The number of U.S. breweries has surpassed the 5,000 mark. The 2016 CRAFT BEER YEAR IN REVIEW, recently published by the Brewers Association (BA), records 5,005 breweries in the United States as of November 30, 2016. Nearly all of them (99%) are small and independent craft breweries. Compared to the 4,269 breweries of the end of last year, this is an increase of 17.2% in only 11 months.
Looking at the TTB permit applications, which are needed to run an alcohol or tobacco-related business in the U.S., BA economist Bart Watson said there could be "probably another 1,900 breweries that will open" in the next couple of years.
With more than 5,000 breweries in operation, the U.S. is already the country with the highest number of breweries worldwide, leaving long-time champion Germany with 1,388 in 2015 far behind. Even more there has never been a time in history when there were more breweries in the U.S. or elsewhere than today. Last year the U .S. surpassed the historic high of 4,131 breweries in 1873.
