Most Improved Beer States

In no particular order the top 4 are definitely Minnesota, North Dakota, Alabama and North Carolina.

Minnesota is now at 60 brewpubs/breweries, with about 36(?) of them coming in the past 3 years. There's more in development too.

Like FMBeer said, North Dakota has gone from 0 in mid 2012 to what will probably be 7 by the end of 2013. If the law passes to allow the breweries to self distribute (which it will) in the state this could rise even faster.

Alabama speaks for itself. That state has come a LONG way.

North Carolina is doing great things. Granted it helps they're being picked as a spot for 2nd breweries of out of state brewers looking to expand, but even the leaps the state itself has made is astonishing.

 

I'll throw my vote in for KY. In Lexington alone, in the past year and a half we have gone from 1 to 3 breweries, with a couple under construction & numerous in the planning phases. Beer culture has definitely changed here.

 

I'm sure it's been said, but I'm too lazy to look back though the thread, but Texas. Within the last month we've gotten Ballast Point, Shipyard, Goose Island & Firestone Walker plus some others. Founders coming soon and legislation is being heard to change beer laws as we speak. We also have some awesome brews being made in TX.

 

Not to beat a dead horse... But, I grew up in Tuscaloosa Alabama and lived all over the place. I was supremely dissapointed when I moved back and found the shelves barren of good brews. Since 2009 that has all changed. The selections are now unbelievable and the in state breweries are moving right along. I'm proud to be a beer drinker IN Alabama instead of just FROM Alabama.

 

I've been trying to keep up with new breweries opening around the countrey and honestly it seems like the microbrew following is springing up in new and unique places. I like when I go hiking on the AT, park in the middle of nowhere to hit a trailhead and BAM! There is a brewery right down the road. It is a good time to like craft beer.
PS: Very proud of VA as of late, though NC still has us beat.

 

You've done your part.

 

That's great! Now you have the responsibility to drink the hell outta some craft beers!

 

If you haven't been to Druid City brewery yet, you should do so

 

I will have to throw my hat in for Minnesota. Breweries and Brew Pubs are coming out of the woodwork here and it's quality over quantity. We have a minimum of 14 breweries that sell retail and a large number of brew pubs with more on the way. Minneapolis and Duluth are quickly becoming beer destinations for the state.

 

I couldn't say, as I have no real points of reference. I will say Texas has come a ways, but we still have work to do. Very excited about where this could go.

Also excited to hear about North Dakota. I will be heading up there next month and will look into Laughing Sun in Bismarck and Souris River in Minot. Anyone know when Bird Dog is supposed to get going?

 

I'm going with NC. When I was stationed there from 2002-2005, they still had the 6% cap. When I went back and was there from 2008-2012, the cap was gone and I could get just about anything I wanted.

 

I'm going to second DC. With the addition of about 7-8 new breweries basically overnight, the lax distribution laws, and its tendency to host major beer events (eg. SAVOR), the nation's capital should be called out. Also, I defy you to find a better week-long event tap list in any "state" to top this one: http://www.dcbeer.com/news/cbc-2013-events-churchkey

 

I'd say Alabama is the definition of "most improved". Holy shit they're getting awesome brews there now. More specifically Birmingham, Alabama. They're changing that place from a desert to an beer oasis as we speak and I think we're going to start seeing some amazing breweries start in the area now that people can actually buy real beer.

Texas has also improved IMMENSELY as well. Especially since last year when we got rid of that whole "ale" and "beer" terminology requirement on labeling (which has resulted in us getting a lot more limited releases from breweries that were already here) and HB515-518, which are going to allow brewpub distribution and allow tap rooms in breweries (right now, breweries are only allowed to give out samples) as well.

So far this year we've gotten new distro from Ballast Point, Goose Island, & Firestone Walker and next month we will start receiving Founders & Southern Tier.

 

Come on. The U.S. has been improving massively for decades now. Nothing new there.

 

Wait, is the most improved state or most over-rated? I keep seeing NC mentioned so I'm confused... Now many world class breweries are there in NC? 0?

 

Definitely not Rhode Island. Sure we're better than we were ten years ago, but that's like saying my crappy camera phone that can text is better than what was available ten years ago (ie, it's definitely better, but it's nowhere near where it could be). RI is being left in the dust, especially by other New England states which are blowing the doors off of us. RI currently has six RI owned breweries. Six. And that is counting Foolproof and Bucket Brewery, both of which were added in the last 6 months. I'm not saying more breweries is necessarily a good thing, but I do find the number doesn't match the demand for craft. What's even worse is distribution. We don't get half the stuff Mass. does (or at least that's how it seems to me). Dogfish Head has complete pulled out.

Certainly there's a lot of reasons why this is and there's a lot of debate to why this is. Nevertheless, few can deny that RI, like in so many other areas, does not have a beer scene that can compete with it's New England counterparts.

Sorry to thread jack!

 

Im not going to go out on a limb and say Connecticut. Still not great but improving quickly. NEBCO has some real strong offerings, Total wines has opened and they seem to be improving their distro and number of stores and bars. NEBCO alone could help carry them to brighter pastures. That brewery alone has improved, at least quality wise, year after year. While im not from the state, i speak based on limited experience and observations. That said, I could really go for an IST and 668 right now.

 

Chicago breweries have sky rocketed. Pipeworks, Spiteful, Revolution, Haymarket, Piece, Metropolitan,Half Acre and many more the ones I did mention are my favorites. It's awesome from what has come out of just Chicago I can't keep up and they are draining my wallet especially Pipeworks I have yet to have a beer from them that I do not enjoy!

 

Florida

From what I hear the distro has grown considerably but really the breweries in FL are what interest me. There are ton of new good breweries that have only started in the last 4 years or so including: Intuition, Gravity Brewlabs, J Wakefield, Fermentation and of course CCB. Funky Buddha is expanding as well so that only adds to my excitement around the small breweries in FL that are coming up with amazing stuff.

 

Idk about most improved, but Texas is definitely improving. Great breweries are popping up (like my avatar, Deep Ellum) we're getting better laws, and badass breweries are starting to distribute here. Our breweries are about to start getting tap rooms now. We recently got Goose Island and Firestone Walker, and we're getting Founders, and Southern Teir in a couple weeks. We're all jumping for joy out here lol.