Kevin Even though the craft beer scene might seem relatively new, it’s actually been around since the 1960s. In the 1970s, homebrewing increased in popularity, and by the 1990s, microbreweries were starting their ascent. The first craft brewery since Prohibition was Anchor Brewing in California, which opened in 1965. Since then, cities like Portland, OR, Seattle, WA, San Diego, CA, and Columbus, OH have become top spots on the craft brewing scene.
1984: Oregon’s First Craft Breweries Open
The timeline of craft beer is a long one, but in 1984 two influential craft breweries opened in Oregon. The first was Columbia River Brewery, which later became BridgePort Brewing Company. The other one was McMenamins Hillsdale Brewery and Public House, which still continues today with multiple locations. The craft brewing scene in Oregon has exploded since then with many popular breweries throughout the state, including Deschutes Brewing in Bend and Pelican Brewing near Portland.
1986: North Carolina’s First Craft Brewery Opens
A few years later, more states saw their first craft breweries gaining ground. The Weeping Radish opened in North Carolina as the state’s first craft brewery. As of 2024, it’s closed as a tap house, but the brewery still makes beer sold all over North Carolina. Since then, Asheville has become the pinnacle of the state’s craft brewing scene with more breweries per capita than any other U.S. city. It offers an impressive list of roughly 100 local beers as well as numerous cideries.
1996: 1,000 Craft Breweries in Operation
Ten years later, the craft brewing scene reached a milestone of 1,000 breweries open and operating in the United States. During that time, several iconic craft breweries got started, including Dogfish Head in Delaware, New Belgium Brewery in Colorado, Boulevard Brewing in Missouri, and Great Lakes Brewery in Ohio. All of these breweries are still in operation and well-known among craft beer enthusiasts.
2004: Craft Brews Enter the Mainstream
By the early 00s, craft beer began to enter the mainstream. 2004 was marked by Russian River Brewing and Avery Brewing Company making the first collaboration brew after finding out that they both sold beers with the same name. The title of the beer was Collaboration Not Litigation. These two breweries began to set the standard for creative craft beers with Russian River eventually dominating the West Coast with its Pliny the Elder IPA.
2011: Craft Beer is Big Business
Even though craft beer began making serious inroads in the early 00s, it really took off in the 2010s when Anheuser Busch InBev bought Chicago’s Goose Island Brewery. This signaled a change wherein the large beer companies wanted in on the success of craft brewing. By 2019, AB-InBev had procured 14 previously independent craft breweries in the United States.
Craft Beer Capital of America
Fast forward to the present day and some of the same cities continue to dominate the craft brewing scene, including Columbus/Cleveland in Ohio, Asheville in North Carolina, Seattle in Washington, and Portland in Oregon. However, the craft beer capital is considered to be San Diego in California. Known for its super hoppy beers and the iconic Stone Brewing Company, San Diego is a top spot for producing West Coast IPAs, the most popular craft beer style in America.
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