Grand Rapids, of course!! Michigan rules for beer, people and their beautiful beaches. My cousin Karyn will be rockin at Founders...raise a pint for me!!
Su - 11 years ago
Kzoo rocks!
Dawn - 11 years ago
Asheville Rocks!
James Hamilton - 11 years ago
Kalamazoo is building new breweries constantly, even breweries from out of town are moving into Kalamazoo. Vote Kalamazoo!
Brian foster - 11 years ago
kalamazoo número uno !!!
Bill Wenger - 11 years ago
Kalamazoo -The top voted beers in the country! Hop Slam can even quench the thirst of the Gods and it is available to me on tap at the Kalamazoo Eccentric Cafe.
Ttribu - 11 years ago
Kzoo is where the hops is happening!
Bill Cobern - 11 years ago
Kalamazoo!! No other city even comes close.
rhino33 - 11 years ago
There are great micros in all of the listed cities
Sierra Nevada AND New Belgium both voted for ASHEVILLE!
Buckwheat - 11 years ago
Only the zoo will do for brew
Micky - 11 years ago
Grand Rapids has some of the best breweries in the entire country.
Joann Randolph - 11 years ago
Asheville by far!
A.B. - 11 years ago
Grand Rapids has made tremendous gains in the past few years in terms of breweries. Quality beers. The best choice hands down!
Wendi - 11 years ago
Go GR
Drew_Brew - 11 years ago
Asheville was Beer City before Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, Oskar Blues and Wicked Weed were even here....there's your winner.
I travel to Ashville, NC and Grand Rapids, MI several times each year and am a good beer lover. Grand Rapids is head and shoulders above Ashville is really great beers made locally.
Keith - 11 years ago
Grand Rapids has just exploded in the last few years with new high quality breweries everywhere you look. Founders is developing internationally as a large brewer, and wandering around downtown, you run into smaller microbreweries everywhere you go, and in each direction out, even in the "conservative" parts of town. We have incredible local suppliers of gear and hops. I love Revolution Brewery in Chicago, and so many others, but the amount and quality per capita in the Grand rapids area is unmatched anywhere.
K hook - 11 years ago
I've been to Asheville and while they have some great beer stores, the breweries themselves were just good. Grand Rapids beer and breweries are significantly better, consistently.
K hook - 11 years ago
I've been to Asheville and while they have some great beer stores, the breweries themselves were just good. Grand Rapids beer and breweries are significantly better, consistently.
There's no place like Asheville, click your heels three times and you'll land in a beer here with your ruby red slippers sticking out.
Larena - 11 years ago
Grand Rapids, of course!
Josh - 11 years ago
Asheville!
jen - 11 years ago
As a Chicagoan, I been to Kzoo and GR a few times and Asheville several times. Michigan beers are good, but absolutely no comparison to beer from the Asheville breweries. The Avl breweries have SUCH a better selection and better quality beer. The only brewery in Michigan that even comes close to Avl is Greenbush. All you Michiganders need to get out and explore a little. :)
KC - 11 years ago
Grand Rapids!!!
FUGLY - 11 years ago
I MAY ALSO POINT OUT. COLORADO PRODUCES MORE BEER THAN ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD AND OUR BASEBALL STADIUM IN DENVER WHERE THE COLORADO ROCKIES PLAY " COORS FIELD" HAS IT'S OWN MICROBREWERY. ALSO THE GOVERNOR OF COLORADO WHO USE TO BE DENVER'S MAYOR OWNS HIS OWN MICROBREWERIES
Topher - 11 years ago
AVL all day
FUGLY - 11 years ago
HAD TO VOTE DENVER BECAUSE DENVER HAS MORE MICROBREWERIES THAN ANY OTHER CITY OUT THERE.
BradleyMercer - 11 years ago
The real question is , who is better at drinking? Michigander's, or N.Carolinens? Northerners excellent at drinking! (It's due to the long winter).
Rob - 11 years ago
Well, I will say this in defense of GR (not in defense of the experienceGR article). I have lived in Chicago, Milwaukee, Kalamazoo, and Grand Rapids, and even though I chose to make the Chicago south suburbs my home, I still voted for GR. There's just no comparison when it comes to the local enthusiasm, great places, etc., especially when you factor in the size of the town. I cut my teeth on Bells in college and will always love Kzoo. Chi-town is great all over. Milwaukee is a 24/7 party. All great towns, and great beer in all of them. But when it comes to the beer culture (not to mention my favorite individual brewery, Founders), GR still takes the cake for me, of those cities I've lived. Of course, I haven't been to most of the other cities on this poll, so I can't say it's the best. Only that it's the best I've seen personally, and I vote for it even if it's not "my city."
