Microbreweries in AmericaIn the early twentieth century, Prohibition drove many breweries into bankruptcy because they could not rely on selling "sacramental wine" as wineries of that era did. ~ After several decades of consolidation of breweries, most American commercial beer was produced by a few very large corporations, resulting in a very uniform mild-tasting lager of which Budweiser is a well-known example. ~ Consequently, some beer drinkers craving variety turned to homebrewing and eventually a few started doing so on a slightly larger scale. ~ For inspiration, they turned to Britain, Germany, and Belgium, where a centuries-old tradition of artisan beer and cask ale production had never died out. ~
The popularity of these products was such that the trend quickly spread, and hundreds of small breweries sprang up, often attached to a bar (known as a "brewpub") where the product could be enjoyed. ~ As microbrews proliferated, some became more than microbrews, necessitating the definition of the broader category of craft beer - high quality, generally all-malt, beer. ~
American microbreweries typically distribute through a wholesaler in a traditional three-tier system, act as their own distributor and sell to retailers and/or directly to the consumer through a tap room, attached restaurant, or off-premise sales. ~
July 2003 estimates published by the Association of Brewers show there are 366 microbreweries in the United States. ~
There are more breweries (mostly micro-breweries) per capita in the Portland, Oregon area, than any other city in the world, and many of them have won nationwide and international acclaim. ~ In contrast, there are more micro-breweries per capita in Colorado than any other state in America. ~ Some of them are considered the best beers in the world. ~ They include: New Belgium Brewery, Boulder Brewing Company, Breckenridge Brewery, Flying Dog Brewery, and Wynkoop Brewery, among others. ~
The last decade of the 20th century saw the emergence of microdistilling and microdistilleries out of the microbrewing phenomenon with California and Oregon again leading the way in this new development. ~ Microdistilleries have also opened in the Southeast and Northeastern United States. ~