When was the craft brewing movement in America initiated?

The craft brewing movement in America is widely recognized to have been initiated in the mid-1970s, specifically around 1965 with the establishment of the first modern craft brewery, which was New Albion Brewing Company in California in 1976. This time period marked a significant change in the American beer landscape, moving away from the dominance of mass-produced lagers to the emergence of smaller, independent breweries that focused on traditional brewing methods and innovative styles.

Prior to this, the American beer scene was largely defined by a few large breweries, and the concept of craft brewing began to take shape with a growing interest in diversity of flavors and brewing techniques. The establishment of regional breweries led to an ethos of experimentation and quality in brewing that laid the groundwork for the expansion of craft breweries throughout the United States in the following decades.

While the other years listed pertain to various developments in brewing or subsequent increases in brewery numbers, they do not encapsulate the true beginnings of the craft beer movement as accurately as 1965 does. This year represents the foundational shift that spurred the eventual craft beer revolution across the country.