Sf - 11 years ago
Grand Rapids..best beer ever! Asheville more like Assville!
Marta - 11 years ago
Asheville wins in every way!!!! Brews spreading here like wild fire sooo good!
adam ripley - 11 years ago
Avl... best beer city by far!
D - 11 years ago
Asheville is delicious! It deserves a gratuitous amount of these type of awards!
Rachel - 11 years ago
Ann Arbor is a great beer city and deserves this honor. Jolly Pumpkin, Arbor Brewing, Grizzly Peak, Wolverine, and Corner all make this a great city to pick up a pint.
Nicole - 11 years ago
GR
joe and wendy - 11 years ago
Asheville is great city with so many awesome breweries!
Bk - 11 years ago
Kzoo has is the place for micro beers!
Shane - 11 years ago
Leo, I am dead serious. Those people did not come because of a meaningless title given by a non official internet poll. They came because of all the publicity given due to this poll. Even if GR had come in dead last, it would have still seen an influx of tourism due to the publicity. Every city on this poll saw an increase last year, some more than others but an increase non the less. Asheville doesn't really need any more publicity, it gets millions of tourist every year as it is, the whole city is based on tourism, the entire economy of Asheville & surrounding area depends of tourism. I have never been to GR & know little to nothing about the city or its beer, so I can not say anything about it, but what I can say is that the results of this poll are meaningless, what gets the peoples attention is the publicity generated due to this poll. Every since this poll opened recently, every type of media in & around Asheville has been doing nothing but talking about beer, there are several stories done on it almost every day. Its got people talking about it with their friends, posting about it on Facebook, sending links to their friends about it, etc... I can only imagine that all of the cities on this poll have done the same, so word is getting out there, more & more people are talking about beer and all the micro breweries in their towns and what towns have good beer & cool places to hang out. The final results of this poll aren't doing that, the people of your city are doing that.
Wicked Weed HAS TO BE national new brewery of the year. Couple that with the fact that we landed Sierra Nevada & New Belgium....Asheville should no doubt retain it's crown.
Leo - 11 years ago
Shane - you're joking, right? It does mean a lot to the city that wins. There is a prize - the volume of beer tourism and economic growth that came to GR after sharing the title last year had a measurable and significant impact.
Meag - 11 years ago
GR all the way!!!
Joe Collins - 11 years ago
Grand Rapids by far has the best breweries...
sheeny - 11 years ago
Grand Rapids, MI
Founders is always in of the top 5 microbreweries in the world. Look it up.
My cities beer is way better than your cities beer. Mine tastes like ambrosia, yours tastes like diarrhea water. My city is friggin' cool, the other cities are full of stupid heads that like to eat farts and drink bud light. I hope my city wins and the others get nuked by the North Koreans!
JJ - 11 years ago
Grand Rapids Brew On!!!!!!! No hanging chad here.
Kirk - 11 years ago
Live near Ann Arbor - great breweries - Original Gravity, Wolverine (Lagers), Blue Tractor, Jolly Pumpkin, Grizley Peak, Ann Arbor Brewery.... and KZoo is a short train ride away... and GR is close too... Might have to just vote for all of Michigan.
Shane - 11 years ago
Get some perspective people, it's a meaningless poll based on popularity. It's not like the winning city gets any kind of trophy, award, money, prestige or anything of any importance. I could create a poll on this same site asking which city would you call "Hippest City USA". Doesn't mean a damn thing, let people vote a million times each, who ever wins this will only win it either because people love that town & their beer scene or because they got the most people to vote multiple times, in return meaning they love their town & the beer scene that much. It doesn't even really give the city any real bragging rights any more than if I were the creator of this poll
Sue - 11 years ago
Grand Rapids has the best brew houses period.
Hitchhiker42 - 11 years ago
Sure, most of us realized ways to give more votes, but none of the other cities (as far as I know) have gone as far as having the city itself promote to loopholes. This is about community support and pride, not technicalities and work-arounds. Its just disappointing and low class that the officials actually posted that. Keep it classy.
