US Craft beer culture and history in 20 Centary

The history of modern American craft beer began in the 1960s. The following is the historical timeline of the rise and fall of some craft beer factories in the last century. You may know some of the stories—the increasing popularity of homemade beer in the 1970s and the rise of micro-breweries in the 1990s. But there is more information from the archives of the Brewers Association, looking for stories about the history of American craft beer. We are a professional equipment manufacturer. WEMAC’s mission is to educate beer lovers and provide beer lovers with large, medium and small full-size brewing equipment.

Minnesota’s first craft brewery: August Schell Brewing Company

Craft beer culture and history-The Brewers Association of America, then named the Small Brewers Committee, forms to secure an allocation of tin from the War Production Board to allow them to press bottle caps. The “Temporary Crown Relief” is an initiative set forth by a coalition of almost 200 brewers to advocate for a portion of supplies needed to bottle their beer during WWII when a significant percentage of metal was being used for war efforts.

Written in the notes from the first meeting is the line: “The meeting was marked by much enthusiasm, and it was generally felt that the Small Brewers Committee held great future possibilities for the Brewing Industry.”

Craft beer culture and history-In the year of 1945,Troops who were overseas in Europe during WWII return to the United States with new palates for Old World beer. What they find is a market of homogenized products and homebrewing becomes a way for those thirsts to be quenched. The only problem is it’s illegal.

Craft beer culture and history-New Philosophy In Action-Jaunary,1956

California’s first craft brewery, Anchor Brewing Co., opens. (It is currently owned by Sapporo Holding Limited.)

“New Philosophy In Action”:-August,1965

Fritz Maytag buys San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing Company. In the 1970s and early 1980s, many commercial craft brewers will visit the brewery to learn from Fritz.

“Glory Glory!: Small Brewers Get A Tax Break”

The Small Brewers Excise Tax Differential is passed in September 1976. This was significant because taxes were the same for all brewers, despite the number of barrels produced. The tax was long fought for, starting in 1975 by members of the Brewers Association of America (BAA). The secretary of the BAA, William M. O’Shea, wrote in his correspondences with members of how important this was to breweries and their futures stating “One awfully nice brewer phoned me at home over the week-end, asking how it looked for our Excise Tax Program. He apologized for calling me at home but told me his Board of Directors was going to vote on the closing of the Brewery if I thought the program would not pass. This is how urgent things are.”

Remember, a phone call back then was expensive! There was a real effort put forth and it was greatly celebrated when passed. Instead of being a blanketed /barrel, no matter how many barrels were brewed, breweries producing 2 million barrels or less would pay /barrel up to 60,000 barrels and /barrel up to 2 million barrels. The big brewers in this deal? No break at all. And they helped to pass the measure for “the betterment of the brewing industry at large.” Fun fact: The representative who brought the bill to the House Floor was named J.J. Pickle, a democrat from Texas. Thanks Mr. Pickle!

Craft beer culture and history-October 1976,DIY Brewery

Jack MacAuliffe opens New Albion Brewing in Sonoma, California, one of the first micro-breweries and a true catalyst of the U.S. craft brewing movement. MacAuliffe embodies homebrewing’s DIY spirit by welding dairy equipment to convert it into commercial brewing tanks. During its six years in business, New Albion Brewing inspires countless homebrewers to open their own

Craft beer culture and history-December 1976 “New Product Alert”

The Brewers Association of America condones the pull-tab as a worthy product upgrade for beer lovers and brewers alike.

Craft beer culture and history-January,1977 “The Beer Guide”

Michael Jackson is considered the world’s foremost beer writer and helps kickstart a wider knowledge base of craft beer with his seminal book “The World Guide to Beers,” among his other works

Craft beer culture and history-October 1978, “Homebrewers Celebrate!”: Homebrew Is Legalized Federally

Homebrew is legalized federally, allowing states to create their own homebrew laws when Jimmy Carter signs H.R. 1337. Homebrewers start working to legalize the hobby in their home states.

December 1978,“Making It Official”

Charlie Papazian establishes the American Homebrewers Association in Boulder, Colorado. Founders select the turkey as the association’s mascot because, as Papazian says: “Ben Franklin thought the turkey was good enough to be the national bird, [so] we thought he would be a perfect mascot for homebrewers!”

Craft beer culture and history-January,1979 Colorado’s first craft brewery: Boulder Beer

December 1979,“Brewers Gather”

The American Homebrewers Association holds the inaugural Homebrewers Conference in Boulder, Colorado.

Craft beer culture and history-January,1981

New York’s first craft brewery: William S. Newman Brewing Co. 1981-1987 (no longer in operation)

November 1981 California Dreamin

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company opens with the goal of selling beers on the edge of what was expected. In an interview with Charlie Papazian in 2016, brewery founder Ken Grossman talks about opening the California craft brewery and the groundbreaking Sierra Nevada Pale Ale beer.

Craft beer culture and history-January1982,Michigan’s first craft brewery: The Real Ale Co.

June1982,“Brewpubs Cross The Pond”

At the American Homebrewers Conference, David Bruce introduces an idea imported from England: brewpubs! The journal of the American Homebrewers Association, “Zymurgy,” also writes about the brewpub business model, which will serve as the primary brewery model until 2013, when microbreweries will outnumber brewpubs.

In the month“What American Beers?”

