Beer drinking is a pretty popular US pastime that is perfectly paired with backyard barbecue, sports and many leisure gatherings. At the end of 2014 there were over 3,400 breweries all across the country, being a part of a market that is quickly growing. Beer in the USA is an industry of over $100 billion so it should come as no surprise that there are some great destinations in the country for beer lovers. The following are wonderful beer cities you want to consider visiting.
Seattle
People know Seattle because of coffee brewing but the beer scene should also be known. In King County there are 78 breweries, most of them being located round Seattle. There are many breweries that close and open with a high frequency but you can always consider some giants like Redhook and Elysian. Tour as many breweries as you can while making sure that you consider Fremont Brewing and Pyramid Breweries.
San Diego
In California there are over 400 breweries, making it the number one option in the country. There are over 3.5 million craft beer barrels made every single year. San Diego has a perfect weather for going from one brewery to the next so it is no surprise to see so many tourists visiting every year. You can easily combine great craft beer with regular tourist activities, with various great beer places located even around the city.
Grand Rapids – Michigan
For most tourists it is a huge surprise to see that there are around 30 breweries in the area, featuring quality options of all possible sizes. The one that is better known is Founders Brewing Company, an establishment that keeps growing distribution. To make matters even better, Grand Rapids is quite close to Kalamazoo, which is another wonderful Michigan beer location. Do be sure that you visit Bell’s Brewery there and you also opt for a trip to Brewery Vivant.
Denver
It is interesting to see that Denver has a bad reputation among the craft beer lovers but this is only because it is very close to Coors’ ground zero. What is interesting is that John Hickenlooper, governor of Colorado, co-founded Wynkoop Brewing Company, which is a really interesting option to take into account right now. Denver has to be considered as a wonderful beer city, with wonderful festivals and much more.
Portland – Oregon
Many consider Portland to be the very best US beer city one can visit. There are actually 7.4 breweries per each 100,000 people that are of adult drinking age present, with a huge economic impact. In Portland you can find the largest beer production volume in the entire company, with over 4,400 local beers that you could try.
Oregon legalized home brewing in 1979 and in 1984 the first establishment was already opened in Widmer Brewing Company. However, reports exist of local breweries running ever since the 1860s. The beer culture is thus really strong in the area. You can visit various breweries and enjoy so many great beers you are surely not going to find anywhere else.
