier Brewing Co. | Lakewood | NY |
| 38 | Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe | Eureka | CA |
| 39 | Karl Strauss Brewing Co. | San Diego | CA |
| 40 | BJ’s Chicago Pizza & Brewery, Inc. | Huntington Beach | CA |
| 41 | Breckenridge Brewery | Denver | CO |
| 42 | North Coast Brewing Co. | Fort Bragg | CA |
| 43 | Left Hand Brewing Co. | Longmont | CO |
| 44 | St. Louis Brewery, Inc./Schlafly Beers | St. Louis | MO |
| 45 | Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Houston | TX |
| 46 | Ballast Point Brewing Co. | San Diego | CA |
| 47 | Big Sky Brewing Co. | Missoula | MT |
| 48 | Allagash Brewing Co. | Portland | ME |
| 49 | Uinta Brewing Co. | Salt Lake City | UT |
| 50 | Tr├Âegs Brewing Co. | Hershey | PA |