Serious Eats: "Which is the Best Beer City?"

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by ONovoMexicano, Feb 27, 2014.

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  1. Spiral517

    Spiral517 Initiate (0) Sep 17, 2013 Maryland

    i can say for sure that the answer is not anywhere in maryland
     
  2. JohnCassillo

    JohnCassillo Initiate (0) Mar 29, 2013 California

    Anywhere with public transportation will offer better options for beer touring, agreed. Can't get to all the "best" in San Diego in reasonable time, but depending on what you pick, can still hit pockets of several great breweries and/or brewpubs in a short distance, I think.
     
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  3. tylerstravis

    tylerstravis Initiate (0) Feb 14, 2014 Colorado

  4. Stevedore

    Stevedore Grand Pooh-Bah (5,072) Nov 16, 2012 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Lots of hops (used very well, obviously), flat C&C bottles and 3 bars = San Diego is the best beer city in the world? I certainly agree that San Diego is an amazing city for beer, but these reasons he gives are hardly inspiring. The user comments do a much better job..
     
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  5. hopsputin

    hopsputin Grand Pooh-Bah (4,017) Apr 1, 2012 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society

    This is very true. I've hit Lost Abbey, Stone, Green Flash, and Alesmith all in one day. I bet if you really tried you could squeeze Alpine in there as well.

    And besides the breweries, downtown has tons of locations walkable from each other/a hotel. All with good food an drink
     
  6. Dreizhen

    Dreizhen Initiate (0) Jun 6, 2013 District of Columbia

    Brussels is NOT the best beer city in the world. I might not even put it in the top five. It's absolutely amazing if you want Cantillon, Trappist beer, or the other big Belgian beers. Outside of that, the selection isn't great. Sometimes it can be downright shameful. Trying to show my European buddies good American beer in Brussels was neigh impossible, for example.

    EDIT: Okay, I checked Delirium's menu after posting and they've either added US beer or they didn't have what they advertised when I was there. Not as bad as I though, but still not amazing, especially outside this one bar.
     
    #26 Dreizhen, Feb 27, 2014
    Last edited: Feb 27, 2014
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  7. marquis

    marquis Pooh-Bah (2,301) Nov 20, 2005 England
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  8. digita7693

    digita7693 Initiate (0) Jan 19, 2010 Germany

    Problem is you have to go to delirium:slight_frown:
     
  9. loafinaround

    loafinaround Initiate (0) Jul 16, 2011 New York

    Not much experience w/ beer travel.... but I can tell you that my fantasy trip is to Chicago. Preferably in Nov.
     
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  10. Dreizhen

    Dreizhen Initiate (0) Jun 6, 2013 District of Columbia

    Yeah, this is true. I'd almost rather not count it, though. It's basically turned into a college bar of the trashy variety (I say that currently living in ground zero for trashy college bars). I was only in the city for a few months. Had it been much longer I would probably have given in and gone a bit more. Even then I would still probably miss a ton of stuff that they don't carry.
     
  11. JohnCassillo

    JohnCassillo Initiate (0) Mar 29, 2013 California

    Yup. San Diego may be "very spread out," but it's still very navigable if separated by area. Like you, did Stone, Green Flash and AleSmith in one day, and also stopped at Ballast Point, too (instead of Lost Abbey). And Downtown does have an endless supply of spots to check out.
     
  12. Donco

    Donco Pooh-Bah (1,615) Aug 12, 2013 Pennsylvania
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    Haven't been to Portland but Ashville is a great place for food, beer and the arts!
     
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  13. Donco

    Donco Pooh-Bah (1,615) Aug 12, 2013 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Having never visited San Diego, I will be doing so at the end of October. It's no coincidence that I've booked first class on the way back from SD to Philly. Free baggage to pack my "purchases" back home:wink:
     
  14. TheeWalrusHunter

    TheeWalrusHunter Initiate (0) Aug 23, 2013 Oregon

    Portland?! Do they even have beer there? Gross.
     
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  15. Cotchept

    Cotchept Initiate (0) Jan 14, 2013 Colorado

    Chicago deserves a nomination. I grew up there and it's really shaping up to be a great craft beer town.

    Since I now live in Denver and have finally experience a lot of the breweries I gotta say it's one of the best beer cities in america.
     
  16. DVMin98

    DVMin98 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,501) Nov 1, 2010 North Carolina
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    San Diego….no doubt
     
  17. scottbrew4u

    scottbrew4u Initiate (0) Feb 2, 2005 Pennsylvania

    Philadelphia best of the east!!!
     
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  18. sisterthelonious

    sisterthelonious Initiate (0) Aug 3, 2013 Wisconsin

    SD's beer scene is quite a bit stronger than Portland's, if only because the brewers have had a good 10-15 year head start (homebrewing/nanobrewing). I'm sure the food is about equal, but San Diego has the best Mexican food in the country... and better weather. :slight_smile: So I'll stick with SD. Although I'd love to take a beer week in Portland.
     
  19. slander

    slander Pooh-Bah (2,324) Nov 5, 2001 New York
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society

    As New Yorkers, we do back and forths with Boston over who's a better beer town.
    New York or Boston, Boston or New York.

    The answer is Philly.
     
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  20. chcfan

    chcfan Initiate (0) Oct 29, 2008 California

    I've been to both multiple times and Portland's beer scene impresses me more. Craft market share there is way higher than SD, and even though part of that is demographics, it's still a stifling number. Also, craft brewing goes every bit as far back in Portland, if not further, as it does in SD. That being said, I'd rather live in SD, but that's mostly because of weather.
     
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