In this article, we are going to discuss the top 20 oldest breweries in America. You can skip our detailed analysis of how the advent of refrigeration changed the brewing industry, the economic contribution of the American beer industry, the recent acquisition in the national beer landscape, and the new trend in the craft beer market, and go directly to Top 5 Oldest Breweries in America.
January 17, 1920, marked a dark day for brewers in America. At the stroke of midnight, the United States became a dry country under Prohibition, resulting in over a thousand producers swiftly banned from selling their chief commodity – alcohol.
Prohibitions forced many breweries to either adapt or die, and so many of them perished. Out of more than 1,300 breweries in operation in 1915, no more than 100 survived. However, they included some of the most iconic names in the American beer industry, such as Anheuser-Busch, Coors, Miller, Pabst, and Yuengling.
The Advent of Refrigeration:
Refrigeration sparked a paradigm shift in brewing and forever altered the way breweries functioned in America. According to the Brewer’s Association, there were 4,131 breweries in operation in the country in 1871 (compared to 3,418 in 2014).
However, unlike modern breweries, which have access to refrigerated train cars and shipping containers, transporting beer was much harder before the dawn of refrigeration and pasteurization. This entailed that most beer stayed where it was brewed and thus was consumed locally.
As refrigerated train cars started to take hold, numerous smaller players began to be gobbled up by larger ‘shipping breweries’, and so the advent of refrigeration marked a mass-market consolidation event in the American brewing industry.
Economic Contributions of the Beer Industry:
The country has come a long way since Prohibition and with 28.2 gallons per capita, beer was the most consumed alcoholic drink in America in 2022. As we mentioned in our article – 25 Top-Selling Beers in America – the beer industry supported more than 2.4 million local jobs last year, and contributed around $409 billion to the national economy – equivalent to 1.6% of GDP. The industry also paid more than $132 billion in wages and contributed $63.8 billion in taxes to the national exchequer.
America’s beer industry has been flourishing for a few decades now and there were 9,709 breweries operating in the country in 2022 – the highest figure ever in history.
Recent Acquisition in the Beer Industry:
Tilray Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) – a craft beer and cannabis company that was among the first to be licensed for medical cannabis in Canada – has announced earlier this month that it has agreed to acquire eight beer and beverage brands from Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) for an undisclosed amount.
The deal includes the Shock Top, Blue Point, 10 Barrel, Breckenridge, Redhook, Widmer Brothers, Square Mile Cider, and HiBall Energy brands. Upon satisfaction of customary closing conditions, Tilray Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) will become the fifth-largest craft brewer in the U.S. with a 5% market share.
Cannabis-infused beers is a new trend gaining more and more popularity everyday in the American craft market. In states where it is legal, craft brewers have stepped in to experiment with THC- and CBD-infused beers.
Colorado-based Ceria Brewing Co. became a pioneer of marijuana infused beverages when it debuted its first THC beer in 2018. However, federal illegality has proven to be a big headache for this segment, and right now, Ceria’s offerings are not available in its own home state because it no longer has a local partner licensed to package its THC beer. Since federal laws prohibit marijuana from crossing state lines, products sold in Colorado must also be manufactured there. The company’s beers however remain available for purchase in California.
In 2021, the Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP) also launched a beer-style cannabis beverage range in Canada through a joint venture with the Canadian cannabis company Hexo Corp. However, the company shut down the American arm of the joint venture – named Truss USA – at the end of last year, due to the inaction of federal lawmakers to reform many U.S. cannabis laws.
With that said, here are the Oldest Breweries in America.
Top 20 Oldest Breweries in America
Syda Productions/Shutterstock.com
Methodology:
To collect data for this article, we have referred to multiple sources such as Reddit, VinePair, Brewer’s Association, and even the respective websites of various breweries. In our list of Oldest Breweries in the U.S., we have only included breweries that are still operational.
Millstream Brewing Co. is the oldest brewery in The Hawkeye State. It all started in 1985 with a dream and a small batch of German pilsner and today, the brewery produces nearly 8,000 barrels of beer and soda each year. The company’s Amana taproom features 20 rotating beers on tap, new releases each week, and some of the best live music in the Midwest.
19. Widmer Brothers Brewing, OR
Year of Establishment: 1984
In 1984, Kurt and Rob Widmer quit their jobs to follow a lifelong passion of making great beer that could be shared with friends and family. A deal has been struck this month between Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) and Tilray Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) for the acquisition of eight craft beer brands, including Widmer Brothers.
