312120

Analysis

NAICS 312120 is the 2022 national industry for breweries, part of 31212 (Breweries). Census lists 12 example activities under it in the official index.

Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments grew 34% and employment rose 32%. The 2018 count used NAICS 2017, so part of a large move can come from codes being redefined rather than from businesses opening or closing.

County Business Patterns counts 5,218 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 98,647 people at an average annual payroll of $46,767 per employee (14th percentile of national industries). 26% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.

Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include ale brewing, beer brewing, beverages, beer, ale, and malt liquors, manufacturing and breweries, among 12 in all.

Its goods appear in 5 statistical lines of the US tariff schedule, mostly under headings 2203 (), 2202 (waters, including mineral waters and aerated waters…) and 2303 (residues of starch manufacture and similar residues…). That link is how import data is matched to domestic producers, for example in trade-remedy cases.

For example, bottling or canning purchased malt liquors and wholesaling bottled or canned malt liquors are classified in 424810 (Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers) instead.