Best Beer Cities? (2 Viewers)

[The Longtime Lurker]

Wisconsin

Love New Glarus and Leinenkugels (for the nostalgia) but no.

This topic is obviously going to be subjective. If we're talking beer CITIES, I can't argue with anyone that's going down the path of best, trendiest brewery scenes.

If we're talking beer culture, I would say anywhere from the Great Lakes to North Dakota is the region, with Wisconsin as the epicenter. Engrained in their culture. Kids being served alcohol in bars and restaurants in the presence of guardians is common. Bottling and distribution background from cities small and large, Chippewa Falls, New Glarus, to Milwaukee. Doesn't hurt that there's not a whole lot else to do during the long, cold winters.

When I think passion for beer, I think northwoods Wisconsin supper clubs or drinking on a frozen lake with friends under the guise of fishing (might be a little more of a MN thing, but WI too). Or actually having a career in brewing. Best city in Wisconsin with a brewery scene. Probably Madison? Doesn't hurt that it's a college town, but I'm not sure it's anything out of this world for its weight class. If you're going to make me pick a city in Wisconsin for passionate and consistent beer consumption, I'll nominate Appleton with honorable mention to Sheboygan. For the same reasoning, I won't argue with any of these:

Fargo, ND
Grand Forks, ND
Buffalo
Cleveland
Detroit
Grand Rapids, MI
Chicago
Marquette, MI
Duluth, MN
New Ulm, MN

...or anywhere in between.

Discussion can probably end here. It's like Wisconsin, but drunker. Each and every little surrounding town has it's own
brewery and Marquette itself has over 10 at this point I believe (which is pretty ridiculous based on population size). Blackrocks brewery is awesome if you ever get a chance to visit there or try some, I'm not sure how far they distribute.

 

[FiredMartz]

Wisconsin

Love New Glarus and Leinenkugels (for the nostalgia) but no.

This topic is obviously going to be subjective. If we're talking beer CITIES, I can't argue with anyone that's going down the path of best, trendiest brewery scenes.

If we're talking beer culture, I would say anywhere from the Great Lakes to North Dakota is the region, with Wisconsin as the epicenter. Engrained in their culture. Kids being served alcohol in bars and restaurants in the presence of guardians is common. Bottling and distribution background from cities small and large, Chippewa Falls, New Glarus, to Milwaukee. Doesn't hurt that there's not a whole lot else to do during the long, cold winters.

When I think passion for beer, I think northwoods Wisconsin supper clubs or drinking on a frozen lake with friends under the guise of fishing (might be a little more of a MN thing, but WI too). Or actually having a career in brewing. Best city in Wisconsin with a brewery scene. Probably Madison? Doesn't hurt that it's a college town, but I'm not sure it's anything out of this world for its weight class. If you're going to make me pick a city in Wisconsin for passionate and consistent beer consumption, I'll nominate Appleton with honorable mention to Sheboygan. For the same reasoning, I won't argue with any of these:

Fargo, ND
Grand Forks, ND
Buffalo
Cleveland
Detroit
Grand Rapids, MI
Chicago
Marquette, MI
Duluth, MN
New Ulm, MN

...or anywhere in between.

Fort Dodge, Iowa

 

[SWC]

Interesting list. What do you think they missed or got right?

I did like the breakdown between Old and New School.

The Actual Best Beer Cities in the United States

Many towns claim to be "Beer City, U.S.A.," but which ones actually deserve the title?

www.insidehook.com

not having milwaukee or madison on this list shows that it is jut a tourism bureau piece and not worth the pixels it wastes insulting the epicenter take that to the bank brohans

 

[urbanhack]

1. Portland, OR

the rest

 

[The Z Machine]

1. Portland, OR

the rest

Only thing close is Asheville IMO. But Portland is a bigger city with more going on than just the copious amounts of awesome beer being made.

 

[Desert_Power]

Just pick a Portland and be done with it.

We have Portland at home

 

[General Malaise]

1. Portland, OR

the rest

I dunno man, Bend might have Portland beat if we're going pound for pound. That might be the best little beer city in the world.