This year marks the inaugural Great American Beer Festival. Twenty breweries are on hand serving 40 different beers to 750 people during the one-day festival.

Craft beer culture and history-January1983,“From Baker To Brewer”

Larry Bell opens the Kalamazoo Brewing Company, the precurser to Bells Brewery, in 1983.

January1984,Arkansas’first craft brewery: Riley-Lyon, Inc. (no longer in operation)

Micro-Brewers Conference:The inaugural Micro-Brewers Conference is held in Boulder, Colorado. Conference attendees are a combination of amateur and professional brewers. The conference will later be named the Craft Brewers Conference.

The Boston Beer Company opens and produces its first commercial brews. Inspired by Fritz Maytag at Anchor Brewing in San Francisco, founder Jim Koch first heard about this new type of brewery from his father, who was a brewer himself. Listen to Jim Koch talk about his personal history and how it’s affected his business philosophy.

Washington’s first craft brewery: Kemper Brewing Co. (1984-2007) (no longer in operation), Yakima Brewing & Malting Co. (1984-2004) (no longer in operation) tennessee’s first craft brewery: Bohannon Brewing Co. (no longer in operation)Charlie Papazian, who is dubbed the “godfather of homebrewing,” cans his homebrew beer to experiment with packaging options for brewers. It will be decades before craft breweries widely embrace aluminum cans.Virginia’s first craft brewery: Chesapeake Bay Brewing (1984-1988) then became The Virginia Brewing Co. (1988-1992) (no longer in operation)

Craft beer culture and history-January1985,

100 breweries are open and operating in the United States.Iowa’s first craft brewery: Millstream Brewing Co.Texas’ first craft brewery: Reinheitsgebot Brewing Co. (1985-1990) (no longer in operation)

Craft beer culture and history-January1986,

Hawaii’s first craft brewery: Koolau Brewery, Inc (no longer in operation).Louisiana’s first craft brewery: Abita Brewing Company.North Carolina’s first craft brewery: The Weeping Radish.Maine’s first craft brewery: Geary Brewing Company.Utah’s first craft brewery: Wasatch Brew Pub.Wisconsin’s first craft brewery: Sprecher Brewing Co.

Craft beer culture and history-January1986,

Connecticu’s first craft brewery: New Haven Brewing Company (1987-1997) Now owned and operated as New England Brewing Co as of 2001.

 “The Oscars Of Beer”

The Great American Beer Festival begins to award beers by category. The 12 categories are: Ales, Alts, American Cream Ales, American Lagers, American Light Lagers, Bocks/Doppelbocks, Consumer Preference Pool, Continental Pilsners, Porters, Stouts, Vienna Style Lagers, and Wheat Beers.Illinois’first craft breweries: Sieben’s River North Brewery and Tap & Growler (no longer in operation).New Mexico’s first craft breweries: Embudo Station Preston Brewery and Albuquerque Brewing & Bottling Co.

Craft beer culture and history-January1988

Big Stick Brewing Co., Electric Dave Brewing and Christopher Joseph open in Arizona in the same year, giving the state its first craft breweries. (None remain open as of 2020.)Florida gets its first craft brewery: McGuire’s Irish Pub.Vermont Pub & Brewery opens giving Vermont its first craft brewery.Great Lakes Brewery opens in Cleveland giving Ohio its first craft brewery.

Craft beer culture and history-January1989,

India Pale Ale (IPA) is introduced as a style at the Great American Beer Festival competition. Rubicon India Pale Ale from Sacramento wins gold and Liberty Ale from Anchor Brewing in San Francisco wins silver.

Georgia’s first craft brewery: Friends Brewing Co. (no longer in operation)

Missouri’s first craft brewery opens in Kansas City: Boulevard Brewing Co.

Kansas gets its first craft brewery as Free State Brewing Co. opens.

Craft beer culture and history-January1990,

 Broad Ripple Brewpub opens as Indiana’s first craft brewery.

Nebraska’s first craft brewery opens: Empyrean Brewing Co.

Craft beer culture and history-January1991,

 New Belgium Brewery opens in Fort Collins, Colorado. Hear CEO Kim Jordan talk about the guiding principles of the brewery with BA Founder Charlie Papazian in 2017: 

“Federal Taxes Rise”

Excise Tax. Small brewer, , Big Brewers: /barrel under luxury taxes. This rate doubled for breweries producing over 2 million barrels/year with no breaks given after 60,000 barrels. The brewing industry will not see an excise tax reduction for another 26 years.

 Capital City Brewing Company becomes Washington, DC’s first craft brewery.The Portsmouth Brewery opens as New Hampshire’s first craft brewery. South Dakota’s first craft brewery opens: Firehouse Brewery.

Craft beer culture and history-1996,Eleven years since hitting the 100-brewery benchmark, the number of operating craft breweries has increased ten-fold! One-thousand craft breweries are now open and operating in the United States.

New Glarus Brewing Co. wins gold for its Wisconsin Belgian Red at the International Brewing and Cider Awards, becoming the first U.S. craft brewery to win an international beer competition. As of 2020, the craft brewery still produces the award-winning beer using Wisconsin-grown cherries.

“Categorical Growth”

50 different categories are judged at the Great American Beer Festival See what beers won in 1997.

Craft beer culture and history-January1999,

Montana is the last state to legalize brewpubs.