Feature photo by Thomas Hawk. Photo above by GregPC.
Here’s Matador’s list of the 20 best American cities for beer drinkers. Cheers!
Northeast
1. Boston, Massachusetts
Samuel Adams is just one of the many lagers travelers will find in Beantown. You can party with rowdy Red Sox fans at Boston Beer Works, or head out of town to Allston, where you will find the Sunset Grill and Tap with an amazing 112 beers on tap.
Photo by design|wanderer.
2. Portland, Maine
It’s hard to beat the allure of a cold beer and a fresh, affordable lobster roll. Tour the sprawling Shipyard Brewing Company, or partake in a menagerie of “taster glasses” at Great Lost Bear, just one dollar per sample.
Photo by Thomas Hawk.
3. New York, New York
New York is known for its diversity, and the pubs and bars are no exception. From dive bars to gastro-pubs, beer lovers can find the atmosphere that suits them best. If you can’t decide between drinks or dessert, try the Chocolate Stout Float at The Chocolate Room in Park Slope. Check out Matador’s list of the top 10 nightlife spots in NYC for more inspiration.
4. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Rumor has it that the Declaration of Independence was drafted in Philly’s taverns. Why not walk in our Founding Fathers’ footsteps? Play darts with the locals at Brownie’s Irish Pub, or just hang out and listen to live music at The Khyber, Philadelphia’s oldest beer bar.
South
5. Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a small town but their beers carry big flavor. Climb Shining Rock or take a long hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Then cool off with a Highland Oatmeal Porter at Thirsty Monk or Barley’s Taproom.
Photo by dannebrog.
6. Tampa Bay, Florida
Whether you like imports or domestics, Tampa and St. Petersburg both have terrific beer selections. World of Beer touts 30 taps and another 300 bottled brews. For satisfying pub grub, check out the Et Tu Brewte salad at Dunedin Brewery, or stick with the authentic fish ‘n’ chips at Four Green Fields.
Photo by jsmjr.
7. Atlanta, Georgia
For such a big city with a large college student population, it’s a little surprising that there aren’t more breweries and brewpubs in the ATL. Fear not, however, because what they do have in Atlanta is quality. The all-organic food and drink menu at Five Seasons Brewing will make you a believer.
8. New Orleans, Louisiana
Take a break from drinking Hurricanes and check out the awesome beer selection at Cooter Brown’s Tavern. Then stumble on down to The Bulldog and do it all over again; be sure to bring your pooch!
Photo by eTombotron.
9. The Triangle, North Carolina (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill)
Thousands of college students wouldn’t steer you wrong. Get some bang for your buck with the five dollar menu at Hi5 in Raleigh. For a more elegant night out, enjoy the view at Top of the Hill Restaurant and Brewery in Chapel Hill.
Southwest
10. Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
Marvel at the many, many taps at The Ginger Man, found in both Dallas and Fort Worth. Or be a giddy juvenile (like me) and order the Buttface at Humperdink’s.
Photo by ANOXLOU
11. Albuquerque, New Mexico
Get your kicks with pizza and beer at Il Vicino, located on old Route 66. Sip award-winning craft brews at Chama River Brewing Company, where the chile is as inspired as a Georgia O’Keefe painting.
Midwest
12. Cleveland, Ohio
Admire Great Lakes Brewing Company for their delicious Edmund Fitzgerald Porter. Tour the brewery and you will admire them more for their responsible, sustainable practices.
Photo by mfajardo.
13. Chicago, Illinois
Travelers will love The Map Room, with its weekly International Nights and fun atmosphere. Chat over soccer with Irish ex-pats at The Globe Pub.
14. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Don’t discount Milwaukee as simply the home of Miller Brewing Company. Eat (and drink!) well at the Hinterland Restaurant and Brewery. Homesick Germans can get a fix at the Old German Beer Hall, a great spot that serves Hofbrauhaus Munchen beers. Explore The Safe House if you’re into James Bond-inspired kitsch.
West
Photo by goatopolis.
15. Missoula, Montana
As if the scenery wasn’t intoxicating enough, Missoula also produces some excellent beer. Sample the German treats from Bayern Brewing, self-proclaimed “the only German microbrewery in the Rockies.” Or mosey over to Big Sky for some Moose Drool.
Photo by SchultzLabs.
16. Denver, Colorado
You know a city is serious about beer when they have seven homebrew supply stores. Need more proof? How about the weekly “Mr. Beer” column in The Denver Post? Still not convinced? Join 30,000 beer drinkers each October at the Great American Beer Festival.
Photo by HolyHolySnappers.
17. San Diego, California
Good beer is easy to find in the San Diego area, and these “pubs” are not your typical dive bars. Relax in the beautiful gardens at Stone Brewing Company, or admire the view from the rooftop deck at Pacific Beach Ale House.
Photo by Dead Air.
18. Seattle, Washington
The Pacific Northwest is truly a beer drinker’s Mecca. From the Laughing Buddha Brewing Company to The Stumbling Monk, your time in Seattle will be a spiritual experience.
Photo by Thomas Hawk.