 

[sushinsky4tsar]

Wisconsin

Love New Glarus and Leinenkugels (for the nostalgia) but no.

This topic is obviously going to be subjective. If we're talking beer CITIES, I can't argue with anyone that's going down the path of best, trendiest brewery scenes.

If we're talking beer culture, I would say anywhere from the Great Lakes to North Dakota is the region, with Wisconsin as the epicenter. Engrained in their culture. Kids being served alcohol in bars and restaurants in the presence of guardians is common. Bottling and distribution background from cities small and large, Chippewa Falls, New Glarus, to Milwaukee. Doesn't hurt that there's not a whole lot else to do during the long, cold winters.

When I think passion for beer, I think northwoods Wisconsin supper clubs or drinking on a frozen lake with friends under the guise of fishing (might be a little more of a MN thing, but WI too). Or actually having a career in brewing. Best city in Wisconsin with a brewery scene. Probably Madison? Doesn't hurt that it's a college town, but I'm not sure it's anything out of this world for its weight class. If you're going to make me pick a city in Wisconsin for passionate and consistent beer consumption, I'll nominate Appleton with honorable mention to Sheboygan. For the same reasoning, I won't argue with any of these:

Fargo, ND
Grand Forks, ND
Buffalo
Cleveland
Detroit
Grand Rapids, MI
Chicago
Marquette, MI
Duluth, MN
New Ulm, MN

...or anywhere in between.

Fort Dodge, Iowa

When it comes down to it, I think the map of German ancestry in the US gives a pretty great clue. Certainly, IA is in that wheelhouse.

 

[urbanhack]

1. Portland, OR

the rest

I dunno man, Bend might have Portland beat if we're going pound for pound. That might be the best little beer city in the world.

No doubt it's great.

But there's also a pretty large list of smaller, nano breweries in PDX that go under the radar.

• Gigantic Brewing: Characterized by unique label art and creative brews, often paying tribute to local figures.
• Baerlic Brewing: Started from a home basement operation, known for its reliably good staples and one-offs, including the popular Dad Beer.
• Ruse Brewing: Initially focused on farmhouse ales, now recognized for its hop-forward beers and hazy IPAs.
• Wayfinder Beer: Blends German beer hall ambiance with Pacific Northwest style, offering a range of lagers and IPAs.
• Little Beast Brewing: Focuses on unique old world style beers like saisons and wild yeast ales, with a location in a renovated house with a garden patio.
• Upright Brewing: Influential brewery specializing in saisons, but expanding into IPAs and dark brews.
• Grand Fir Brewing: Known for exceptional pours and a unique atmosphere reflecting Pacific Northwest roots and Texas influences.
• Great Notion Brewing: A pioneer of hazy IPAs in the Northwest, also known for recreating breakfast sweet flavors in its beers.
• Threshold Brewing & Blending: A small operation known for its diverse and experimental tap list.
• Living Häus Beer Co.: Focuses on elegant lagers and clean West Coast IPAs.
• Fracture Brewing: Located within a vibrant food truck area.
• Lazy Days Brewing: Offers exceptional brews and food pairings, including beer and cheese pairings.
• Evasion Brewing: Dedicated to gluten-free beers and sandwiches.
• Steeplejack Brewing Company: Located in a renovated church building, known for its distinct architecture and diverse beer selection
• Brujos Brewing: Features a unique "scorched church" aesthetic and brews a variety of IPAs, lagers, and stouts.
• Moonshrimp Brewing: Specializes in small-batch, wild yeast ales, with a walk-up window for purchases.
• 13th Moon Brouwerij: Offers its beers at the wood-paneled 13th Moon Gravity Well in Southeast Portland

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Wisconsin

Love New Glarus and Leinenkugels (for the nostalgia) but no.

This topic is obviously going to be subjective. If we're talking beer CITIES, I can't argue with anyone that's going down the path of best, trendiest brewery scenes.

If we're talking beer culture, I would say anywhere from the Great Lakes to North Dakota is the region, with Wisconsin as the epicenter. Engrained in their culture. Kids being served alcohol in bars and restaurants in the presence of guardians is common. Bottling and distribution background from cities small and large, Chippewa Falls, New Glarus, to Milwaukee. Doesn't hurt that there's not a whole lot else to do during the long, cold winters.

