The Brewers Association released today its list of 2010 Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies and Missoula’s Big Sky Brewing Company came in at No. 39.  The list is based on 2010 beer sales volume for craft breweries in the United States.  Considering there are now more than 1,700 breweries in the United States (not all qualifying as a craft brewery) that’s quite an accomplishment and quite a lot of beer.

The Brewers Association defines a craft brewer as: “An American craft brewer is small, independent, and traditional.”  That rather nebulous definition is fleshed out as having an annual production of less than 6 million barrels; be owned or controlled by less than 25% by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer; and has either an all malt flagship beer or has at least 50% of its volume in either all malt beers or in beers which use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavor.  Whew.

For more information and to see the entire list, check out the Brewers Association press release.