Guide Rankings Economy Updated May 18, 2026

States With the Most Breweries

Map of the United States showing craft brewery counts by state, with California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Colorado highlighted as the top states

States With the Most Breweries

Ranking - Economy

Quick Answer

States With the Most Breweries

  1. 1

    California has the most craft breweries of any U.S. state, with 987 in 2023. New York (539), Pennsylvania (530), Colorado (447), and Washington (428) round out the top five. All data is from the Brewers Association State Craft Beer Stats for 2023.

  2. 2

    Most breweries by total count and most breweries per capita tell different stories. California leads in total craft breweries, but Vermont and Maine rank first and second per capita. Smaller states with active craft beer cultures can rank far higher when adjusted for population.

Map

Craft Breweries by State Map

breweries
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California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Colorado have the most craft breweries by total count. The South and Great Plains have the fewest. Per-capita rankings look very different, with Vermont and Maine near the top.
Craft Breweries by State Map
Rank State breweries
1 California 987
2 New York 539
3 Pennsylvania 530
4 Colorado 447
5 Washington 428
6 Texas 422
7 North Carolina 400
8 Michigan 398
9 Ohio 386
10 Florida 367
11 Virginia 322
12 Illinois 316
13 Oregon 310
14 Massachusetts 305
15 Minnesota 281
16 Wisconsin 274
17 Indiana 229
18 Maryland 218
19 Tennessee 213
20 Connecticut 192
21 Montana 188
22 Georgia 185
23 Missouri 175
24 Maine 174
25 Vermont 160
26 Arizona 159
27 New Jersey 156
28 Nebraska 152
29 Idaho 138
30 South Carolina 133
31 Iowa 132
32 New Hampshire 128
33 New Mexico 121
34 Kansas 102
35 Kentucky 101
36 Louisiana 86
37 Nevada 84
38 Hawaii 74
39 West Virginia 72
40 Alaska 68
41 Arkansas 67
42 South Dakota 60
43 Delaware 58
44 Wyoming 56
45 Rhode Island 54
46 North Dakota 49
47 Oklahoma 48
48 Utah 45
49 Alabama 42
50 Mississippi 28

California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Colorado have the most craft breweries by total count. The South and Great Plains have the fewest. Per-capita rankings look very different, with Vermont and Maine near the top.

States With the Most Breweries Table

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Print-ready table — States With the Most Breweries

Top 10 States With the Most Craft Breweries

Highest

987
California flag
California #1

Top 10 — Craft Breweries (2026)

#1 California flag California
987
#2 New York flag New York
539
#3 Pennsylvania flag Pennsylvania
530
#4 Colorado flag Colorado
447
#5 Washington flag Washington
428
#6 Texas flag Texas
422
#7 North Carolina flag North Carolina
400
#8 Michigan flag Michigan
398
#9 Ohio flag Ohio
386
#10 Florida flag Florida
367

States That Produce the Most Craft Beer

Interior of Breckenridge Brewery in Colorado with bar seating and brewing equipment visible
Colorado combines a high brewery count with major production volume from well-known operations such as Breckenridge and New Belgium.

California has the most craft breweries, but Colorado often rivals or surpasses it in total barrels produced. Colorado is home to several very large craft breweries, including New Belgium Brewing in Fort Collins and Odell Brewing, each producing hundreds of thousands of barrels per year. A state with fewer but larger breweries can produce more beer than a state with more but smaller ones.

Oregon also produces more beer per brewery than most states. Deschutes Brewery in Bend is one of the largest craft breweries in the country by volume. States ranked lower by brewery count can rank much higher by production if they have a few high-volume operations.

Barrel counts are not always available at the state level and can shift year to year as large breweries expand or contract. The Brewers Association publishes annual State Craft Beer Stats that include both brewery counts and estimated production for all 50 states.

Most Breweries vs. Most Breweries Per Capita

Exterior view of Hill Farmstead Brewery in rural Vermont
Small independent breweries help Vermont rank near the top nationally in breweries per capita.

California leads the U.S. in total craft breweries with 987 in 2023. But California also has nearly 40 million residents. When brewery count is adjusted for population, California does not rank near the top. Vermont, Maine, Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska consistently lead in breweries per 100,000 residents.

Vermont typically ranks first per capita, with roughly 10 craft breweries per 100,000 people. Maine is a close second. Both states have small populations but strong craft beer cultures with many independent neighborhood and regional breweries. Alaska and Wyoming also rank high per capita for the same reason.

Which list matters depends on what you are looking for. Total brewery count reflects the size of the state's craft beer industry overall. Per-capita count shows how much craft brewing is part of everyday life in that state relative to its population.

Quick Answers

Which state has the most breweries?
California has the most total breweries of any U.S. state. In 2023, California had 1,571 total brewing establishments by some counts. When counting only craft breweries as defined by the Brewers Association, California had 987 in 2023, well ahead of New York (539) and Pennsylvania (530).
Which state has the most craft breweries?
California has the most craft breweries with 987 in 2023, according to the Brewers Association. New York (539), Pennsylvania (530), Colorado (447), and Washington (428) round out the top five.
What state produces the most craft beer?
California and Colorado are the top two craft beer producing states by volume. California leads in brewery count, while Colorado has several very large craft breweries that produce millions of barrels annually. Oregon also produces more beer per brewery than most states.
Does California have the most breweries?
Yes. California has the most craft breweries of any U.S. state, with 987 in 2023 per the Brewers Association. California's large population and widespread craft beer culture across cities like San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco drive this number.
Which state has the most breweries per capita?
Vermont ranks first for craft breweries per capita, with 15.4 breweries per 100,000 drinking-age adults in 2024, according to the Brewers Association. Maine is second at 14.4 per 100,000. Montana (12.8), Wyoming (11.8), and Colorado (10.3) round out the top five.
What is the difference between breweries and craft breweries?
A craft brewery, as defined by the Brewers Association, is small (fewer than 6 million barrels per year), independent (less than 25% owned by a non-craft beverage company), and traditional (most of its volume uses traditional brewing ingredients). Large operations like Anheuser-Busch and Coors are not craft breweries. This page counts only craft breweries.

Methodology

Craft brewery counts and production figures are from the Brewers Association State Craft Beer Stats. State-by-state counts reflect 2023 data, the most recent year with a full state-level breakdown. Craft breweries only — large non-craft operations are not included.

Sources

Information is cross-referenced with official state archives.
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