Tammy Redmon - 11 years ago
Asheville baby
Ed Needham - 11 years ago
Louisville
Derek - 11 years ago
For it's size, I think Asheville is Beer City. Under 100k people and to have that many breweries, great beers, and the culture, it's unmatchable.
Mary Erickson - 11 years ago
There are several great cities included in this poll...all of them having their own unique beer culture which should be a great source of pride and celebration to residents and visitors alike. As a resident of Michigan, I can appreciate beers from all over my state and I consider myself lucky to be so close to so many choices. I also love traveling to Wisconsin for another favorite, New Glarus and as we speak I am planning a trip to Asheville because it sounds like a great place to visit!
I'm disappointed to see a city in my state turning this friendly poll of craft beer admiration into a bloody battle between cities by giving directions on how to stuff the ballot box (http://www.experiencegr.com/newsletter/?action=article&nID=72&aid=431&preview=1 ) and for not admonishing those that continue to bash the other cities in the poll.
When all is said and done, it doesn't matter if my community wins Beer City USA or not. We already know we have a great community that loves our craft beer...and we love the craft beer of our neighbors; come see for yourself sometime- Kalamazoo, Baroda, Battle Creek, Benton Harbor, Decatur, Hastings, Marshall, Middleville, Paw Paw, Sawyer, Saugatuck.
MIBeerDude - 11 years ago
It's not "hacking" if everyone can do it! The playing field is entirely equal. Everyone has the same access, everyone has the same parameters for voting.
Informing people of the guidelines of voting operation is not "hacking", especially since we're all on the exact same level. We can all vote by the exact same rules and means.
Oh, good lord people. This isn't a presidential election. Nothing wrong with finding alternate ways to vote. It's a frickin' informal poll, and it doesn't violate what very few rules there are.
Go Tampa!
Jason - 11 years ago
Really GR? You are OFFICIALLY telling people how to cheat the system?
http://www.experiencegr.com/newsletter/?action=article&nID=72&aid=431&preview=1
Way to keep it classy.... -__-
JJS - 11 years ago
I currently reside near Asheville, while Asheville has great offerings (Wicked Weed, Wedge, Thirsty Monk), it's time for the great city of Kalamazoo, MI to be recognized for the phenomenal, friendly beer culture it offers. Cheers to Kzoo!
Donna - 11 years ago
I believe this is just all in good fun! I guess it doesn't really matter who wins it's not like we get free beer for winning! Saying that the reason GR won last year beacause we had the most people who voted, not because a few people voted several times. Maybe we win this year maybe we don't. Good luck to all the cities!!!!
Amber - 11 years ago
Asheville
Matt Shearer - 11 years ago
LOL to those complaining about GR "hacking" the poll and "rigging" the vote. Being able to vote from multiple devices that have different IPs is common knowledge. And guess what? YOU CAN DO IT TOO! HELP OFFSET THE TYRANNICAL REIGN OF GRAND RAPIDS BY VOTING FROM ALL OF YOUR DEVICES TO THE CITY OF YOUR CHOICE TO FREE THE PEOPLE FROM THE IRON VICE OF INJUSTICE~!
Idiots.
Larry - 11 years ago
Kalamazoo! Bell's Oberon!!
Josh - 11 years ago
Can you say Asheville?!
Kimm - 11 years ago
GR isn't telling people to "hack" it. They merely pointed out the technologically obvious point that this is based on votes per IP address and explained you can vote multiple times by using different devices. In the case of multiple individuals using 1 computer or device for voting this is actually helpful information. I.E. my parents share one computer. My dad is from Chicago, Mom from West Michigan. Their votes could easily go different ways but seeing as they would only have 1 device to use changing browsers allows them both to vote their own way. (even though that cancels each other out kind of lol)
Rachelle - 11 years ago
Grand Rapids, Michigan is an awesome city for many things, exspeically brewery's... They have brewery's popping up all over. We even have a brewery in Sparta, Mi where I grew up & live. In Sparta is a pretty small town but, a great place to raise a family... :-) Good Luck Grand Rapids, Mi.
Moe - 11 years ago
Go Kazoo
Zach - 11 years ago
I'd like to request that Grand Rapids, MI be disqualified from voting for publishing on their website experiencegr.com (the people running their campaign) how to hack the poll here so you can vote hundreds of time per person. Kinda shows now how they won last year.
