Earlier today, the Brewers Association, that trade group that tabulates production statistics for U.S. breweries, announced the country’s top 50 craft brewing companies. Total 2011 beer sales volume was the deciding factor. Two San Diego County companies made that list.

Escondido’s Stone Brewing Co. came in at number 11, up three spots from its previous ranking of 14 in 2010, while Karl Strauss Brewing Company, San Diego’s first brewing company to open post-prohibition, held steady at number 44 for the second year in a row.

Leading up to the announcement of the rankings, locals speculated that Mira Mesa’s Green Flash Brewing Company might crack the top 50, but that did not come to fruition, despite immense growth and increased production capabilities.

At the time these rankings were calculated, there were 1,989 craft breweries in the country, making placement on this list quite an accomplishment. When going beyond craft breweries to include macrobreweries, Stone was the only local company to make the top 50, finishing number 18.

The following is the complete list of the top 50 U.S. craft brewing companies.

1. Boston Beer Co. – Boston, MA
2. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. – Chico, CA
3. New Belgium Brewing Co. – Fort Collins, CO
4. The Gambrinus Company – San Antonio, TX
5. Deschutes Brewery – Bend, OR
6. Matt Brewing Co. – Utica, NY
7. Bell's Brewery, Inc. – Galesburg, MI
8. Harpoon Brewery – Boston, MA
9. Lagunitas Brewing Co. – Petaluma, CA
10. Boulevard Brewing Co – Kansas City, MO
11. Stone Brewing Co – Escondido, CA
12. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery – Milton, DE
13. Brooklyn Brewery – Brooklyn, NY
14. Alaskan Brewing & Bottling Co. – Juneau, AK
15. Long Trail Brewing Co. – Burlington, VT
16. Shipyard Brewing Co. – Portland, ME
17. Abita Brewing Co. – Abita Springs, LA
18. Great Lakes Brewing Co. – Cleveland, OH
19. New Glarus Brewing Co. – New Glarus, WI
20. Full Sail Brewing Co. – Hood River, OR
21. Summit Brewing Co. – St. Paul, MN
22. Anchor Brewing Co. – San Francisco, CA
23. Firestone Walker Brewing Co. – Paso Robles, CA
24. Sweetwater Brewing Co. – Atlanta, GA
25. Rogue Ales Brewery – Newport, OR
26. Flying Dog Brewery – Frederick, MD
27. Victory Brewing Co. – Downingtown, PA
28. CraftWorks Breweries & Restaurants – Chattanooga, TN/Louisville, CO
29. Oskar Blues Brewery – Longmont, CO
30. Odell Brewing Co. – Fort Collins, CO
31. Stevens Point Brewery Co. – Stevens Point, WI
32. Ninkasi Brewing Co. – Eugene, OR
33. BJ's Chicago Pizza & Brewery, Inc. – Huntington Beach, CA
34. Blue Point Brewing Co. – Patchogue, NY
35. Bear Republic Brewing Co. – Cloverdale, CA
36. Lost Coast Brewery Cafe – Eureka, CA
37. Big Sky Brewing Co. – Missoula, MT
38. North Coast Brewing Co. Inc. – Fort Bragg, CA
39. Saint Louis Brewery, Inc./Schlafly Bottleworks – St. Louis, MO
40. Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. – San Jose, CA
41. Breckenridge Brewery – Denver, CO
42. Founders Brewing Co. – Grand Rapids, MI
43. Saint Arnold Brewing Co. – Houston, TX
44. Karl Strauss Brewing Co. – San Diego, CA
45. Real Ale Brewing Co. – Blanco, TX
46. Mac and Jack's Brewery Inc. – Redmond, WA
47. Smuttynose Brewing Co. – Portsmouth, NH
48. Utah Brewers Cooperative – Salt Lake City, UT
49. Left Hand Brewing Co. – Longmont, CO

T-50. Anderson Valley Brewing Co. – Boonville, CA T-50. Four Peaks Brewing Co. – Tempe, AZ