DRAFT Magazine Ranks America's 100 Best Beer Bars
DRAFT Magazine has just released their “America’s 100 Best Beer Bars” rankings for 2015. This beer oriented magazine has been doing this sort of ranking by region of the country for the past 6+ years. About 5 years ago the magazine reduced the ranking from 150 Best Beer Bars down to the current 100 Best. The beer bars included are just that, bars. There are no breweries in this ranking.
Every year this is read in some weird anticipation that some great new beer bar will be revealed. However its sort of the “Best Steakhouses In America” type paid advertisement you find in the seat pocket in front of you on your airline flight.
The ranking that DRAFT compiles are very rewarding for the beer bar and are rightfully justified. Its just that these sort of beer bar rankings don’t change all that much from year to year.
The Portland beer bars that ranked from the West this year include APEX, Bailey’s TapRoom, Bazi Bierbrasserie, Belmont Station, Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom, and Saraveza Bottle Shop & Pasty Tavern.
Then when you take a look below to the rankings that have been awarded from 2010 to 2014 you see many of the same beer bars every year.
2014
Bailey’s TapRoom
Bazi Bierbrasserie
Belmont Station
Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom
Saraveza Bottle Shop & Pasty Tavern
2013
APEX
Bailey’s TapRoom
Bazi Bierbrasserie
Belmont Station
Horse Brass Pub
Saraveza Bottle Shop & Pasty Tavern
2012
APEX
Bailey’s TapRoom
Belmont Station
Green Dragon
Horse Brass Pub
Saraveza Bottle Shop & Pasty Tavern
2011
APEX
Bailey’s TapRoom
Belmont Station
Concordia Ale House
Green Dragon
Horse Brass Pub
Saraveza Bottle Shop & Pasty Tavern
2010
Bailey’s TapRoom
Belmont Station
Concordia Ale House
Green Dragon
Henry’s Tavern
Horse Brass Pub
Congratulations to 2015’s six highly lauded Portland beer bars. We enjoy frequenting all of them but as you know, there are some other top notch ones out there!
Maybe you have some suggestions for ones that have been omitted by DRAFT Magazine.
About The Author
DJ
D.J. is a Portland, Oregon based writer that spent his formative years in the Midwest. With over 25 years under his belt of drinking beer at festivals across America and the world, he has developed a strong appreciation and understanding of craft beer and the industry that surrounds it. He can be found in any of the great breweries or beer bars that make Portland the best beer city in the world. His writing can also be found in the archives of Northwest Brewing News and can be followed on Twitter and Instagram at @hopapalooza.
how the heck is Bier Stein in Eugene not listed. They just stick to major cities?
Every year the list has some change, and from 2010 to 2014, 2/3 of the list is different. How is that not change? Only so many great beer bars can open or improve from year to year. I’m seeing the connection to being a paid advertisement either. These bars didn’t pay to be on the list and it’s an article in a monthly magazine.
Correction…*I’m NOT seeing the connection to this being like a paid advertisement
Bilbo
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Yes, there are some changes in the list from year to year. And as I stated all of the 6 mentioned beer bars in Portland are rightfully justified and are top choices in being listed. Its a great honor for these 6 establishments to be chosen out of 100 possibilities. And each of these owners and their staff should be very proud of this distinction. I enjoy going to all 6 of the listed beer bars and I recommend them to visitors that come to town.
But as “earfdae” mentions prior to your comment, this list like any other and will omit some quality establishments. One being The Bier Stein in Eugene among others. This place is right up there with any in Portland but being that its in a small college town it goes unnoticed or more likely just unchosen due to its circumstances.
Never did I mention that the “America’s 100 Best Beer Bars” was a paid advertisement, nor did I refer to it as so as DRAFT Magazine is just that, a bi-monthly magazine. I would be surprised if any of the 6 listed Portland beer bars ever advertised in this magazine. It was just compared to the type of fluff you see in an airline magazine. I can attest that I have frequented a few of the listed steakhouses in those listings and can say that they are great places too but I do know of better places in each of those cities.
It would just be a bit more compelling if DRAFT Magazine that publishes this listing every year to offer a little commentary on each place selected. Yes that would take much more time and resources but the magazine does have a revenue stream and many contributing writers throughout the country.
If you look on their Facebook page they recently posted an FYI that explains some of their decisions. Just because they don’t provide lengthy explanations of their decisions doesn’t mean we should assume that it’s fluff, and unless you know the actual reason the Bier Stein was left off the list, you shouldn’t assume that it’s because of their circumstance. There are bars in the 100 from smaller towns. You did state that the list is sorta like a paid advertisement, and I still don’t see the connection to that. But thanks for your reply
I have no “iron in the fire” like other commentors but I can’t help but agree with DJ on the paid advert feeling. How do Horse Brass or Green Dragon devolve from being a Best Bar. Did Imperial just prove they were that much better during those years? How does Apex take a one year hiatus and then return? What did they do in their one year off to improve that Horse Brass or Green Dragon didn’t do? Something is fishy with the list and the decision process and their so-called FAQ does nothing to explain what changes year to year. Likely scenario – Green Dragon and Horse Brass failed to renew their subscriptions to the mag and Apex ‘re-upped just in time to make the cut.it is an honor to be recognized for anything in this competitive beer bar world and Congrats to all of them, but the consumer should just go to places they like and not put too much stock in this list.
Beerluvr NW said:
“Likely scenario – Green Dragon and Horse Brass failed to renew their subscriptions to the mag and Apex ‘re-upped just in time to make the cut.”
As best I can recall, Belmont Station has never paid to advertise in Draft, or for that matter even paid for a subscription. At one point we did offer the magazine for sale, but it was discontinued 5 or 6 years ago along with all the other books and magazines, so I doubt that factored into their decision.
I have no idea what their selection criteria is, or why some places like us and Bailey’s continue to make the list every year while places like the Brass and Green Dragon have fallen off, but I can tell you it has nothing to do with paying them for inclusion.