When I think passion for beer, I think northwoods Wisconsin supper clubs or drinking on a frozen lake with friends under the guise of fishing (might be a little more of a MN thing, but WI too). Or actually having a career in brewing. Best city in Wisconsin with a brewery scene. Probably Madison? Doesn't hurt that it's a college town, but I'm not sure it's anything out of this world for its weight class. If you're going to make me pick a city in Wisconsin for passionate and consistent beer consumption, I'll nominate Appleton with honorable mention to Sheboygan. For the same reasoning, I won't argue with any of these:

Fargo, ND
Grand Forks, ND
Buffalo
Cleveland
Detroit
Grand Rapids, MI
Chicago
Marquette, MI
Duluth, MN
New Ulm, MN

...or anywhere in between.

The comment about Beer Culture is interesting and I think I agree. For example, in Milwaukee, it seems a dozen or more craft breweries have gone out of business over the past few years. I'm intimately familiar with this because two of them were my clients and I've been involved in disputes involving a couple others. These places were flourishing 5-10 years ago but then went belly-up one after another. I have a friend who makes great beer but has had to expand his offerings to stay afloat (he now roasts coffee, bakes sourdough and is serving food at his taproom.) It seems we're just not going to support a place that specializes in double-oaked sour farmhouse ale that is 3.0% abv or 270 btu triple-IPA's. But I can walk to any one of several neighborhood bars where I can have a few beers with my underaged son when he's home from college because WI State law explicitly allows that, and we can meet up with all his friends for Packer games or whatever so long as their dads are also with us. I don't like Miller products but my wife picks up a 30 pack of Lite every couple months because we know my garage fridge has to be well-stocked with it at all times and we'll go through it no problem, even while she won't touch it and its a last-resort beer for me. I expect there are lots of other cities the same though - coast to coast - so I probably wouldn't put us on a list like this.

 

[General Malaise]

1. Portland, OR

the rest

I dunno man, Bend might have Portland beat if we're going pound for pound. That might be the best little beer city in the world.

No doubt it's great.

But there's also a pretty large list of smaller, nano breweries in PDX that go under the radar.

• Gigantic Brewing: Characterized by unique label art and creative brews, often paying tribute to local figures.
• Baerlic Brewing: Started from a home basement operation, known for its reliably good staples and one-offs, including the popular Dad Beer.
• Ruse Brewing: Initially focused on farmhouse ales, now recognized for its hop-forward beers and hazy IPAs.
• Wayfinder Beer: Blends German beer hall ambiance with Pacific Northwest style, offering a range of lagers and IPAs.
• Little Beast Brewing: Focuses on unique old world style beers like saisons and wild yeast ales, with a location in a renovated house with a garden patio.
• Upright Brewing: Influential brewery specializing in saisons, but expanding into IPAs and dark brews.
• Grand Fir Brewing: Known for exceptional pours and a unique atmosphere reflecting Pacific Northwest roots and Texas influences.
• Great Notion Brewing: A pioneer of hazy IPAs in the Northwest, also known for recreating breakfast sweet flavors in its beers.
• Threshold Brewing & Blending: A small operation known for its diverse and experimental tap list.
• Living Häus Beer Co.: Focuses on elegant lagers and clean West Coast IPAs.
• Fracture Brewing: Located within a vibrant food truck area.
• Lazy Days Brewing: Offers exceptional brews and food pairings, including beer and cheese pairings.
• Evasion Brewing: Dedicated to gluten-free beers and sandwiches.
• Steeplejack Brewing Company: Located in a renovated church building, known for its distinct architecture and diverse beer selection
• Brujos Brewing: Features a unique "scorched church" aesthetic and brews a variety of IPAs, lagers, and stouts.
• Moonshrimp Brewing: Specializes in small-batch, wild yeast ales, with a walk-up window for purchases.
• 13th Moon Brouwerij: Offers its beers at the wood-paneled 13th Moon Gravity Well in Southeast Portland

This guy beers.

