USA TODAY 10Best Reader’s Choice 2017 – Craft Beer

Over the past few weeks USA TODAY conducted its 10Best Reader’s Choice on craft beer. This past Friday on St. Patrick’s Day USA TODAY revealed its 2017 Craft Beer Winners. A few beer bars, two brewpubs and a beer festival all from Oregon made the list decided by an on-line poll of industry nominated choices.

USA Today had a panel of beer industry folks nominate the “20 Best” in various categories that include Best Beer Bar, Best Brewpub, Best New Brewery, Best Beer Festival, and Best Beer Scene. This panel consisted of Julia Herz (Brewers Association), Jack Muldowney (The Hop Review), Ale Sharpton (AleSharpton.com), Ruth Berman (Bon Beer Voyage), Mike Arra (Bon Beer Voyage), Gary Monterosso (What’s On Tap) and Lydia Schrandt (10Best). These panelists chose what they felt were the 20 best nominees in many of the craft beer categories.

The Oregon winners include Belmont Station, The Bier Stein, and Bailey’s Taproom for Best Beer Bar. Ecliptic Brewing earned honors in Best Brewpub while Great Notion Brewing won in Best New Brewery and the longstanding Oregon Brewers Festival ranked as one of the Best Beer Festivals.

One of the categories that the state of Oregon came up empty in was in USA Today Best Beer Scene 2017. Portland was nominated but did not end up in the Top 10 according to the online poll.

Here’s a breakdown of the categories that Oregon winners were part of in the 2017 USA Today 10Best Reader’s Choice.

USA Today Best Beer Bar 2017

1. The Bavarian Lodge – Lisle, IL
2. El Bait Shop – Des Moines
3. 8 Degrees Plato – Detroit
4. HopCat – Grand Rapids, MI
5. Mekong Restaurant & Bar – Richmond, VA
6. Belmont Station – Portland, OR
7. The Happy Gnome – St. Paul
8. The Avenue Pub – New Orleans
9. The Bier Stein – Eugene, OR
10. Bailey’s Taproom – Portland, OR

USA Today Best Brewpub 2017

1. Titletown Brewing Co. – Green Bay, WI
2. Great Lakes Brewing Company – Cleveland, OH
3. Boxing Bear Brewing Co. – Albuquerque
4. Ecliptic Brewing – Portland, OR
5. Brewery Vivant – Grand Rapids, MI
6. Founders Brewing Co. – Grand Rapids, MI
7. Austin Beer Garden Brewing Company – Austin
8. Urban Chestnut Brewing Company – St. Louis
9. 12Degree Brewing – Louisville, CO
10. Redlight Redlight Beer Parlour – Orlando

USA Today Best New Brewery 2017

1. Bond Brothers Beer Company – Cary, NC
2. Scofflaw Brewing Company – Atlanta
3. Brew Gentlemen – Braddock, PA
4. Cruz Blanca – Chicago
5. Dovetail Brewery – Chicago
6. Narrow Gauge Brewing Company – Florissant, MO
7. The Answer Brewpub – Richmond, VA
8. Fieldwork Brewing Company – Berkeley, CA
9. The Veil Brewing Co. – Richmond, VA
10. Great Notion Brewing – Portland, OR

USA Today Best Beer Festival 2017

1. Great American Beer Festival – Denver
2. Atlantic City Beer & Music Festival – Atlantic City
3. Brewmasters Craft Beer Festival – Galveston, TX
4. Oregon Brewers Festival – Portland, OR
5. Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest – Paso Robles, CA
6. Tailspin Ale Fest – Louisville
7. Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival – Breckenridge, CO
8. Dark Lord Day – Munster, IN
9. Philly Craft Beer Festival – Philadelphia
10. Belgium Comes to Cooperstown – Cooperstown, NY

Congratulations to all of the nominees and the winners!