Illinois Ranks 11th In Number Of Craft Breweries

By Amy Cavanaugh in Food on Jun 9, 2013 8:00PM

This week, the New Yorker released an interactive map that details the rapid rise of craft breweries across the country based on newly released 2012 data gathered by the Brewers Association. But while growth is quickly expanding elsewhere, Illinois seems to be lagging behind other states.

Illinois has 67 craft breweries, which is 11th most in the country. But the 87, 993 barrels those breweries produce is 26th most in the country, which means we're not matching other states' output, due to Illinois’ legal restrictions on craft brewers. The state saw a rise in production of 37.32% from 2011 to 2012, which is also 11th, and we have 2.6 craft breweries for every 500,000 people, which puts us at 34th.

Of the 50 fastest growing craft breweries, only Half Acre makes the list, and it's 45th. Illinois doesn't have any of the largest craft breweries in the country either.

On the whole, the Midwest fares decently—Michigan ranks 5th in total breweries, with 122; Wisconsin is 9th, with 83; Ohio is 12th, with 8; Indiana is 14th, with 54; Minnesota is 17th, with 47; and Missouri is 18th, with 45. Michigan also has four of the fastest growing breweries, Indiana and Wisconsin each have one, and Missouri has two.

Check out the whole map here.