The Brewers Association released today it’s annual list of the top 50 craft brewing companies based on 2011 beer sales volumes.  Montana’s largest brewery, Big Sky Brewing Co., made the list at No. 37, two spots higher than in 2010.

Thirty six of the top 50 are small and independent craft brewing companies which the Brewers Association defines as:

An American craft brewer is small, independent, and traditional. Small: Annual production of beer less than 6 million barrels. Beer production is attributed to a brewer according to the rules of alternating proprietorships. Flavored malt beverages are not considered beer for purposes of this definition. Independent: Less than 25% of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer. Traditional: A brewer who has either an all malt flagship (the beer which represents the greatest volume among that brewer’s brands) 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.

The top five spots stayed the same and include the familiar names Boston Beer Co., Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, Spoetzl (Gambrinus/Shiner) and Deschutes.  Some notable jumps include Ninkasi Brewing Co. rising from No. 50 to No. 32 and Bear Republic gaining 8 spots to No. 35.  Some of the shuffling appears attributed to changes in conglomerate ownership. 

According to Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association, in the last 15 years craft beer has increased its share of the overall beer market from one percent to nearly six percent in 2011.  That’s growth we can celebrate and taste.  For the Top 50 List, head to the Brewers Association’s press release.