CraftBeer.com Readers Select the Country’s Favorite Beer Bars
Inaugural “Great America Beer Bar” Contest Draws Nearly 30,000 Votes
Boulder, CO • September 25, 2012—Celebrating the passion and ardor of American craft beer lovers, CraftBeer.com—the beer lover site of the Brewers Association (BA)—released a list of the greatest American beer bars, as voted on by its readers. The list recognizes both the top three overall most popular craft beer bars in the country and the top three from each of five U.S. geographical regions.
Overall winners:
- First Place: Mekong Restaurant, Richmond, VA
- Second Place: Hopcat, Grand Rapids, MI
- Third Place: The Thirsty Monk, Asheville, NC
Regional winners:
South
- First Place: The Thirsty Monk, Asheville, NC
- Second Place: Hoppy Monk, El Paso, TX
- Third Place: Avenue Pub, New Orleans, LA
Mountain West
- First Place: Falling Rock Tap House, Denver, CO
- Second Place: Oskar Blues Homemade Liquids & Solids, Longmont, CO
- Third Place: Mayor of Old Town, Fort Collins, CO
Pacific
- First Place: APEX, Portland, OR
- Second Place: Urban Family Brewing, Seattle, WA
- Third Place: Beer Revolution, Oakland, CA
North Central
- First Place: Hopcat, Grand Rapids, MI
- Second Place: Founders Taproom, Grand Rapids, MI
- Third Place: Vintage Estate Wine and Beer, Boardman, OH
Northeast
- First Place: Mekong Restaurant, Richmond, VA
- Second Place: The Ruck, Troy, NY
- Third Place: Willimantic Brewing Company, Willimantic, CT
“With more than 2,100 operating breweries in the U.S. today, CraftBeer.com’s Great American Beer Bars contest salutes some of the most amazing establishments around the country, who are showcasing the diverse, innovative and fuller flavored beers made by today’s small and independent producers,” said Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com and Craft Beer Program Director of the Brewers Association. “Being recognized as a Great American Beer Bar was no easy feat. In this inaugural year of polling, nearly 30,000 votes were cast by craft beer lovers. No matter where you reside in this country, there’s a great beer destination just around the corner. Congratulations to all the winners.”
For a more detailed description of this year’s winner and semi-finalists in the Great American Beer Bar competition, visit CraftBeer.com.
Methodology: CraftBeer.com asked readers to nominate their favorite craft beer bars in the country, and received over 3,300 nominations. The choices were narrowed down to the 10 most nominated bars in each of the five regions of the country. Almost 30,000 votes were cast, resulting in the top three overall and regional winners. Voting was conducted from September 13 until September 20, 2012.
