I’m currently skimming through a fascinating 225-page study conducted on the craft beer market that was released in March of 1997. As a long-time sports fan, I’m also somewhat of a stats geek and this carries over to beer as well. I will link to the study in a separate post within the next hour or so.

Though no one has called me out on any inaccuracies yet, I found some information in this report that leads me to think that I should clarify and make corrections on a bunch of points.

To my knowledge, the Brewers Association doesn’t keep an official record book on individual brewing achievements like ‘first to 5,000 barrels’ and so on in the same way that an organization like Elias Sports Bureau does for sports. Unfortunately (…or at least it’s not very public if they do). So any records I cited yesterday with respect to New Belgium and the craft beer industry, in general, are ‘to my knowledge’ and based on at least a weekend worth of cumulative research.

So to clarify based on some things I learned this morning…

1) Baxter Brewing has produced more beer in the year it established operations than any other craft brewery in the last fifteen years. It may be true even dating back to when New Albion Brewing opened though I can’t be certain.

2) Nor’Wester Brewing opened in 1993. In its first full calendar year of operation, it produced 16,777 barrels. In its second full calendar year, it produced 32,911 barrels. It was up 18% through Q3 of its full calendar third year. I haven’t been able to find the production number for the full year of 1996. In late 1996, it was announced that the UBS Group would be acquiring the company. The company closed operations in 1997 after defaulting on a bridge loan. Talk about crashing and burning!

That said, Nor’Wester may or may not hold some records there. I lean toward, “may.”

3) Shipyard Brewing was also a fast-riser, producing 39,100 barrels in its fourth full calendar year of operation in 1996. However, Miller had purchased an interest in the company in 1995 that *I believe* would have disqualified it from today’s definition of ‘craft’ in 1996. Miller sold the interest back in 2000.

4) New Belgium is the fastest-growing craft brewery that I am aware of from the 50,000 to 100,000 barrel range. It took New Belgium just seven full calendar years to hit the 100,000 barrel mark in 1999.

5) Pete’s Brewing busted loose in the mid-90s as well. Production went from 74,000 barrels to 182,000 barrels in the brewery’s eighth full calendar year in 1994. The brewery shot up to 426,000 barrels in 1996. Sales then declined 19% in the first quarter of 1997. Yikes. That said, Pete’s had a contract arrangement with Pittsburgh Brewing at the time and I’m not certain whether it qualified during craft in those years.

[Ed. note: Thanks for the correction, Jesskidden.]

In 1992, Pete’s shifted brewers again. Between June 1992 and May 1995, all beers were brewed at the Minnesota Brewing Co.’s St. Paul, Minnesota, brewery. In May 1995, Pete’s changed again, and entered into an exclusive contract with Strohs to brew at Stroh’s, St. Paul, Minnesota, brewery, although the contract gave Pete access to other Stroh breweries in Winston- Salem, North Carolina and Longview, Texas.

6) The report notes that Boston Beer Co. had no less than five suppliers in 1996. Over time, Boston Beer Co. took over the reigns of more and more of its production. Again, I’m not certain whether it qualified as a craft brewer in the mid-late 90s and, if not, when it earned that designation back.

To say that New Belgium was the fastest-growing craft brewery is only true depending on what part of a brewery’s life cycle we are discussing.