Breweries

The 4,922 production breweries in the US include about 155 national or international breweries producing over 6 million barrels per year. Around 260 are regional craft breweries producing between 15,000 and 6 million barrels annually. More than 2,000 microbreweries produce less than 15,000 barrels per year. An additional 3,400 brewpub restaurants and 3,800 taprooms also produce beer on-site.

Industry Highly Regulated

The beer industry is highly regulated at both the state and federal levels.

Competition Among Breweries

The beer industry is highly competitive, with a proliferation of craft and large/non-craft breweries fueling competition.

Oct 13, 2026 - Prioritizing Profits Over Production

• With craft beer volumes declining for three straight years, breweries are putting more emphasis on profitability rather than production growth, the Brewers Association's Chief Economist Matt Gacioch reports. Data gathered by BA show the median gross profit margin for beer production was 35% in 2025, while the median operating margin was just 14%, highlighting the impact of overhead and other operating expenses. Raising prices can help margins but may also hurt demand, so breweries are encouraged to examine profitability by product, package, customer, and sales channel. For example, taproom sales may generate much better margins than wholesale distribution, while some lower-margin products can still help attract customers. Brewers also need enough profit to absorb unexpected declines in demand or increases in costs from inflation, tariffs, freight, and other inputs. Overall, tighter margin management is becoming increasingly important as industry volumes shrink, Gacioch notes.
• US craft breweries are changing things up as drinkers move away from hazy IPAs and other complex beers toward more familiar styles and alternative beverages, according to Food Dive. Craft beer production fell 4% in 2025, and 60% of breweries reported declines as Americans drank less alcohol and younger consumers showed more interest in ready-to-drink cocktails, according to the Brewers' Association. Brewers are responding by bringing back classic lagers and pilsners while still offering some high-alcohol and novelty beers. They are also experimenting with lower-alcohol, nonalcoholic and THC beverages to appeal to a wider range of customers. The taproom experience is becoming more important, too, especially as price-conscious consumers are less willing to spend $8 on a beer they may not like. Breweries that combine good beer with plenty of choices and an inviting, memorable experience may have an edge in an increasingly competitive market.
• The war in Iran and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz are increasing costs for breweries in the US by driving up prices for fuel, aluminum, packaging, and freight, the Wall Street Journal reported in July. Samuel Adams brewer Boston Beer has already raised prices to offset higher commodity costs, including more expensive aluminum, which is also affected by US tariffs, according to WSJ. Rising diesel prices are increasing transportation expenses, while tighter aluminum supplies and higher packaging costs are pressuring profit margins across the beverage industry. Although breweries with strong brands may be able to pass some of these costs on to consumers, smaller craft brewers could face greater margin pressure and weaker demand if higher retail prices discourage beer purchases. Persistent supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures could continue to challenge profitability until shipping through the Strait of Hormuz returns to normal.
• The Producer Price Index for breweries, which measures selling prices received by producers, remained at its record high in August, rising 0.7% from a year earlier, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This followed a 1.2% year-over-year increase in August 2025. Higher input and production costs have helped push brewery producer prices to their current record level. At retail, prices for beer consumed at home and away from home rose 2.4% and 2.8%, respectively, year over year in August, according to the Labor Department's August 2026 Consumer Price Index report. Meanwhile, employment at breweries, wineries and distilleries declined 0.8% YoY in July, according to BLS data, suggesting beverage alcohol producers are reducing staffing as they contend with higher costs and softer demand.

Industry size & Structure

The average brewery employs 19 workers and generates about $5.7 million in annual sales.

• There are approximately 8,135 production breweries in the US, according to the Treasury Department. About two-thirds (5,347 breweries) produce 1,000 barrels or fewer annually, while only 26 breweries produce over 1 million barrels per year. In 2024, US breweries produced nearly 175 million barrels of beer.
• The typical global brewery brews 100 million barrels annually, with revenue per barrel of approximately $125 (a barrel is 31 gallons).
• The top three global breweries – Belgium-based AB InBev, Netherlands-based Heineken, and China Resources Snow Breweries – commanded about half of the global beer market in 2024. Imported beer comprises nearly 18% of all beer consumed in the US.
• Regional craft breweries include Boston Beer Company, Sierra Nevada, and New Belgium. These breweries typically distribute nationally and often internationally. The 280-or-so regional breweries produce around 15.6 million barrels of beer annually.
• Regional craft breweries produced about 67% of craft beer volume in 2024, while microbreweries and taprooms produced 16.4% and 8.3%, respectively, according to the Brewers Association.
• About 3,550 US brewpubs produce 1.5 million barrels of beer each year.
• Per capita, Americans consume about 28 gallons of beer annually. North Dakota, New Hampshire and Montana lead the nation in beer consumption with more than 40 gallons per capita. New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Utah consume the least with about half that amount per capita.