Most Underrated Beer State

As a New Hampshire native, I proudly agree. Aside from the major players (California/Colorado/Pennsylvania), I'm mostly familiar with beers from the New England states, so I'm not sure which states are underrated throughout the rest of the country. But around here, New Hampshire is underrated, in my book. It's been slower than Maine or Vermont to support local products including beers, but that's changing, and it's obviously much smaller than Massachusetts. Despite the whole "Live free or die" thing, it also has some of the most restrictive distribution and brewing laws/fees in the region. Things are looking up, though, with the old guard led by Smuttynose and Portsmouth Brewery still brewing some of the best beer in New England, several brewpubs seeing a new generation of homegrown brewers taking over, a number of new breweries opening in the state in the last few years (including four this year), a ton of specialty good beer stores opening throughout the state, and more people getting interested in good, local beer. Things are definitely looking up, and I hope New Hampshire isn't underrated for long.

 

My vote is for Ohio.

 

Canada!!!! Oh, wait...

 

Good analogy...coming from a Cub fan.

 

New Mexico! I am currently drinking a Santa Fe Imperial Java Stout. I swear it rivals the Milk Stout I had last weekend.

 

You said "and many more", but you need to mention Hoppin' Frog. All their beer is good, about 50% of it is amazing.

 

I can't believe you put Deep Ellum in the same list as those other breweries.

 

I thought Wealth and Taste was really solid. To each their own.

In fact, if anything, I thought people would comment on Southern Star.

 

I have a love hate relationship with Hoppin Frog. Love the beer, hate the price. HF beers are up there with anyone quality wise, but I wish they made it easier to buy in more affordable formats. I just had the Saison/IPA thing they did over in Denmark(I think) and it was awesome, but at $13 a bottle I will never buy it.

 

This is some kind of joke right?

 

Georgia has some good beer.

Terrapin
Jailhouse
Wild Heaven
Sweetwater
5 Seasons
Red Hare
Red Brick
Strawn
Burnt Hickory

 

I wasn't a huge fan of Wealth and Taste but it's easily the best beer of theirs I've had. Southern Star doesn't make any over the top beers or beers for beer snobs but all their releases are dead on the style, even if they are more basic styles. I'm a big fan of the seasonals.

 

California. I know it sounds crazy, but having lived there for 10 years I never fully appreciated the selection. Now that I'm not there I wish I could have the same options.

 

Washington. The list of reasons is longer. (I didn't even double-space it)