19. San Francisco, California
Foodies know about San Francisco’s wine and culinary offerings, but did you know that they are also the home of exceptional and creative beer? In one evening pub-crawl, bar hoppers have the opportunity to encounter framboise, vanilla beer, and oysterhead stout! Magnolia Pub and Brewery, Thirsty Bear Brewing Company, and 21st Amendment are worth the trip out west.
Photo by richclement.com.
20. Portland, Oregon
Beer is an integral part of Portland’s culture. The quickest way to assimilate and blend with the locals is to hang outside at one of the many McMenamin’s bars with a few local brews and an order of tots. (Get ‘em Cajunized if you like a little spice!) The Horse Brass is also a terrific place to drink, as long as you don’t mind the smoke.
There’s a growing number of websites and publications designed to help travelers find good beer. Take a look at Ratebeer.com, The BeerFly directory and my personal favorite The Beer Mapping Project. You can also post specific questions to readers at Chowhound.com.
Don’t see your town on the list and feel it deserves a spot? Feel free to shout-out in the comments!
Love beer? Check out Beer Quest 2008, a Matador round-up of the best micro-brews and brew pubs in America.
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25 Comments... join the discussion!
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If you're going to have Dallas/Ft. Worth on the list than Houston deserves at least a nod. It's home to the ORIGINAL Ginger Man pub, St. Arnold's Brewery (one of the best breweries in the world), a large homebrewing population (I believe that the Mashtronauts and Foam Rangers are some of the largest homebrew clubs in the US), as well as Two Rows a good local microbrewery/restaurant. There are a number of pubs/bars here that have great beer selections that I can't find in most other major cities I've visited.
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Seconds on Burlington. VT has many amazing microbrews.
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Great list. I'll throw in Vancouver (Granville Island, more) and Halifax (Propeller, Garrison) on the Canadian side of the border, for a start!
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Not surprised Boston is way up there! Also, for Pennsylvania, didn't want to leave out Yuengling – America's oldest brewery.
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Thanks for some great suggestions. Sorry about Vermont–you're right, they've got some great stuff. I think Portsmouth, NH probably deserves a shout-out, too. It was tough to figure out who should make the cut. I have never been to Houston and now I have to go. A town with good mole and great beer cannot be ignored.
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I dunno, it's still Houston. Better to ignore it.
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i've been to 17 of the 20 towns. I would add State College, PA to the list!
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Ah yes! How could I have forgotten about Burlington. Definitely very high on the list!
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What about Austin? We were voted drunkest city in America!
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you put Dallas ahead of Portland OR, a city that has been nicknamed "beer town"? I've lived in both and thats pretty ridiculous. oh and Ed… Houston doesn't deserve anything, you fatties don't need anymore beer anyways.
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love the houston bashing, but Mark, I should point out that the list is in no particular order.
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You stay classy, Mark.
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No mention of Portland, OR = daft author and useless blog. Anyone who knows anything about brew will know that PDX is the first stop on the train to beer heaven. Sorry, but…fail.
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Portland, OR is on the list. Thanks for reading, and for the kind words, though.
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Why would you post a photo of someone drinking from a Bud Light cup?
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I'm 10 and I know Wisconsin is the best place for beer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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City Beer Store in S.F. is a very cool place I discovered by chance last time I was there. It's on Folsom St. in the flat part of the city sort of below… well, you'll figure it out. This place has hundreds of different beers in bottles (and a few on tap), and you go pick your beer from the coolers, bring it to the bartender, who opens and pours it for you. These guys were so cool – I was there staying in a friend's totally unfurnished apartment (not even glasses), and these guys hooked me up with a couple of great beer glasses to go with my take-out order. Full of seemingly local, very friendly (that's S.F. for you) people. The neighbor hood is awesome also – kind of transitioning over from warehouses. And while you're there you have to check out the Laundromat-Coffee House-Bar-Comedy Club (can't remember the name). Dig it!
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An arbitrary list culled from a cursory Internet search. Anyone with even a little bit of travel could pick better options.
Austin is a substantially better beer town than either Houston or DFW. And Humperdink’s isn’t even a Texas brewpub chain.
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How did you leave St. Louis, MO off the list? You do realize that we’re the home of AB AND Schlafly Beer companies, don’t you?
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I cannot believe Morgantown WV is not on this list. You people will never learn !
Black Water Brewery in Davis Wv may be a little slice of heaven right here in Almost Heaven West by God Virginia.↵ -
That’s right – you will never learn! The US should stick to burgers and Coke – beer is not their thing at all…
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I’m suspicious of your research for this article. For Philadelphia, you recommended two unimpressive, mediocre bars. Not even a mention to Monk’s? Even suggesting Dock Street, Nodding Head, SPTR or Triumph (if you haven’t been anywhere besides old city) would have been credible. How did you come to decide on Brownies and the Khyber?
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Although I don’t disagree that any of these are fantastic places to drink beer, I feel like this is more of a list of big cities (not towns) where you can enjoy a variety of things. I would look forward to a sequal to this article–preferably in the style of Gonzo journalism–where you dive deeper into what the country really has to offer. Off the top of my head, I’d say Fort Collins or Boulder top Denver for Colorado’s best spots.
Great list but it leaves me wanting more (and a fresh pint)!↵
