1956 Sales Ranks acc. to Brewer's Journal and Schlitz

[Beverlx]

I find this stuff interesting for a number of reasons. I got this Schlitz poster (see attached photo) at Macungie in spring of 2008. It's a self-congratulatory Schlitz ad. Its source is the Brewer's Journal, February 1957, and it lists the top 50 breweries by 1956 bbl volume.

My table below lists thousands of barrels.

1. Jos. Schlitz / 5940
2. Anheuser-Busch / 5865
3. P. Ballantine / 3966
4. Falstaff / 3870
5. Pabst / 3400
6. Theo. Hamm / 3374
7. Liebmann / 3000
8. Carling / 2996
9. F&M Schaefer / 2720
10. Stroh / 2708

11. Miller / 2245
12. Lucky / 1960
13. C. Schmidt / 1850
14. Drewrys Ltd / 1434
15. Piel Bros. / 1350
16. Adolph Coors / 1090
17. Jackson / 1051
18. Duquesne / 1045
19. Burgermeister / 1033
20 Pfeiffer / 1028

21. Blatz / 949
22. Pearl / 904
23. Narragansett / 850
24. Geo. Wiedemann / 835
25. International / 810
26. Goebel / 807
27. Gunther / 800
28. Pittsburgh / 781
29. Lone Star / 752
30. G. Krueger / 584

31. Regal Pale / 472
32. Minneapolis / 517
33. G. Heileman / 461
34. West End / 451
36. Heidelberg / 406
37. Erie / 314
38. Fort Pitt / 234
39. Kingsbury / 200
40. L. F. Neuweiler's Sons / 192

41. American / 186
42. Standard / 177
43. Metropolis / 161
44. E & B / 150
45. Wm. Gretz / 146
46. Horlacher / 139
47. Great Falls / 126
48. Sunshine / 123
49. Independent Milwaukee / 118
50. Dixie / 118

A couple observations:

1. Note says "Schlitz led over next largest brewery [AB] by 75,000 barrels...Schlitz led over next largest brand by estimated 400,000 barrels." From this we can assume that Anheuser-Busch's combined sales of non-Budweiser brands in 1956 were 325,000 barrels, roughly 6% of their output.

2. It's interesting to see which apparently minor breweries (American, E & B, Sunshine) make the top 50.

3. At the same time, the massive dropoff in production figures (#50, Dixie, produces 2% of what Schlitz produces) gives evidence that the consolidation around megabreweries was already well under way. How many of these 50 breweries were dead 15 years later?

4. As a California collector, I'm surprised to see how comparatively small the big California breweries are in 1956. Just anecdotally, you'd think that cans from #12 Lucky and #13 C. Schmidt would be similarly common, but no. Harder (even here in the east) to come up with #18 Duquesne cans than #19 Burgermeister cans. And so on. Dumping success distorts my assumptions about how big a brewery must have been.

[portermite]

I doubt this list is inclusive. Old Reading and Kaiers had bigger production than Sunshine. Also, in the 50's, Stegmaier was the largest PA brewery outside of Philly and Pittsburgh.

This list is probably just the breweries that responded to Brewer's Digests poll.

Dont doubt Schlitz was the biggest (although I would guess ballantine by the amount I dump) but I'm fairly certain certain breweries are not included in the list.

[oldindiapaleale]

Just looking at this and noticed that big regional brewers such as Ruppert, Genesee, National, Olympia, Arizona, Peter Hand, Falls City, Rainier, Burger and probably a few others are missing from this top 50.

The lists that Modern Brewery Age put out each year were more accurate. Reporting of barrels produced were basd on IRS filings and state tax records as well as industry estimates and brewer publicity releases at the time.