 

[Manster]

I’m an Oregon native so I’ll go Portland…..but, it’s hard to not just include the whole PNW. Hood River, Bend….breweries up, and down the coast. Breweries out in Eastern Oregon, in the sticks like Barley Browns, in Baker or Terminal Gravity in Enterprise.

 

[Manster]

1. Portland, OR

the rest

I dunno man, Bend might have Portland beat if we're going pound for pound. That might be the best little beer city in the world.

No doubt it's great.

But there's also a pretty large list of smaller, nano breweries in PDX that go under the radar.

• Gigantic Brewing: Characterized by unique label art and creative brews, often paying tribute to local figures.
• Baerlic Brewing: Started from a home basement operation, known for its reliably good staples and one-offs, including the popular Dad Beer.
• Ruse Brewing: Initially focused on farmhouse ales, now recognized for its hop-forward beers and hazy IPAs.
• Wayfinder Beer: Blends German beer hall ambiance with Pacific Northwest style, offering a range of lagers and IPAs.
• Little Beast Brewing: Focuses on unique old world style beers like saisons and wild yeast ales, with a location in a renovated house with a garden patio.
• Upright Brewing: Influential brewery specializing in saisons, but expanding into IPAs and dark brews.
• Grand Fir Brewing: Known for exceptional pours and a unique atmosphere reflecting Pacific Northwest roots and Texas influences.
• Great Notion Brewing: A pioneer of hazy IPAs in the Northwest, also known for recreating breakfast sweet flavors in its beers.
• Threshold Brewing & Blending: A small operation known for its diverse and experimental tap list.
• Living Häus Beer Co.: Focuses on elegant lagers and clean West Coast IPAs.
• Fracture Brewing: Located within a vibrant food truck area.
• Lazy Days Brewing: Offers exceptional brews and food pairings, including beer and cheese pairings.
• Evasion Brewing: Dedicated to gluten-free beers and sandwiches.
• Steeplejack Brewing Company: Located in a renovated church building, known for its distinct architecture and diverse beer selection
• Brujos Brewing: Features a unique "scorched church" aesthetic and brews a variety of IPAs, lagers, and stouts.
• Moonshrimp Brewing: Specializes in small-batch, wild yeast ales, with a walk-up window for purchases.
• 13th Moon Brouwerij: Offers its beers at the wood-paneled 13th Moon Gravity Well in Southeast Portland

I been to most of these. So many’ choices in PDX. Little Beast was one of our faves. Great IPA. Cool setting in a neighborhood. Ice cream shop across the street

A few others I didn’t see on your list are Backwoods…I think they started in Carson WA….really good beer. Nice brewpub in the pearl.
Breakside is pretty big now, and rightfully so.
Von Ebert had good beer and food….although we had rude service there. I’d go back though.
And I know 10Barrel sold out to the big boys, but they have nice brew pub in PDX.

 

[urbanhack]

1. Portland, OR

the rest

I dunno man, Bend might have Portland beat if we're going pound for pound. That might be the best little beer city in the world.

No doubt it's great.

But there's also a pretty large list of smaller, nano breweries in PDX that go under the radar.

• Gigantic Brewing: Characterized by unique label art and creative brews, often paying tribute to local figures.
• Baerlic Brewing: Started from a home basement operation, known for its reliably good staples and one-offs, including the popular Dad Beer.
• Ruse Brewing: Initially focused on farmhouse ales, now recognized for its hop-forward beers and hazy IPAs.
• Wayfinder Beer: Blends German beer hall ambiance with Pacific Northwest style, offering a range of lagers and IPAs.
• Little Beast Brewing: Focuses on unique old world style beers like saisons and wild yeast ales, with a location in a renovated house with a garden patio.
• Upright Brewing: Influential brewery specializing in saisons, but expanding into IPAs and dark brews.
• Grand Fir Brewing: Known for exceptional pours and a unique atmosphere reflecting Pacific Northwest roots and Texas influences.
• Great Notion Brewing: A pioneer of hazy IPAs in the Northwest, also known for recreating breakfast sweet flavors in its beers.
• Threshold Brewing & Blending: A small operation known for its diverse and experimental tap list.
• Living Häus Beer Co.: Focuses on elegant lagers and clean West Coast IPAs.
• Fracture Brewing: Located within a vibrant food truck area.
• Lazy Days Brewing: Offers exceptional brews and food pairings, including beer and cheese pairings.
• Evasion Brewing: Dedicated to gluten-free beers and sandwiches.
• Steeplejack Brewing Company: Located in a renovated church building, known for its distinct architecture and diverse beer selection
• Brujos Brewing: Features a unique "scorched church" aesthetic and brews a variety of IPAs, lagers, and stouts.
• Moonshrimp Brewing: Specializes in small-batch, wild yeast ales, with a walk-up window for purchases.
• 13th Moon Brouwerij: Offers its beers at the wood-paneled 13th Moon Gravity Well in Southeast Portland

