What state is the best for local craft breweries?

Most -- if not all -- brewers hate eBay. And Shaun Hill doesn't hate traders; He hates when people trade growlers of his beer that is supposed to be consumed fresh and isn't.

 

What's funny is, ebay is cheaper than trading in a low of ways now. Sad isn't it? I don't do it but I know if I *HAD* to have a KH - ebay is a hell of lot easier and cheaper than going 20x $4$ trading here.

 

While Illinois isn't the best for local craft breweries, the sheer amount of stuff we get in Chicago (or 30 mins away in Indiana or 60 mins away in Wisconsin) makes me happy. The only things I really can't buy that I would want to are Alpine, Alesmith, Odell, Surly and the Vermont trifecta.

 

Not really. It can be a bitch to get through the tunnels during morning and evening rush hours, and around the stadiums and Consol at game time, but otherwise, nah. The city layout is just confusing given the random one way streets. If you miss those times (and the never ending construction) you can usually get around the city in fifteen to twenty minutes. All the "hot spots" of the city are really spaced out. The city overall is more a handful of close together burbs that do their own thing with some decent go to spots centralized downtown.

 

Given the beers I get here in PA, I'd have to assume Michigan is up there. Given my want list of breweries and beers I really want to try, I have to assume California is right there next to it. Really really want to get my hands on some Russian River and Firestone Walker product and wish it were easier to get stuff from The Bruery.

 

This is a touchy subject for most I am sure, as we like to take pride in our homestates, or if we are transplants we like to enjoy our local craft as much as we can.

I mentioned once in a thread about regional localities and those who do not give or regions credit. To me it is the same type of issue if you were in Italy: 20 regions and each region takes pride in their specialties. And as they should! So it is no less different then let us say the Mid Western favorites and the Western favorites.

I have traveled in 43 states (Hawaii, Alaska, Vermont, Florida, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut I have not seen yet) and sadly this was before I enjoyed craft beer.

My heart says San Diego, and I can believe it because if ANY one knows the beauty of that city and the best beaches, women, and green, it would be me. I consider this my home even now! The vibe of the west coast lends a certain approach to things and no less it can be transferred to beer!

 

California. Everyone else is just battling it out for 2nd. As much as I love Michigan beers, I can count on one hand the hoppy ones that I like from there whereas I could go on and on about the many wonderful IPAs and DIPAs from CA.

 

From a Michigander, California is the best. Michigan isn't considerably far behind though.

 

Having not explored every state out there, I can't really offer an apples to apples comparison, but Denver now has roughly 80 breweries within an hour of the city. We also have a ton of of GABF and WBC medals from lots of different breweries, too.
Not CO is the best anything like that, but we're not to be forgotten.

 

shhhhhh... don't spread it around!

 

As a Californian I say... California!

 

MA, CA, north county sandiego to be exact, port brew, stone, left coast yadda yadda

 

1)California
2)Colorado
3)Oregon

 

California has the advantage; it's more of a country than a state. That said, Michigan, for all the reasons others have noted. But Vermont, given its size, may be the champ.

 

Oregon, Michigan and Colorado hands down, no other states even come close to the variety and quality

 

I'm a lifelong PA resident and really enjoy some local breweries here but I won't pretend that PA has the best craft beers. Having traveled extensively in the US nothing can compare to California and Michigan.

I will also add that Portland has a fantastic beer culture and here in southeast PA our distribution is unparalleled.

 

Have you heard of the state of California? We have breweries in the hundreds!! Our quality and variety are second to none!!

 

Firstly, I ONLY care about IPAs. (I'm an unabashed hopaholic.)
And, in the last decade, I've lived in CO, WA, and SoCal.
So here's my Top 3:
1. San Diego
2. San Diego
3. San Diego

And, working for Marriott, I'm considering transferring from OC to SD just for the IPAs. Seriously.
Alpine
Stone
Port
Green Flash
Societe (New kid on the block, in Kearny Mesa. Master brewer apprenticed with Vinnie at Russian River. Everyman's DIPA + The Pupil IPA + beautiful stainless steel growler = try them.)

 

For me it is Michigan. So happy to have just moved here.