18. McMenamins Hillsdale Brewery and Public House, OR
Year of Establishment: 1984
Upon opening on February 8th 1984, the Hillsdale Brewery was McMenamins’ third location, following closely behind the Barley Mill and the Greenway pubs. A year later, the Oregon legislature passed a brewpub law allowing beer to be made and sold within the same location, and so the McMenamins Hillsdale Brewery was fired up and became the Beaver State’s first brewpub since Prohibition.
17. Geary Brewing Co., ME
Year of Establishment: 1983
Geary Brewing Co. is a dynamic Portland brewery with an important history in the craft beer world. Incorporated in October 1983 by David and Karen Geary, Geary Brewing is New England’s first craft brewery post-Prohibition and holds federal craft brewing license #13. Geary Brewing Company is among the oldest craft breweries in the U.S.
16. Redhook Brewery, WA
Year of Establishment: 1981
Founded in Seattle in 1981 by Paul Shipman and Gordon Bowker, Redhook is the oldest brewery in the Evergreen State. The brewery gave birth to some iconic IPA brands including Storm Surge and Big Ballard etc. Redhook has also been acquired by Tilray Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) earlier this month.
15. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., CA
Year of Establishment: 1980
Sierra Nevada was founded in 1980 by Ken Grossman in Chico, California. Still 100% family-owned and operated, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company is among the Largest Craft Breweries in the US by Volume, and boasts an annual revenue of over $320 million, turning its owner into a beer billionaire.
14. Anheuser-Busch Brewery, NJ
Year of Establishment: 1951
The Newark brewery is the second-oldest of the 12 major breweries owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD). The brewery produces a number of the company’s core brands, including Budweiser, Bud Light, Busch, Busch Light, and Natural Light. As part of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD)’s commitment to its local communities, the team at Newark regularly volunteers its time and in the past decade has contributed more than $1.5 million to local community organizations.
13. Choc Beer Company, OK
Year of Establishment: 1919
Despite what many assume, Choc Beer is short for Choctaw Indian Beer, not chocolate-flavored beer. Oklahoma was a Prohibition state upon entering the Union in 1907, and the state’s trade in illegal liquor – often called Choc beer – flourished until legalized booze was finally voted in.
12. Spoetzl Brewery, TX
Year of Establishment: 1909
Originally named the Shiner Brewing Association, Spoetzl Brewery was started in 1909 by Kosmos Spoetzl, making it the oldest independent brewery in Texas. Spoetzl was acquired by the family-owned Gambrinus Company in 1989, which has invested over $15 million in the brewery since then, with most of it going towards expansion.
11. Genesee Brewing Co., NY
Year of Establishment: 1878
The Rochester-based Genesee Brewing Company is one of the largest and oldest continually operating breweries in the United States. Genessee became a part of the North American Breweries in 2009, which was eventually purchased by FIFCO USA in 2012 in an all-cash deal totaling $338 million.
10. Coors Brewing Company, CO
Year of Establishment: 1873
Every drop of Coors Banquet beer is brewed in the same location where Adolph Coors began his operations in 1873 – now the largest single-site brewery in the world. In 2005, Adolph Coors Company, the holding company that owned Coors Brewing, merged with Molson, Inc. to form the Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP).
9. Straub Brewery, PA
Year of Establishment: 1872
Brewing since 1872, Straub is one of the oldest family-owned and operated breweries in the United States still handcrafting German-American style lagers and traditional craft beer at its location in St. Marys, Pennsylvania. Straub is among the oldest beer brands in the country.
8. Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, WI
Year of Establishment: 1867
The Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company was acquired by the Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP) in 1988, enabling the family brewery to grow and expand into a national brand. The Leinenkugel Specialty brand is currently among the top 10 craft beers in the U.S., with total dollar sales of over $100 million in U.S. multi-outlets in 2022.
7. Frankenmuth Brewery, MI
Year of Establishment: 1862
Michigan’s oldest brewery has stood at the top of the hill in historic downtown Frankenmuth since it was founded during the Civil War. Visitors are invited on weekends to check out the iconic facility, where they can try 21 draft beers from a selection of 36 craft brews rotated throughout the year.
6. Schell’s Brewery, MN
Year of Establishment: 1860
Nestled in New Elm, Schell’s is the second-oldest family-owned brewery in the United States. The brewing facility dates back to the year Lincoln was elected and the Pony Express began delivering mail.
