Most Underrated Beer State

No doubt California is awesome beer-wise.

But that's no secret at all- California is far from underrated!!

 

Yeah I know, but some people underrate it...

 

Well, then those people probably don't deserve much credibility at all when it comes to beer!

If somebody underrates California's beer, it would be tantamount to saying France or Italy don't make good wine, or that the Scottish don't make good whiskey.

 

PA- Victory, Yards, Troegs, Yuengling.

 

PA baby. although all you hear about it the special top tier brews from vermont and california i believe that PA is right up there too. but i'd go on and say that every state is underrated when it comes to beer compared to cali and vermont when it comes down to it.

 

I agree with PA as being underrated but you did not mention PA's finest brewery IMO, Weyerbacher. And OP should have mentioned that in addition to CA and MI you can't say CO. or VT, as those states are often recognized (and rightly so) as the top states.

 

Agree with your OH vote.
Disagree with your sentiment for OH IPA's over any other (Go Alpine!).

 

IPAs are best fresh. If I could sit at the bar in Alpine every day, we might be in agreement.

 

Wisconsin gets my vote for underrated Tyranena and Great Dane make some amazing beer and do not get the love other more hyped breweries get.

 

I've just moved here and I'm pleasantly surprised by CT. New England Brewing Co makes some really nice stuff including Sea Hag IPA and Gandhi Bot. I'm hoping to pick up some Thomas Hooker this weekend after reading up on it.

There are also Cottrell Brewing Co and Hartford Better Beer Company that I need to try.

Willmantic Brewing Co is a brewpub that was rated in the top 10 nationally that's on my list of places to try.

Not bad for such a tiny state.

 

Seriously no love for Pennsylvania? Troegs, Victory, Penn Brewery, East End, Sly Fox, Weyerbacher, Yards. Not to mention the oldest brewery in the country: Yuengling. And Philly seriously has one of the best beer scenes in the entier country. Other votes go to Colorado, Maine, New York, Ohio, Wisconsin

 

I am not sure what Everett is. I was thinking more of a, by committee approach.

 

First of all, can we all just admit that Colorado and North Carolina are NOT underrated? They make great beer but just because the OP forgot to mention them with California and Michigan does not mean that the rest of the world has forgotten them. I also feel like Oregon is widely perceived to be in this Holy 5 states of beer. All of these states make a lot of beer and make a lot of really good beer. No issue with anyone wanted to say if any of these states was the best beer state in the land. (It is like when football commentators always talk about how great the Patriots have been under the Hoodie and also bring up the Giants two Superbowl wins. That does not mean the Steelers are underrated because real people in the know consider the team with the most Super Bowl wins and the most regular season wins post-merger to also be an elite franchise).
Now that that is out of the way, I am going to give some props to a couple of Midwest states. Wisconsin has a huge variety of beer makers and brew pubs. They have such a variety of brewers making world class beer, it is silly. Also, Minnesota has really stepped up their game. A few years ago I questioned whether or not they were they equals of Wisconsin in beer. Now I think there is an argument to be made either way.
As an Iowan, I have seen how much the beer scene has changed in my state and I have such hope for the future. Millstream carried the flag by itself (and has won a few GABF titles in the process) for a long time. However, it is no longer the only voice in the wilderness. Toppling Goliath has made some killer brews looks to be the favorite among beer geeks. Peace Tree makes some really good beers (Blonde Fatale, Hop Wrangler) and has developed an amazing amount of consistency in a short time. Great River Brewing has a fine coffee stout and some of their other offerings are nothing to sneeze at either. That is without even mentioning Back Pocket, Angry Cedar (which has also really improved!), Broad Street, Court Ave, and all the other microbrewers out there. We are not on the level of our neighbors to the north yet, but the scene is getting better.

 

I think a lot of people love PA beer (there laws are idiotic though) hence it is not underrated.

 

Hill Farmstead's excellent porter. Thought that was what you meant by "best dark beer".

 

Don't forget JK...

 

It's gotta be Illinois. They don't just have quantity, they have quality out there (Two Brothers is grossly underrated). Tons more cities are becoming craft beer friendly. You'll be seeing that state explode soon and rise (maybe even surpass) the likes of Michigan/Vermont. I don't think it's possible for any state to pass CO/CA though, they just have too many breweries... A handful are bound to be amazing.

 

North Carolina!!!!

Foothills
Highland
Pisgah
Duck-Rabbit
Big Boss
French Broad
NoDa Brewing
LAB brewing
Olde Mecklenburg
Natty Greene's
Roth Brewing
.........plus Oscar Blues, Sierra Nevada, New Belgium coming soon!

 

Olde Hickory and Skull Coast too!

 

More importantly, Jester King, Karbach, 512, Live Oak, Southern Star, Deep Ellum, Freetail, Black Star....

I would say that Texas is underrated because people assume its a void moreso than because its a great beer state. It certainly isn't a void, but it still isn't top 15 or so states by any means. Getting better and better though, with the Austin boom over the last decade, Houston and DFW certainly headed in that direction, with new breweries opening seemingly monthly.

Its fun to watch.