Boston Beer Company Ties Yuengling For Bragging Rights

BOSTON (CBS) - The Boston Beer Company has held the distinction of being the largest U.S.-owned brewer since 1998, after Anheuser-Busch was acquired.

Now, Boston Beer is tied with Pennsylvania-based D.G. Yuengling & Son as the largest American-owned brewer.

Both companies shipped about 2.5 million barrels last year.

Back in January, Yuengling had actually announced they were larger than Sam Adams after a trade publication estimated that the company ships more beer than Boston Beer.

But this week Boston Beer released their earnings and the 2.5 million number, proving them wrong – they are tied for largest American brewer.

Boston Beer is also planning to complete the national rollout of two of its non-beer brands Twisted Tea and one of its hard cider brands.

Boston Beer told the Boston Herald that the growth rate of  Twisted Tea has out-paced beer at the company, using proceeds from those sales for innovations at the company.

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Lisa van der Pool of the Boston Business Journal can be seen weekdays at 6 a.m. on WBZ-TV.

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