Brewery Types Explained: Micro, Nano, Brewpub, and More

The TTB and Brewers Association classify breweries into several distinct categories. Micro breweries produce fewer than 15,000 barrels per year and sell at least 75 percent off-site. Regional breweries produce between 15,000 and 6 million barrels. Brewpubs sell at least 25 percent of their beer on-site alongside food. Nano breweries are very small operations, typically producing under 4 barrels per batch, often run as hobbies or side businesses. Contract breweries hire other facilities to brew their recipes, while proprietor breweries own their equipment but may be very small. Understanding these distinctions helps explain the enormous variety in the brewery landscape and why two breweries making similar beer can have vastly different business models and distribution reach.