Draft: America's 100 best beer bars, 2015

I'm glad they leave my favorite bars off the list.

 

Nice to see Crescent Moon in Omaha make the list! One of the places I'm always sure to visit when in town.

 

That is because Whistle Stop is only the third-best beer bar on that block.

 

@CraftFan5 and @ONovoMexicano

Not sure about a library in the back of BGH Craftfan, though to be honest I only ever sit at the bar or one of the tables in front. In the back is a couple of pinball machines (like all of these guys' bars have), and according to their blog some of their chairs are from a library from back in the day?! But if you like MD and BGH, then definitely check out Owl Farm (same owners, along with Glorietta Baldy) - it's the best of the bunch IMO.

Agreed about Jeffrey - was just trying to spread out my choices and not be too too Brooklyny haha. I guess I picked it because for the Midtown East and UES area, it would probably be my bar of choice.

Agreed with you both about Blind Tiger. Before I moved to Brooklyn, I lived on Barrow Street in the West Village, and BT was my local spot. Only a few short years ago it was the hands down best beer bar in Manhattan (IMO at least) - they seemed to have a monopoly on rare kegs (and in addition they were basically the NYC Hill Farmstead outpost), which made it worth the chaos. Plus living close I could go at quieter times. But I don't know if it's due to a shift in management direction, or just more competition from newer places, but it's rarely worth it anymore.

Novo - yeah definitely hit those top 4 places next time - they're all great. As for Spuyten - the way things are going in the NYC scene (more and more great bars and breweries), it probably wouldn't make it on my top 10 next year. The reason I like it though, is you can still come across some real gems from time to time, and I usually like the vibe (outside of busier times). Plus a major reason for going is the outdoor area in the warmer months. Agreed it can be stupidly pricey, but I often feel the same way about Proletariat and Torst.

 

Really, West 4th and Jane? There are a dozen spots in LA that you didn't mention with better beer lists, and even comparing it to Surly is laughable.

Oh and btw Surly Goat has a valet lot directly next door. And the 704 rapid bus stop is across the street.

 

I don't do valet parking, so forgive me if I didn't notice there was valet the one time I was there.

West 4th's taplist right this second?

http://west4thjane.com/beer-list/

While not world class, we're talking about bars, not draft selection alone. And I would rather go to West 4th and Jane for a bite and couple of pints than most any other place in LA, based on parking (lots of cheap garages and occasionally street parking), food menu, vibe and location. And I did say, "I'd also place Alhambra's 38 Degrees, The Golden Road Brewery, Glendale Tap, Father's Office, West 4th and Jane and literally a dozen or more other bars and restaurants in the "better than Surly Goat or Tony's" category." So we agree on most of that statement.

Anyway, that's what's great about this sort of thing; people get to compare their opinions. I'm glad you got a good laugh out of mine. People should lighten up and laugh more, don't you think?

 

A few big, big fans of Petrol Station (which is also on the list) and Flying Saucer ... but it's a minority. Most everybody agrees with you and me. Hay Merchant is fantastic as far as I'm concerned. If I lived in Houston, I'd get my growler filled there once a week.

 

I cant believe my local Lit Club didn't make this list. They have Private Stock on draft and dollar Fireball shots. WTF?

 

If we were talking about favorite bars in LA to hang out in and have a bite in, then my opinion might be a bit different, but this is a thread discussing the top beer bars in the country. I think draft selection has to play a significant role in that. If you swapped surly for west 4th and Jane in your quote I think we would be in agreement haha.

 

Well, the article is about best beer bars and I agree that the tap list is a major part of that. You and I differ on how important, I guess.

My very favorite new place is so under-the-radar that it will never be on a list like this, so it's kind of moot to me. Not an awesome draft lineup of whalez, but any place that has Sculpin, La Fin du Monde, Mission Shipwrecked, Curieux, Old Rasputin, Lindenmans Framboise, Great Divide Titan, Stone Enjoy By and Bourbon County Stout (among others) is fine by me.

 

why yes... yes it does the happy gnome

 

Ginger man and Rattle & Hum are my two favorite spots in midtown by far... omission of Ginger man from the list is disappointing.


Edit: Also, Growler & Gill in Nanuet, New York. World class beer and service, owner and staff really all know what they're talking about when it comes to good beer.

 

Nice to see my two favorite bars in Omaha both make the list (Crescent Moon and Krug Park), as well as some of the bars I go to when in Chicago. It seemed like a long shot, but I still checked to see if Montana Ale Works in Bozeman (http://www.montanaaleworks.com/) made it after I visited there this fall, but it appears they did not.

 

Let me get this straight. There's a place called Beer Bar in Utah that only serves beers that are 4% abv or less because of their ridiculous laws. And this place made this list? What a joke.

Lists are like assholes, everyone's got one...

 

Lot of good bars on this list - been to 27 - guess I need to get working.

I really want to know the (Seattle) story behind Brouwers NEVER making this list. I mean, it really isn't a question that it's BY FAR the best beer bar in the city when it comes to just about every measurable category unless you're reclusive and can't handle it being crowded. There has to be a story, right? I adore the Stumbling Monk, but seriously?

To throw the Charlotte folks a bone, Growlers Pourhouse over Duckworths? What planet are we even living on?

 

Probably brought down by the fact that it's the worst food in the state.

 

Love the Owl Farm. May not have as many of the big beer events with the popular BCBCS, Vanilla, CBS, etc. But get really great under the radar hard to find beers.

 

A great beer bar needs to serve beer that's higher than 4%? Really?

 

Affirmative.

 

I didnt say it wasnt a great bar but does it belong on a top 100 of the whole country? I don't think so.