The list:

1. Grand Rapids, MI
2. St. Louis, MO
3. Yakima, WA
4. San Diego, CA
5. Pittsburgh, PA
6. Charlotte, NC
7. Asheville, NC
8. Milwaukee, WI
9. Columbus, OH
10. Denver, CO

“These locations across the United States have been nominated by an expert panel and voted by our readers as the 10 best beer cities for hosting the most outstanding beer scenes in the nation. That means stellar collections of established and up-and-coming breweries, beer bars, brewpubs, beer festivals, and even thriving homebrewing communities where a novice brewer can get their foot in the door.”

https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/best-beer-city/

Now, I am confident that if some intrepid BA were to conduct a survey on best US beer cities solely soliciting inputs from members of the BA community a different top 10 list would be the result.

I have personally visited 5 of the cities mentioned on that list:

Most recently I was in Asheville attending this year’s National Homebrewers Conference (markets as Homebrew Con nowadays). I have been to Asheville a number of times in the past. It is indeed a great beer city.

Last year I visited Columbus for the first time. I was only there for a couple of days and while I was mostly sightseeing local sites, I did enjoy a number of beers there. I think it is a worthwhile visit for the beer scene.

I have only been to Grand Rapids once while attending a National Homebrewers Conference and there is indeed lots of beer places there. There were banners from poles advertising “Beer City USA”. I had fun in Grand Rapids.

I have been to San Diego many times. There is indeed a vibrant beer scene there. IMO it is a very spread brewery city requiring a car to visit the numerous breweries within San Diego County (which is about the size of the state of Connecticut).

I have been to Denver a number of times including attending the Great American Beer Festival twice. Denver is a fun and exciting beer city!

I am curious how many cities of the above list you have visited and what you think of the beer scene there.

Cheers!

I lived in Grand Rapids from 2004-2008, would return to visit in-laws every year or so for the next 15 years. It is indeed a great place to have a beer.

I lived in Pittsburgh in 2003, while I was in culinary school. Back then, the only breweries I am aware of were Iron City, Penn, and Church Brew Works, where I was a cook. Seems like things have really taken off since, but really wasn't anything to write home about back then.

I visited San Diego a few years ago, and it really was an awesome beer city.

Any “beer-city” list that omits Portland, OR immediately loses all credibility in my mind.

The ratings seem to give too much weight to history. Two San Diego breweries named are Stone and Ballast Point (BP). BP is now just a contract brewery with a tarnished reputation, and Stone is in process of becoming a northern CA sub-brand of Firestone Walker. The Mlwaukee discussion features the Miller brewery (where beer is still brewed) and the leftovers of the defunct Pabst brewery. I went to Milwaukee in the late 70s and toured Schlitz (beautiful brewery, we passed on the beer). We then went to Pabst, and the outdoor beer garden with top-flight Andeker and Pabst Dark. These days you are in line to see the remainders of Pabst and sample a 16 oz can of PBR. The current Miller and Pabst tours cost $20 and $14 respectively (of course they were free in the old days).

As much as I like cheering on all things Michigan and going to bat for my homestate's craft scene(s), I wouldn't rank Grand Rapids above all other cities nationwide. There are some real gems to be had, and some of them are even within walking distance of each other. However, a poll like this are as much a popularity contest as anything else, and I strongly suspect having a rather large, widely-distro'd and no longer craft craft brewer helped tip the scales more than anything else.

Even better then Portland ,OR is Bend,OR.

Lots of major omissions and some highly questionable choices on there, too. But it's USA Today, so whatever.

I am a bit surprised no mention of Portland (either ME or OR, take your pick...). But, after reading the short notes on the cities mentioned, the list looks pretty solid to me (at least one could make a fair argument on some).

Edit: one omission is no mention of Chicago. This is a major beer city from what I have read.

Yakima? Really?

In any event, I've been to all of these except Charlotte and Milwaukee. San Diego would likely make my list... probably Denver and Ashville as well. None of the others would. It seems odd to me that Philly, Seattle, Portland(s), Chicago and the San Francisco Bay area aren't on the list, but whatever I guess.

I'll go along with the Bend Oregon suggestion as well. If Ashville is on the list, Bend should probably be on it as well.

And Bend.

Whoa!?!

Given the season I was not expecting this comment from you!!

Yakima?????? LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!

A couple decent breweries, and some industry spots. But outside of the hop ranches, not a lot to recommend it as a beer stop.

The area has a lot of hop farms. Other than that though....

There are several good breweries in the area, as well as a few taphouses. Unlike Seattle, Portland and Bend, Yakima is in no way a beer destination, unless your idea of a fun time is touring hop farms.

Outside of the various hop farms, I'm not sure why you'd put Yakima on this list.

The Fresh Hop Fest is a must for any serious beer nerd, but other than that, there's not really anything to recommend it as a beer destination.

Great Mexican food?

That is true, but I was thinking in a beer context. Unfortunately, those Mexican restaurants typically only serve Corona, Modelo and Dos XX's.

What were the criteria?
I can see Ashville, having visited, but what about both Portlands (I’ve visited both and both belong on this list)
Vermont is the craft beer state so Burlington, which has lots of good options, should be on here.
Vermont is smaller than many of these cities yet has more craft beer makers - and more top quality ones

oh well, one shouldn’t respond to articles like this…

For giggles, my top 10 NW Beer cities, in no particular order:
PDX
Seattle
Bend
Bellingham
Spokane
Hood River/White Salmon?
Yakima
Eugene?
???
???