Most Improved Beer States

Then you're going to the wrong places. 14+ Alabama breweries, over 1100 beers and growing every month. According to Nickd77's spreadsheet, which is the basis for Seekabrew.com, Alabama is number 26 out of 51, and I know this is wrong because there are breweries listed that he has as "no" in Alabama when I know they are a "yes" (e.g. Jester King).

 

Let him know so he can update.

 

Good People and Back40 are the two single largest breweries in state. They have just upgraded their annual production capacity to the 15,000 barrel region. Both highly rated and appeal to very different demographics.

Huntsville has Straight To Ale, Blue Pants, Yellowhammer, Old Black Bear, and others I can't remember, all of whom make great beer (Straight To Ale make ridiculously good high gravity beers).

As well as Good People, Birmingham has Avondale, Cahaba, and Beer Engineers, all of whom are radically different from each other, all of whom have very enthusiastic customer bases.

There are more breweries all around the state, most of whom have tiny distribution areas, most of whom are producing beer which is very popular in their distribution areas. It's getting better all the time.

 

Only so many hours in the day, you know

 

Though I've only been living in Maine for about two years, I have to say that the selection in the state has vastly improved from when I first moved here. New allotments from breweries like Goose Island, Anchorage, and Prairie Artisan coupled with great local brews from Oxbow, Marshall Wharf, and especially the new Allagash sours/wilds have really made this an easier state to drink in! Getting transferred to NC though this summer but stoked on whats going on here in Maine.

 

BM weatherdog.

 

I think you have to factor in exactly how common something is, not just if some random store happens to carry it.
I can tell you that short of 1-2 stores (Dirk's mainly) and the Alley Bar downtown, finding good beers in Montgomery can be quite the undertaking. Yes, good beer arrives there...but it's far from common. Much of it comes down to the annoying ABC division and making it tough for independent stores to sell without being undercut by grocery stores or the state.

 

It's definitely too soon to judge its impact yet, but my feelings are that we are at least in the game now. It used to be that people would go on sites like probrewer and ask for advice on starting up in NJ, and the answer would invariably be "don't!".

 

That law a couple years back helped, that breweries could have tap rooms. MN's liquor laws are some of the most ridiculous in the country, IMO. But, yes, I was there a couple of months ago (after living there for two years), and they're selection is great, particularly of international beers.

 

I agree on SC improvement. I am in charleston and the difference in a few years have been great. We get a lot of visitors and I feel that helps open us up to more beers from different parts of the country.

 

Montgomery is harder to find good stuff in, which is totally a wholesaler fail.

 

Definitely not Kansas, although there is talk of allowing grocery stores/gas stations to sell full strength beer. Can have tastings in liquor stores now at least. No new brewery openings, but what we do have is quality (Free State, Tallgrass, Blind Tiger, lb, Little Apple).

Illinois already had it alright, but there's been tons of new brewpubs opening around Chicagoland

 

How can you not vote for NC. Slightly partial because I live in the state but no other state has changed beer wise over the last couple years. With Oskar Blues, New Belgium and Sierra Nevada opening their east coast divisions in the state. Then throw in new places like NoDa, Birdsong, Triple C and Wicked Weed opening up in Charlotte. Then look at how Foothills has expanded over the last few years and reputation on Sexual Chocolate, BBA Sexy C and Olde Rabbits Foot. Olde Hickory is still pumping out great beers esp Event Horizon (2012 best year ever?!?!). Then the old staples like Fullsteam, Duck Rabbit, Mother Earth, Green Man, Olde Meck, Pisgah and the list goes on and on and is been growing every year.

 

Ohio has greatly improved. Of course, we started with Great Lakes, but now new breweries have sprung up all over. In Cinci, they have brought back the old Moerlein name. Listerman's, a long time brew supply house, is now brewing some good stuff. Rivertown is good, too. Columbus has several very good brew houses including Columbus Brewing, Barley's and Elevator. Cleveland added Willoughby, Brew Kettle, Fat Head and others. More important, a lot of the local taverns are stocking craft beers in large quantities.

 

North Dakota hands down. Went from zero to (two?) Alabama a close second if not a tie.

 

Three years ago? VT.

 

Alabama for sure. My current residence of Tuscaloosa opened a microbrewery and they make a great product. Then again, there was not much there before.

 

Free the Hops!

Alabama, because "Free the Hops" is a perfect example of the use of political action to allow me to drink delicious beer.

www.freethehops.org
www.righttobrew.org

 

Connecticut has gotten alot of new stuff on the shelves over the past year or so.

 

Florida, in terms of both production and distribution. And it's getting better every month.