Laura - 11 years ago
When I moved from Chicago to Kalamazoo 12 years ago, a buddy of mine in Chicago congratulated me for moving to the "Best Beer City in the US", where his absolute favorite brewing company was located (Bell's). At the time, I thought he was nuts - how could Kalamazoo compete with other great brewing cities? After living here for 12 years, I now know that he was absolutely right. Kalamazoo has some great brews and continues to grow, with others moving into the area due to its great reputation as a growing city and a wonderful beer city with some excellent quality brews!
Shane - 11 years ago
This is nothing more than a popularity contest, much like when we were all in high school & it came time to vote for class president. Didn't matter who would be better at the job, the kid who was the most popular or talk the most smack always won or like who wins American Idol, the best singer doesn't always win, but the most popular one always does. This poll is no different, it all about popularity and which town can get the most people to bother with signing on to this site and voting. No matter which city actually wins the title, it in no way means they have the best beer or beer "culture", the ONLY thing it means is that the city that won got the most people to support them by voting.
Hey, Grand Rapids is showing you how to rig the vote. It's really sad that communities are encouraging their residents to do this. http://ow.ly/kSzxY
Johnny Depp - 11 years ago
So who is more beautiful...Giselle Bundchen or Charlize Theron?
Traveled the world and I say flip a coin when it comes to beer between Asheville and Portland. The two are kindred spirits that should not bicker because they are equals.
If you're on the East coast head to Asheville and the West hunker down in Portland.
Both are tremendous places and neither deserve negativity when it comes to the local and semi-local beer on hand.
- JD
Julie - 11 years ago
Kalamazoo all the way!!
Lisa - 11 years ago
As someone who has spent a great deal of time over the east coast, I say Asheville takes the cake....
Audrey Schwimmer - 11 years ago
Hello Ann Arbor!
TK - 11 years ago
Johny T, you hit the nail on the head. To many of the voters are biased towards where they live, and making this a poll on what city is better. All of the cities that are listed are great places and have great beer scenes. Who is to say one is better than the other. What are we really trying to defy here. Who has the most breweries? Who has the best beer? What town is the most beer savvy? All of these factors except for the number of breweries is strictly opinion. At each brewery no matter if its in Po-Dunk South Dakota, Asheville, Grand Rapids, etc... I try to taste as many beers as I can. Some are good some are bad. The ones I find to be tasty someone else may hate. It is similar to a poll asking who the best guitarist is. It is all personal opinion. To Asheville Native, I am not personally attacking you by all means. I am just happy to live in an area that is so diverse. The diversity in the Asheville area is what brings in the variety if beer styles to the area.
Jackie Treehorn - 11 years ago
Longtime Western NC resident here- AVL is one my absolute favorite cities, hands down. But these polls are always pissing matches between AVL and Grand Rapids, which is silly. You guys need to visit the west. CO, WA, and of course OR are all tough to beat. personally I'll take the Denver-Boulder-Fort Collins area for overall quality and beer culture in a bigger setting. Oh yeah, and cannabis is completely legal here, which makes everything taste a little better- and tends to go quite nicely with a beer or two.
Jackie Treehorn - 11 years ago
Longtime Western NC resident here- AVL is one my absolute favorite cities, hands down. But these polls are always pissing matches between AVL and Grand Rapids, which is silly. You guys need to visit the west. CO, WA, and of course OR are all tough to beat. personally I'll take the Denver-Boulder-Fort Collins area for overall quality and beer culture in a bigger setting. Oh yeah, and cannabis is completely legal here, which makes everything taste a little better- and tends to go quite nicely with a beer or two.
Taylor peebles - 11 years ago
Kzoo all the way!!
ArizonaDude1966 - 11 years ago
I haven't been to all of the places on this list, and would have liked to see some more Arizona love, but I have been to Portland, Grand Rapids, Philly, and Denver/Ft Collins. I don't really get Philly on this board, but I would head back for a beer-cation to any of the other places. Founders in GR is my all-time favorite brewery, and nowhere compares to night out in Portland.
ArizonaDude1966 - 11 years ago
I haven't been to all of the places on this list, and would have liked to see some more Arizona love, but I have been to Portland, Grand Rapids, Philly, and Denver/Ft Collins. I don't really get Philly on this board, but I would head back for a beer-cation to any of the other places. Founders in GR is my all-time favorite brewery, and nowhere compares to night out in Portland.
JeffInSeattle - 11 years ago
Been all over for web sales business in the last 8 years... Asheville is great, Portland is great, Grand Rapids is great .... any of those places would be deserving of a title.
