50 States ranked by beer

Reads 2851 • Replies 39 • Started Tuesday, August 26, 2014 5:22:34 PM CT

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Message miketd beers 5 º places 125 º 10:13 Thu 8/28/2014 I have a few disagreements with the order based on personal preference, but the one that is glaring is NY at 9. If it is based on breweries, no way should they be that high.
Message kdm1984 beers 1096 º places 14 º 14:27 Thu 8/28/2014 Yay for MO making it to #11! Couple of observations from someone who lives in the "four states" area (MO with AR, KS, and OK very close to me): #1 - Nice to see Core mentioned in Arkansas. #2 - I can’t believe they didn’t mention Free State in Kansas. They have the #2 rated Oktoberfest in the world, and their other stuff isn’t too shabby, either.
Message Strykzone beers 8457 º places 152 º 15:58 Thu 8/28/2014 I have a little bit of a different take on this. If your state capitol does not have a brewery then your state deserves to be low in the second tier.

Message jtclockwork beers 21132 º places 554 º 16:28 Thu 8/28/2014 Originally posted by miketd I have a few disagreements with the order based on personal preference, but the one that is glaring is NY at 9. If it is based on breweries, no way should they be that high. I actually agree with NY in the top 10, but then I again it’s the next state over so I drink a lot of beer from NY, so a lot of this is based on personal exposure. Some of the bigger names in craft from NY include Captain Lawrence, Southhampton, Ithaca, Bluepoint, Sixpoint, Southern Tier, Brooklyn, Ommegang, He’Brew/Cony Island and yes, Sarnac to those just starting out exploring the craft world. Then you have an excellent nano/small craft brewery scene making great and/or interesting brews, which includes Plan Bee (amazing sours), Big Alice (experimental brewery), Blind Bat, Rockaway, Bridge and Tunnel, Other Half (All Green Everything is one of the best IIPAs I’ve ever had), etc. Other great NY breweries/brewpubs that deserve a mention include Rushing Duck, Peekskill, Transmitter, Barrier, 508, Finback, Dirck the Norseman, Sloop, Singeclut, Spiderbite, etc. There are so many, I have a hard time keeping track. I had three new breweries for the first time this week (Gun Hill, Finback and Bridge and Tunnel) and I drink in NYC almost every week.
Message obguthr beers 11684 º places 22 º 16:59 Thu 8/28/2014 I wonder if the folks at FX Matt hate hearing things like " they’re great for beginners" or "entry level" whenever someone mentions Saranac. Do they aspire to something greater or are they happy with their niche?
Message miketd beers 5 º places 125 º 17:35 Thu 8/28/2014 Originally posted by jtclockwork Originally posted by miketd I have a few disagreements with the order based on personal preference, but the one that is glaring is NY at 9. If it is based on breweries, no way should they be that high. I actually agree with NY in the top 10, but then I again it’s the next state over so I drink a lot of beer from NY, so a lot of this is based on personal exposure. Some of the bigger names in craft from NY include Captain Lawrence, Southhampton, Ithaca, Bluepoint, Sixpoint, Southern Tier, Brooklyn, Ommegang, He’Brew/Cony Island and yes, Sarnac to those just starting out exploring the craft world. Then you have an excellent nano/small craft brewery scene making great and/or interesting brews, which includes Plan Bee (amazing sours), Big Alice (experimental brewery), Blind Bat, Rockaway, Bridge and Tunnel, Other Half (All Green Everything is one of the best IIPAs I’ve ever had), etc. Other great NY breweries/brewpubs that deserve a mention include Rushing Duck, Peekskill, Transmitter, Barrier, 508, Finback, Dirck the Norseman, Sloop, Singeclut, Spiderbite, etc. There are so many, I have a hard time keeping track. I had three new breweries for the first time this week (Gun Hill, Finback and Bridge and Tunnel) and I drink in NYC almost every week. I’m pretty sure Sixpoint doesn’t even brew in New York and I’m not sure HE’Brew/Schmaltz does either. Regardless, I still wouldn’t put them in the top 10.
Message jtclockwork beers 21132 º places 554 º 18:14 Thu 8/28/2014 I don’t know, but they are my least two favorite on my list, so doesn’t really matter. To each their own I guess.

Message miketd beers 5 º places 125 º 18:50 Thu 8/28/2014 I actually like Schmaltz. Don’t buy it a lot, but they usually don’t disappoint me with the high gravity, malty stuff. I haven’t been to New York in a year an a half, so surely things have changed a bit. But things are changing all over, and I could probably name close to a hundred breweries in Ohio you have never heard of that are brewing beer ranging from decent to world class. That is why a list like this is pointless, only the locals know what is really happening in their neighborhood.
Message jtclockwork beers 21132 º places 554 º 18:55 Thu 8/28/2014 Ultimately, I agree with you. It’s very subjective based on own personal experiences. Only Gene and maybe soon Ferris could really put a good list together and even then I’m sure a lot of states he’s been to have had great new breweries open up since he’s been there. Many of the breweries on my NY list opened up in the last year, so they are new. Ohio is a great beer state too. I was in Athens in June. Not sure if I’d put them in top 10 but with Jackie O’s, Willoughby, Rivertown, Weasel Boy, Hoppin’ Frog, Fifty West, Fat Heads, Great Lakes, etc. they’d be pretty close to it for me. That said, I think we can all agree Mississippi sucks for beer.