December 1999

I am wondering what brewing capacity defines a microbrewery. I have been told anything up to 60,000 hl is defined as "micro", however, when I looked up the definition on the IBS web-site they define "micro" as 17,600 hl or less.

From Beer Dave: The great chicken or the egg question in the Brewing industry has always been: What defines a microbrewery? The Institute of Brewing Studies does a good job of bringing some sense to great mystery -- and it puts those at less than 15,000 barrels in the micro category and makes the designation of craft brewery very important. I feel any brewery producing less than 50,000 barrels per year could fall into this category.

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