Bell's, Founders ranked 2018's top breweries in America

Robert Allen | Detroit Free Press

The two top breweries in the United States are both in Michigan, according to America's home brewers — both this year and last year.

Bell's Brewery of the Kalamazoo area and Founders Brewing Co. of Grand Rapids, the state's two largest breweries, were announced Thursday as the top two by the American Homebrewers Association.

In the same announcement, the association named Bell's Two Hearted Ale (7% alcohol by volume) IPA the No. 1 beer in the United States.

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A 16th annual survey asks people in the American Homebrewers Association to choose up to five of their favorite commercial beers available for purchase in the United States, according to a news release by the association. The responses are used to create the Top Ranked Beers list, which are published along with Top Breweries, Best Portfolio and Top Imports.

Larry Bell started Bell's in 1985 in Kalamazoo, and its brewing operations are now based in nearby Comstock. Until last year, it was the state's largest brewer.

Founders, which opened in 1997 in Grand Rapids, produced about 466,700 barrels (a beer barrel is 31 gallons) last year, and Bell's produced about 464,000 barrels. Both breweries grew substantially last year: Founders by 34% and Bell's by 9%.

Founders in 2014 sold a 30% stake to Spanish beer company Mahou San Miguel, but Bell's remains independent.

American Homebrewers Association's Top Breweries of 2018

1. Bell’s Brewery, Inc., Comstock

2. Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids

3. Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, Calif.

4. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, Calif. and Mills River, N.C.

5. Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Paso Robles, Calif.

T6. Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Ore.

T6. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, Del.

8. Stone Brewing, Escondido, Calif.

9. The Alchemist, Stowe, Vt.

10. Three Floyds Brewing Company, Munster, Ind.

Top Breweries of 2017

1. Bell’s Brewery, Inc., Comstock

2. Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids

3. Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, Calif.

4. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, Calif. and Mills River, N.C.

5. Stone Brewing, Escondido, Calif., Richmond, Va., and Berlin, Germany

6. Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Paso Robles, Calif.

7. Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Ore.

8. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, Del.

9. Lagunitas Brewing Company, Petaluma, Calif. and Chicago, Ill.

10. Ballast Point Brewing, San Diego, Calif.

Source: American Homebrewers Association

Spirits of Detroit columnist Robert Allen covers craft alcohol for the Free Press. Contact him: rallen@freepress.com or on Untappd, raDetroit and Twitter, @rallenMI.