Johnny T - 11 years ago
This is a horrible way to determine which city is Beer City USA. Even though so many people here make claims of living in a few of these places, or even having been to few of them, most or all of them are lying. There's no way an anonymous survey is the best way to give out this honor. I would much rather it be a panel of judges that know what criteria they are looking for that go to each city. If it weren't for the great things that have happened in GR because of getting the title last year I wouldn't care anymore after seeing this. It's too bad people will make all kinds of things up about themselves, the cities, and the breweries that they want to sabotage. At the very least this poll could do without the comment section. This is just awful.
TK - 11 years ago
This is also a Beer survey not a survey asking if Asheville is a good city or not you dope so with that said I have travelled all over the US and yes Asheville has a great beer scene. Originally from Wisconsin I am some what biased towards WI brew, but when it comes to craft brews Asheville takes the cake.
No one has beer like us, no one.
Kalamazoo is TOPS!
ASHEVILLE!!
Asheville has the best and the best weather.
Grand Rapids, of course!! Michigan rules for beer, people and their beautiful beaches. My cousin Karyn will be rockin at Founders...raise a pint for me!!
Kzoo rocks!
Asheville Rocks!
Kalamazoo is building new breweries constantly, even breweries from out of town are moving into Kalamazoo. Vote Kalamazoo!
kalamazoo número uno !!!
Kalamazoo -The top voted beers in the country! Hop Slam can even quench the thirst of the Gods and it is available to me on tap at the Kalamazoo Eccentric Cafe.
Kzoo is where the hops is happening!
Kalamazoo!! No other city even comes close.
There are great micros in all of the listed cities
Sierra Nevada AND New Belgium both voted for ASHEVILLE!
Only the zoo will do for brew
Grand Rapids has some of the best breweries in the entire country.
Asheville by far!
Grand Rapids has made tremendous gains in the past few years in terms of breweries. Quality beers. The best choice hands down!
Go GR
Asheville was Beer City before Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, Oskar Blues and Wicked Weed were even here....there's your winner.
Grand Rapids Rocks!!
I travel to Ashville, NC and Grand Rapids, MI several times each year and am a good beer lover. Grand Rapids is head and shoulders above Ashville is really great beers made locally.
Grand Rapids has just exploded in the last few years with new high quality breweries everywhere you look. Founders is developing internationally as a large brewer, and wandering around downtown, you run into smaller microbreweries everywhere you go, and in each direction out, even in the "conservative" parts of town. We have incredible local suppliers of gear and hops. I love Revolution Brewery in Chicago, and so many others, but the amount and quality per capita in the Grand rapids area is unmatched anywhere.
I've been to Asheville and while they have some great beer stores, the breweries themselves were just good. Grand Rapids beer and breweries are significantly better, consistently.
I've been to Asheville and while they have some great beer stores, the breweries themselves were just good. Grand Rapids beer and breweries are significantly better, consistently.
ITT: a bunch of weiners
Asheville, North Carolina!
Asheville, North Carolina!
2880What!
2880What!
Asheville, NC of course
ZOO!
The "Zoo" has beer on lock!
There's no place like Asheville, click your heels three times and you'll land in a beer here with your ruby red slippers sticking out.
Grand Rapids, of course!
Asheville!
As a Chicagoan, I been to Kzoo and GR a few times and Asheville several times. Michigan beers are good, but absolutely no comparison to beer from the Asheville breweries. The Avl breweries have SUCH a better selection and better quality beer. The only brewery in Michigan that even comes close to Avl is Greenbush. All you Michiganders need to get out and explore a little. :)
Grand Rapids!!!
I MAY ALSO POINT OUT. COLORADO PRODUCES MORE BEER THAN ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD AND OUR BASEBALL STADIUM IN DENVER WHERE THE COLORADO ROCKIES PLAY " COORS FIELD" HAS IT'S OWN MICROBREWERY. ALSO THE GOVERNOR OF COLORADO WHO USE TO BE DENVER'S MAYOR OWNS HIS OWN MICROBREWERIES
AVL all day
HAD TO VOTE DENVER BECAUSE DENVER HAS MORE MICROBREWERIES THAN ANY OTHER CITY OUT THERE.
The real question is , who is better at drinking? Michigander's, or N.Carolinens? Northerners excellent at drinking! (It's due to the long winter).
