Brewery Links

A Microbrewery Revolution...

Bisbee, Arizona

In 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a law removing restrictions and excise taxes on home brewed beer, but left it up to each individual state to decide and pass its own laws. As restrictions eased, microbreweries emerged and flourished. This was in large part through the work of home brewers who took a shot at the dark as professional brewers.

The opening of The New Albion Brewery in Sonoma, California in 1976, is considered "the renaissance of American craft brewing" since its founding by a home brew enthusiast. It was greatly influenced by the Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco. Anchor is considered the first craft brewery to be established following Fritz Maytag's purchase of the troubled brewery in 1965.

Arizona's first microbrewery was Electric Dave's Brewery opened by Dave Harvan in Bisbee. The first brewpub (brewery/restaurant) in Arizona was Bandersnatch in Tempe.

By 1990, the number of breweries in the United States rose to 286 and was quickly on the rise, reaching 1,147 in 1999 following a brief shake out period. For the first time in history all fifty states had operating breweries.

As of December 2013, there were more than 2,800 breweries in operation in the United States with many more in planning. Without a doubt, growth of the craft beer segment will continue to rise.