I been to most of these. So many’ choices in PDX. Little Beast was one of our faves. Great IPA. Cool setting in a neighborhood. Ice cream shop across the street

A few others I didn’t see on your list are Backwoods…I think they started in Carson WA….really good beer. Nice brewpub in the pearl.
Breakside is pretty big now, and rightfully so.
Von Ebert had good beer and food….although we had rude service there. I’d go back though.
And I know 10Barrel sold out to the big boys, but they have nice brew pub in PDX.

Yea..I left off the bigger ones. But Portland really gets even bigger marks as a "beer city" because of all the other great breweries nearby.

Block15
Pfriem
Heater Allen
Forelands
Everything across the river in Vancouver.

 

[nirad3]

Couple of ones I especially dig... Knoxville (hey, @Joe Bryant !) and Boise (fresh in my mind since I was just there).

Probably nowhere near the beer meccas like Portland, Denver and San Diego, but I've found great brews in both of those spots.

Oh, also Steamboat Springs, CO.

 

[InDitkaWeTrust]

Couple of ones I especially dig... Knoxville (hey, @Joe Bryant !) and Boise (fresh in my mind since I was just there).

Probably nowhere near the beer meccas like Portland, Denver and San Diego, but I've found great brews in both of those spots.

Oh, also Steamboat Springs, CO.

I have not spent a lick of time in Knoxville. Tell me about the breweries/food scene there!

 

[General Malaise]

Getting slightly off-topic here, but I visited my cousin on the Oregon Coast this weekend and she took me to a new cider house in Yachats called WildCraft Cider & Pantry and while I'm not a cider guy at all, my cousin raves about it and had me try their Medowsweet Ginger cider. It definitely wasn't what I was expecting! I thought it might taste like a gingerbread cookie or something but no, this was certainly NOT sweet at all and I can see why she loves their ciders. They had several on tap, but I went with an IPA.

 

[nirad3]

Couple of ones I especially dig... Knoxville (hey, @Joe Bryant !) and Boise (fresh in my mind since I was just there).

Probably nowhere near the beer meccas like Portland, Denver and San Diego, but I've found great brews in both of those spots.

Oh, also Steamboat Springs, CO.

I have not spent a lick of time in Knoxville. Tell me about the breweries/food scene there!

I will let Joe extrapolate more, but the recommendations he's given me for my trips there have been great.

For food, there is a pizza place with sourdough crust (don't knock it til you try it) called A Dopo Pizza that is amazing. Funky beer selection, too. If you want chicken, there's a place downtown called Myrtle's that Joe recommended that was top notch (good beer too).

My favorite breweries there were Xul Beer, Yee Haw Brewing and Next Level Brewing - all three within walking distance of one another, just north of downtown.

 

[urbanhack]

Getting slightly off-topic here, but I visited my cousin on the Oregon Coast this weekend and she took me to a new cider house in Yachats called WildCraft Cider & Pantry and while I'm not a cider guy at all, my cousin raves about it and had me try their Medowsweet Ginger cider. It definitely wasn't what I was expecting! I thought it might taste like a gingerbread cookie or something but no, this was certainly NOT sweet at all and I can see why she loves their ciders. They had several on tap, but I went with an IPA.

They make great cider!!