Samuel Adams may have the most patriotic sounding name but it’s been ousted as the top U.S. craft brewer by Pennsylvania’s D.G. Yuengling & Son.
In 2013, Boston Beer Co., which brews Samuel Adams beer, shipped 20 percent more barrels than in 2013. But this year, the Brewers Association changed its definition of what can be considered a “craft” brewery, allowing America’s oldest brewery to squeak by the previous winner.
Previously, “traditional” brewers had to use “traditional or innovative brewing techniques,” usually achieved with only malt. But now, brewers can use additives like corn, rice and syrup to enhance brew flavors. Yuengling uses corn so it was not previously considered a contender.
Though the association did not release official figures, Yuengling sold more beer by volume than Boston Beer which sold 4.1 million of liquid in 2014, reports USA Today. Though this figure includes malt beverages not counted by the trade group, all breweries must produce fewer than 6 million barrels a year to qualify as “small” or craft.
In 2014, Craft brewers sold almost $19.6 billion in beer, according to data released by the Brewers Association, representing 19 percent of the total U.S. beer market. Production of craft beer is also up. Last year, small brewers produced 22.2 million barrels representing about 11 percent of total beer volume produced in the country.
Anheuser-Busch, Miller-Coors and Pabst hold the top three spots among all brewers, followed by Yuengling and Boston Beer in the fourth and fifth spots respectively.
Read More: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2015/04/02/yuengling-beats-sam-adams-as-top-us-craft-brewer
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