Brewery Types Guide
Understanding the different types of breweries helps you know what to expect when visiting. Each type offers a unique experience based on their size, focus, and business model.
Brewery Types in New England
Total: 732 breweries in our New England database
Types Found in Our Database
Brewpub
196 locations in New England
Definition
A restaurant-brewery that sells 25% or more of its beer on-site. The beer is brewed primarily for sale in the restaurant and bar.
What to Expect
Restaurant-breweries where you dine and drink fresh beer
Key Characteristics
- Restaurant with on-site brewery
- Serves food as primary business
- 25% or more beer sales on-premise
- Fresh beer served directly from tanks
- Often experimental and seasonal offerings
Brewery
123 locations in New England
Definition
A general term for larger production facilities that can produce more than 15,000 barrels annually, including regional and large breweries.
What to Expect
Larger craft breweries and regional producers
Key Characteristics
- Production over 15,000 barrels annually
- May include regional breweries (15,000-6M barrels)
- Wide distribution networks
- Established brand recognition
- May have multiple locations
Taproom
59 locations in New England
Definition
A facility where beer is served directly to consumers on the brewery premises. May or may not brew on-site.
What to Expect
Tasting rooms and satellite locations for beer sampling
Key Characteristics
- Direct-to-consumer sales
- On-premise consumption focus
- May serve beer from multiple locations
- Often satellite locations of main brewery
- Casual, social atmosphere
Nanobrewery
54 locations in New England
Definition
A very small brewery, typically producing fewer than 1,000 barrels per year, often operated by 1-3 people.
What to Expect
Very small, local craft breweries with limited production
Key Characteristics
- Production under 1,000 barrels annually
- Small-scale operations (1-3 people)
- Limited distribution
- Focus on local sales
- Often experimental and artisanal
Other Brewery Types
Regional Brewery
Produces 15,000 to 6,000,000 barrels annually. Larger than microbreweries but smaller than major national brands.
Large Brewery
Produces over 6,000,000 barrels annually. Examples include Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors.
Contract Brewing Company
A business that hires another brewery to produce its beer. Handles marketing and sales but doesn't own brewing facilities.
Alternating Proprietorship (AP)
An arrangement where multiple brewers use the same facility at different times, each maintaining separate operations.
Farm Brewery
Specializes in using ingredients grown on-site or locally, often with agricultural operations.
Production Brewery
Focuses primarily on packaging beer for off-site consumption with minimal on-site sales.
Source: Definitions based on Brewers Association standards, which are the industry standard for categorizing craft breweries in the United States.
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