Well, I will say this in defense of GR (not in defense of the experienceGR article). I have lived in Chicago, Milwaukee, Kalamazoo, and Grand Rapids, and even though I chose to make the Chicago south suburbs my home, I still voted for GR. There's just no comparison when it comes to the local enthusiasm, great places, etc., especially when you factor in the size of the town. I cut my teeth on Bells in college and will always love Kzoo. Chi-town is great all over. Milwaukee is a 24/7 party. All great towns, and great beer in all of them. But when it comes to the beer culture (not to mention my favorite individual brewery, Founders), GR still takes the cake for me, of those cities I've lived. Of course, I haven't been to most of the other cities on this poll, so I can't say it's the best. Only that it's the best I've seen personally, and I vote for it even if it's not "my city."
Grand Rapids..best beer ever! Asheville more like Assville!
Asheville wins in every way!!!! Brews spreading here like wild fire sooo good!
Avl... best beer city by far!
Asheville is delicious! It deserves a gratuitous amount of these type of awards!
Ann Arbor is a great beer city and deserves this honor. Jolly Pumpkin, Arbor Brewing, Grizzly Peak, Wolverine, and Corner all make this a great city to pick up a pint.
GR
Asheville is great city with so many awesome breweries!
Kzoo has is the place for micro beers!
Leo, I am dead serious. Those people did not come because of a meaningless title given by a non official internet poll. They came because of all the publicity given due to this poll. Even if GR had come in dead last, it would have still seen an influx of tourism due to the publicity. Every city on this poll saw an increase last year, some more than others but an increase non the less. Asheville doesn't really need any more publicity, it gets millions of tourist every year as it is, the whole city is based on tourism, the entire economy of Asheville & surrounding area depends of tourism. I have never been to GR & know little to nothing about the city or its beer, so I can not say anything about it, but what I can say is that the results of this poll are meaningless, what gets the peoples attention is the publicity generated due to this poll. Every since this poll opened recently, every type of media in & around Asheville has been doing nothing but talking about beer, there are several stories done on it almost every day. Its got people talking about it with their friends, posting about it on Facebook, sending links to their friends about it, etc... I can only imagine that all of the cities on this poll have done the same, so word is getting out there, more & more people are talking about beer and all the micro breweries in their towns and what towns have good beer & cool places to hang out. The final results of this poll aren't doing that, the people of your city are doing that.
Asheville all day, all night!
Asheville all day, all night!
Asheville all day, all night!
Wicked Weed HAS TO BE national new brewery of the year. Couple that with the fact that we landed Sierra Nevada & New Belgium....Asheville should no doubt retain it's crown.
Shane - you're joking, right? It does mean a lot to the city that wins. There is a prize - the volume of beer tourism and economic growth that came to GR after sharing the title last year had a measurable and significant impact.
GR all the way!!!
Grand Rapids by far has the best breweries...
Grand Rapids, MI
Founders is always in of the top 5 microbreweries in the world. Look it up.
http://foundersbrewing.com/
http://www.ratebeer.com/RateBeerBest/bestbrewers_012012.asp
My cities beer is way better than your cities beer. Mine tastes like ambrosia, yours tastes like diarrhea water. My city is friggin' cool, the other cities are full of stupid heads that like to eat farts and drink bud light. I hope my city wins and the others get nuked by the North Koreans!
Grand Rapids Brew On!!!!!!! No hanging chad here.
Live near Ann Arbor - great breweries - Original Gravity, Wolverine (Lagers), Blue Tractor, Jolly Pumpkin, Grizley Peak, Ann Arbor Brewery.... and KZoo is a short train ride away... and GR is close too... Might have to just vote for all of Michigan.
Get some perspective people, it's a meaningless poll based on popularity. It's not like the winning city gets any kind of trophy, award, money, prestige or anything of any importance. I could create a poll on this same site asking which city would you call "Hippest City USA". Doesn't mean a damn thing, let people vote a million times each, who ever wins this will only win it either because people love that town & their beer scene or because they got the most people to vote multiple times, in return meaning they love their town & the beer scene that much. It doesn't even really give the city any real bragging rights any more than if I were the creator of this poll
Grand Rapids has the best brew houses period.
Sure, most of us realized ways to give more votes, but none of the other cities (as far as I know) have gone as far as having the city itself promote to loopholes. This is about community support and pride, not technicalities and work-arounds. Its just disappointing and low class that the officials actually posted that. Keep it classy.