192 Brewing Company
7 Seas Brewing
Acadian Farms
Adam’s Bistro and Brewery
Airways Brewing
Airways Beer and Bistro (Airways’ pub)
Alpine Brewing
American Brewing Company
Anacortes Brewery – Rockfish Grill
Ancient Lakes Brewing Company
Atomic Ale Brewpub and Eatery
Bainbridge Brewing
Backwoods Brewing
Barhop Brewing
Baron Brewing – Three Skulls Brewing
Beljica Brewing
Beta Brewing
Big Al Brewing
Big E Ales (Ellersick Brewing)
Big Horn Brewing / Ram
Big Time Brewing
Birdsview Brewing
BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse
Black Raven Brewing Co
Bluebird Brewing
Boundary Bay Brewery and Bistro
Brickyard Brewing
Budge Brothers Brewing
C.I. Shenanigans
Chuckanut Brewery and Kitchen
Columbia Valley Brewing
Der Blokken Brewery Pub
Diamond Knot Brewery and Alehouse
Dick’s Brewing
Dirty Bucket Brewery
Dungeness Brewing Company
Duo Brewing
Duvall Springs Brewing
Elkhead Brewing
Elliott Bay Brewery and Pub
Elliott Bay Brewhouse and Pub
Elliott Bay Public House Brewery
Elysian Brewery and Public House
Elysian Brewing TangleTown
Elysian Fields Brewery
Elysian Brewing (production only)
Emerald City Beer Company
Engine House #9 Brewing
Epic Ales
Everybody’s Brewing
Fathom and League Hop Yard Brewery
Fish Brewing and Fish Tail Brewpub – Leavenworth Beers
Fish Brewing Co.
Flyers Restaurant and Brewery
Foggy Noggin Brewing
Foot Hills Brewing
Fremont Brewing Company
Front Street Ale House – San Juan Brewing
Gallaghers’ Where U Brew (BOP)
Georgetown Brewing
Gilligan’s Brewing
Golden Hills Brewing
Gordon Biersch Brewing
Grey Parrot Brewing Company
Grove Street Brewhouse
Hale’s Ales
Harmon Pub and Brewery
Harmon Taproom and Brewery
Hazel Dell Brewpub
Headknocker Brewery
Heathen Brewing
Herbert Benjamin Friendly Brewing
Hillard’s Beer
Hood Canal Brewing
Horse Heaven Hills Brewery
Ice Harbor Brewery and Pub
Icicle Brewing Company
Iron Goat Brewing
Iron Horse Brewery
Island Hoppin Brewery (aka Orcas Island Brewing)
Issaquah Brewhouse (Rogue Ales)
Kimo’s Restaurant and Sports Bar
Kona Brewing
Kulshan Brewing
LaConner Brewing
Laht Neppur Brewing
Lantern Brewing
Laurelwood Brewery and Public House
Lazy Boy Brewing
Lost Falls Brewery
M T Head Brewing Company
Mac and Jack’s Brewery
Maritime Pacific Brewing,
McMenamins – East Vancouver
McMenamins – Spar Cafe
McMenamins Mill Creek
McMenamins on the Columbia
McMenamins Queen Anne Hill
McMenamins Six Arms
Methow Valley Brewing -Twisp River Pub
Mill Creek Brewpub -Big House Brewing
Mt. Tabor Brewing
Naked City Brewery and Taphouse
New Belgium Brewing
North Fork Brewers
North Sound Brewing
Northern Ales, Inc.
No-Li Brewhouse (formerly Norther Lights Brewing)
Northwest Brewing (formerly Trade Route Brewing)
Northwest Peaks Brewing
Odin Brewing Company
Old Schoolhouse Brewing
Olympic Club (McMenamins)
Outlander Brewery and Pub
Palouse Falls Brewing
Paradise Creek Brewery
Parker’s Steakhouse
Peak’s Pub
Pike Pub and Brewery
Port Townsend Brewing
Power House Brewery and Restaurant
Puyallup River Brewing
Pyramid Alehouse, Brewery and Restaurant
Railside Brewing
Ram Brewing
Ram Brewing Tacoma
Ram Restaturant and Brewery
Ram Restaurant & Brewery of Lakewood (RAM International)
Ram Restaurant & Brewery of Seattle (RAM International)
Redhook Ale Brewery – Forecasters Public House
Republic Brewing Company
Reubens Brews
Riverport Brewing Company
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery Seattle
Rocky Coulee Brewing
Roslyn Brewing
Salmon Creek Brewery and Pub
Schooner Exact Brewing
Scuttlebutt Brewing
Scuttlebutt Brewing
Seattle Brewing Company
Silver City Brewing
Silver City Brewing
Skagit River Brewing
Skookum Brewing
Skye Book and Brew
Slippery Pig Brewing
Snipes Mountain Microbrewery & Restaurant
Snoqualmie Falls Brewing
Soos Creek Brewing
Sound Brewery
St. Brigid’s Brewery
St. Helens Brewing
The Station U-Brew
Steam Plant Grill (Coeur d’Alene Brewing)
Stephan’s Aldergrove Brewing
The Monkey
Twelve Bar Brews
Twelve String Brewing
Twin Peaks Brewing & Malting Co
Two Beers Brewing Company
Two Sisters Brewing Company
Valholl Brewing Company
Vashon Brewing Co
Vital Brewing Company
Walking Man Brewing
West Highland Brewing
Westport Brewing
White Bluffs Brewing
Whitstran Brewing
Wingman Brewers
Yakima Craft Brewing Co.

 

Ohio

 

Ohio, hands down.

Great Lakes
Brew Kettle
Fat Heads
Jackie O's
Columbus
Elevator
Rivertown
Weasel Boy
Rockmill
Barley's
Buckeye Lake Brewing
Hoppin Frog
Thirsty Dog

Among others.

 

I'm gonna put out my own state of Pennsylvania. I think we are very underrated.

 

Most overrated beer state: Vermont (at least the southern half).

 

This times a million. Utah's beer scene remains hostage to the laws. By not allowing minors into a tap room they are vilifying beer. Talking to the staff at Uinta their opinion was that those regulations are killing profits by prohibiting families from going out to a pub or tap room for dinner. Empty streets is right and it's the most progressive place in Utah. Erode those laws people!

 

100% agree with FATC1TY & GetTheYayo. Georgia gets very little mention on this site, most likely because none of it is shipped out of the region. Sweetwater, the largest, was just awarded at GABF for their porter. Both Terrapin and Jailhouse put out consistently great beer. Wild Heaven & O'Dempseys have limited but high quality line ups. Southbound has some great stuff from the little I've tried and once Burnt Hickory starts bottling (hopefully next year) we'll have some sought after beer indeed.
Georgia. Underrated. Under appreciated.