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Americans love craft beer. The nation is home to well over 8,200 craft breweries (and that number continues to grow), as well as thousands more beer bars and brewpubs. The sheer variety of quality beer on the market today can be overwhelming. We wanted to narrow down the field, so we asked for your help.
For the past four weeks, our readers have been voting for their favorites across several craft beer and cider categories. These are the results.
Click on each category below to see the full list of winners.
Best Beer Bar: Salud Beer Shop in Charlotte, North Carolina
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Opened in 2012 as a bottle shop, Salud Beer Shop in Charlotte’s North Davidson neighborhood has grown into a local favorite beer bar, complete with 16 taps and hundreds of bottled craft beers from around the world.
Full list of winners: Best Beer Bar »
Best Beer City: Grand Rapids, Michigan
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Winner of two past Best Beer Scene titles, Michigan’s second-largest city sports the state’s strongest beer scene, thanks largely to the presence of the world-renowned Founders Brewing Co. Not to be outdone, there are several other brewing operations around town, most notably the Belgian-inspired Brewery Vivant.
The city’s official “Beer City Ale Trail” lists more than 80 breweries in the surrounding area, and the local calendar is constantly filled with beer festivals, events and promotions. Throw in exceptional beer stores such as Siciliano’s Market, and it’s easy to see why Grand Rapids proudly stakes its claim as “Beer City USA.”
Full list of winners: Best Beer City »
Best Beer Garden: The Raleigh Beer Garden in Raleigh, North Carolina
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Beer lovers will find more than 350 beers on tap at The Raleigh Beer Garden in the downtown Glenwood South district. The bar includes plenty of outdoor seating options, including a patio and a rooftop garden.
Full list of winners: Best Beer Garden »
Best Beer Label: Prague Underground from CityBuilt Brewing
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We love the bold color and intricate patterns of this label from City Built Brewing Company in Grand Rapids. Pilsners originated in the Czech Republic, and this one features a herbal spicy note from the Saaz hops.
Full list of winners: Best Beer Label »
Best Brewpub: The Brewery LBK in Lubbock, Texas
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Beer lovers will find Lubbock’s newest brewpub inside the historic Pioneer Building in downtown. The Brewery LBK serves its brews in a modern industrial space, complete with a pet-friendly patio. Food options include wings, burgers, fried chicken and Crusty’s Wood Fired Pizza.
Full list of winners: Best Brewpub »
Best Cidery: Milk & Honey Ciders in St. Joseph, Minnesota
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Milk & Honey Ciders makes their beverages from heirloom and traditional cider apple cultivars. The focus is on dry, aromatic and tannic ciders produced with minimal intervention to let the natural apple flavor shine through.
Full list of winners: Best Cidery »
Best New Brewery: The Seed: A Living Beer Project in Atlantic City, New Jersey
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Atlantic City’s newest brewery specializes in saisons and mixed-fermentation ales made from local fruits, grains and botanicals. The new 5,000-square-foot production brewery and tasting room features a seven-barrel brewing system with nine taps and a dedicated side-pull lager line.
Full list of winners: Best New Brewery »
Best Small Town Beer Scene: Avondale Estates, Georgia
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The charming town of Avondale Estates, just east of Decatur, has a small downtown area packed with unique food and beverage offerings. For beer lovers, there’s Wild Heaven Beer, The Lost Druid Brewery, The Beer Growler & Pint Haus and (soon) Little Cottage Brewery.
Full list of winners: Best Small Town Beer Scene »
Congratulations to all these craft beer winners.
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