Microbreweries, Nanobreweries, and Brewpubs: Histories of 241 American Craft Beer Companies

In the mid-1980s, the American beer market offered far fewer options than what is available today. When microbreweries began to come onto the scene, distributors and retailers were skeptical of their new beers and did not believe that these new American brews would be able to compete with imports. Newer, smaller brewers also had to overcome antiquated laws and strong consumer brand loyalty to major domestic beers. After years of struggles, microbrewers established a foothold in the America...