Asheville baby
Louisville
For it's size, I think Asheville is Beer City. Under 100k people and to have that many breweries, great beers, and the culture, it's unmatchable.
There are several great cities included in this poll...all of them having their own unique beer culture which should be a great source of pride and celebration to residents and visitors alike. As a resident of Michigan, I can appreciate beers from all over my state and I consider myself lucky to be so close to so many choices. I also love traveling to Wisconsin for another favorite, New Glarus and as we speak I am planning a trip to Asheville because it sounds like a great place to visit!
I'm disappointed to see a city in my state turning this friendly poll of craft beer admiration into a bloody battle between cities by giving directions on how to stuff the ballot box (http://www.experiencegr.com/newsletter/?action=article&nID=72&aid=431&preview=1 ) and for not admonishing those that continue to bash the other cities in the poll.
When all is said and done, it doesn't matter if my community wins Beer City USA or not. We already know we have a great community that loves our craft beer...and we love the craft beer of our neighbors; come see for yourself sometime- Kalamazoo, Baroda, Battle Creek, Benton Harbor, Decatur, Hastings, Marshall, Middleville, Paw Paw, Sawyer, Saugatuck.
It's not "hacking" if everyone can do it! The playing field is entirely equal. Everyone has the same access, everyone has the same parameters for voting.
Informing people of the guidelines of voting operation is not "hacking", especially since we're all on the exact same level. We can all vote by the exact same rules and means.
GRAND RAPIDS FOR BEER CITY USA 13
Oh, good lord people. This isn't a presidential election. Nothing wrong with finding alternate ways to vote. It's a frickin' informal poll, and it doesn't violate what very few rules there are.
Go Tampa!
Really GR? You are OFFICIALLY telling people how to cheat the system?
http://www.experiencegr.com/newsletter/?action=article&nID=72&aid=431&preview=1
Way to keep it classy.... -__-
I currently reside near Asheville, while Asheville has great offerings (Wicked Weed, Wedge, Thirsty Monk), it's time for the great city of Kalamazoo, MI to be recognized for the phenomenal, friendly beer culture it offers. Cheers to Kzoo!
I believe this is just all in good fun! I guess it doesn't really matter who wins it's not like we get free beer for winning! Saying that the reason GR won last year beacause we had the most people who voted, not because a few people voted several times. Maybe we win this year maybe we don't. Good luck to all the cities!!!!
Asheville
LOL to those complaining about GR "hacking" the poll and "rigging" the vote. Being able to vote from multiple devices that have different IPs is common knowledge. And guess what? YOU CAN DO IT TOO! HELP OFFSET THE TYRANNICAL REIGN OF GRAND RAPIDS BY VOTING FROM ALL OF YOUR DEVICES TO THE CITY OF YOUR CHOICE TO FREE THE PEOPLE FROM THE IRON VICE OF INJUSTICE~!
Idiots.
Kalamazoo! Bell's Oberon!!
Can you say Asheville?!
GR isn't telling people to "hack" it. They merely pointed out the technologically obvious point that this is based on votes per IP address and explained you can vote multiple times by using different devices. In the case of multiple individuals using 1 computer or device for voting this is actually helpful information. I.E. my parents share one computer. My dad is from Chicago, Mom from West Michigan. Their votes could easily go different ways but seeing as they would only have 1 device to use changing browsers allows them both to vote their own way. (even though that cancels each other out kind of lol)
Grand Rapids, Michigan is an awesome city for many things, exspeically brewery's... They have brewery's popping up all over. We even have a brewery in Sparta, Mi where I grew up & live. In Sparta is a pretty small town but, a great place to raise a family... :-) Good Luck Grand Rapids, Mi.
Go Kazoo
I'd like to request that Grand Rapids, MI be disqualified from voting for publishing on their website experiencegr.com (the people running their campaign) how to hack the poll here so you can vote hundreds of time per person. Kinda shows now how they won last year.
When I moved from Chicago to Kalamazoo 12 years ago, a buddy of mine in Chicago congratulated me for moving to the "Best Beer City in the US", where his absolute favorite brewing company was located (Bell's). At the time, I thought he was nuts - how could Kalamazoo compete with other great brewing cities? After living here for 12 years, I now know that he was absolutely right. Kalamazoo has some great brews and continues to grow, with others moving into the area due to its great reputation as a growing city and a wonderful beer city with some excellent quality brews!
