LIFE

5 Colorado craft breweries among 50 largest

Jacob Laxen
jlaxen@coloradoan.com
Odell IPA is the only American IPA to win gold medals at both the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup. The beer pioneered a newer IPA style that is less bitter but accentuates hop flavor and aroma.

Colorado craft breweries made some of the biggest gains in production throughout the industry in 2016.

The Boulder-based Brewers Association released the list of the 50 largest craft breweries in the United States Wednesday, with five Colorado-based beer makers earning a spot. Yuengling & Son of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, remained the country's largest craft brewer.

Fort Collins’ New Belgium Brewing remained Colorado’s largest craft brewer and is the country’s fourth-largest craft brewer.

With the addition of a second brewery in Asheville, N.C. — which launched last year — New Belgium could surpass 1 million barrels of beer produced for the first time this year.

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Longmont’s Oskar Blues Brewing moved to No. 10 on the list, up from 14 the year before. The brewery has been a pioneer in the canned craft beer growth.

Fort Collins’ Odell Brewing climbed to No. 27, up from 32 in 2015.

With a recent distribution expansion to Chicago and the rest of Illinois, Odell could climb even higher in 2017 as Odell starts its first distribution east of the Mississippi River.

Longmont’s Left Hand Brewing finished as the 44th-largest craft brewer, down from 39th in 2015.

Boulder’s Avery Brewing joined the top 50 craft beer list, ranking 48th.

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Major California-based brands and longtime top 50 craft breweries Lagunitas Brewing and Ballast Point Brewing lost their craft beer status in 2016 after sales to larger operations.

California still leads all states in 2016 with 12 craft breweries among the top 50.

Follow Jacob Laxen on Twitter and Instagram @jacoblaxen.

Largest U.S. craft brewers

1. Yuengling & Son of Pottsville, Pennsylvania

2. Boston Beer Co. of Boston

3. Sierra Nevada Brewing of Chico, California

4. New Belgium Brewing of Fort Collins

5. Gambrinus of San Antonio, Texas

6. Duvel Moortgat USA of Paso Robles, California

7. Bell’s Brewery of Comstock, Michigan

8. Deschutes Brewery of Bend, Oregon

9. Stone Brewing of Escondido, California

10. Oskar Blues Brewing of Longmont

27. Odell Brewing of Fort Collins

44. Left Hand Brewing of Longmont

48. Avery Brewing of Boulder