This is nothing more than a popularity contest, much like when we were all in high school & it came time to vote for class president. Didn't matter who would be better at the job, the kid who was the most popular or talk the most smack always won or like who wins American Idol, the best singer doesn't always win, but the most popular one always does. This poll is no different, it all about popularity and which town can get the most people to bother with signing on to this site and voting. No matter which city actually wins the title, it in no way means they have the best beer or beer "culture", the ONLY thing it means is that the city that won got the most people to support them by voting.
KZOO LETTTSSS GOOOOOOO!
Hey, Grand Rapids is showing you how to rig the vote. It's really sad that communities are encouraging their residents to do this. http://ow.ly/kSzxY
So who is more beautiful...Giselle Bundchen or Charlize Theron?
Traveled the world and I say flip a coin when it comes to beer between Asheville and Portland. The two are kindred spirits that should not bicker because they are equals.
If you're on the East coast head to Asheville and the West hunker down in Portland.
Both are tremendous places and neither deserve negativity when it comes to the local and semi-local beer on hand.
- JD
Kalamazoo all the way!!
As someone who has spent a great deal of time over the east coast, I say Asheville takes the cake....
Hello Ann Arbor!
Johny T, you hit the nail on the head. To many of the voters are biased towards where they live, and making this a poll on what city is better. All of the cities that are listed are great places and have great beer scenes. Who is to say one is better than the other. What are we really trying to defy here. Who has the most breweries? Who has the best beer? What town is the most beer savvy? All of these factors except for the number of breweries is strictly opinion. At each brewery no matter if its in Po-Dunk South Dakota, Asheville, Grand Rapids, etc... I try to taste as many beers as I can. Some are good some are bad. The ones I find to be tasty someone else may hate. It is similar to a poll asking who the best guitarist is. It is all personal opinion. To Asheville Native, I am not personally attacking you by all means. I am just happy to live in an area that is so diverse. The diversity in the Asheville area is what brings in the variety if beer styles to the area.
Longtime Western NC resident here- AVL is one my absolute favorite cities, hands down. But these polls are always pissing matches between AVL and Grand Rapids, which is silly. You guys need to visit the west. CO, WA, and of course OR are all tough to beat. personally I'll take the Denver-Boulder-Fort Collins area for overall quality and beer culture in a bigger setting. Oh yeah, and cannabis is completely legal here, which makes everything taste a little better- and tends to go quite nicely with a beer or two.
Longtime Western NC resident here- AVL is one my absolute favorite cities, hands down. But these polls are always pissing matches between AVL and Grand Rapids, which is silly. You guys need to visit the west. CO, WA, and of course OR are all tough to beat. personally I'll take the Denver-Boulder-Fort Collins area for overall quality and beer culture in a bigger setting. Oh yeah, and cannabis is completely legal here, which makes everything taste a little better- and tends to go quite nicely with a beer or two.
Kzoo all the way!!
I haven't been to all of the places on this list, and would have liked to see some more Arizona love, but I have been to Portland, Grand Rapids, Philly, and Denver/Ft Collins. I don't really get Philly on this board, but I would head back for a beer-cation to any of the other places. Founders in GR is my all-time favorite brewery, and nowhere compares to night out in Portland.
I haven't been to all of the places on this list, and would have liked to see some more Arizona love, but I have been to Portland, Grand Rapids, Philly, and Denver/Ft Collins. I don't really get Philly on this board, but I would head back for a beer-cation to any of the other places. Founders in GR is my all-time favorite brewery, and nowhere compares to night out in Portland.
Been all over for web sales business in the last 8 years... Asheville is great, Portland is great, Grand Rapids is great .... any of those places would be deserving of a title.
This is a horrible way to determine which city is Beer City USA. Even though so many people here make claims of living in a few of these places, or even having been to few of them, most or all of them are lying. There's no way an anonymous survey is the best way to give out this honor. I would much rather it be a panel of judges that know what criteria they are looking for that go to each city. If it weren't for the great things that have happened in GR because of getting the title last year I wouldn't care anymore after seeing this. It's too bad people will make all kinds of things up about themselves, the cities, and the breweries that they want to sabotage. At the very least this poll could do without the comment section. This is just awful.
This is also a Beer survey not a survey asking if Asheville is a good city or not you dope so with that said I have travelled all over the US and yes Asheville has a great beer scene. Originally from Wisconsin I am some what biased towards WI brew, but when it comes to craft brews Asheville takes the cake.
Best beer evaaar!!