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10Best Readers' Choice: Beer winners announced


The United States surpassed 4,100 breweries in 2015, according to the Brewers Association. That's a lot of beer! Demand for high-quality craft beer is at an all time high, and USA TODAY 10Best set out to find the crème de la crème of the craft beer world.

Enlisting the help of a panel of beer experts, 10Best nominated 20 finalists in the categories of Best Beer Scene, Best New Brewery, Best Beer Bar, Best Brewpub, Best Beer Festival and Best Beer Label. For the past four weeks, readers have been voting daily for their favorites in each category, and the results are in.

The winners for the USA TODAY 10Best beer awards are as follows:

Best Beer Scene

While you can find craft beer just about anywhere these days, not all cities are created equal when it comes to brews. These are America's 10 best beer scenes -- places with exceptional beer bars, gastropubs, craft breweries and a thriving beer culture -- as voted on by 10Best readers.

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Why this city deserves the title of 'Beer City USA'
With world-renowned beer and a "Beer City Ale Trail" that features more than 40 breweries, this city proudly stakes its claim as "Beer City USA."
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  1. Grand Rapids, Mich.
  2. Fort Collins, Colo.
  3. Tampa
  4. Cleveland
  5. Asheville, N.C.
  6. Philadelphia
  7. Chicago
  8. Portland, Maine
  9. Baltimore
  10. Atlanta

Best New Brewery

Hundreds of new breweries are opening every year, and 10Best set out to find the best newcomers -- breweries that have opened in the past three years -- with the help of a panel of beer experts and our reader votes.

  1. WeldWerks Brewing Company - Greeley, Colo.
  2. Rhinegeist - Cincinnati
  3. Stoneface Brewing Co. - Newington, N.H.
  4. Moody Tongue Brewing Company - Chicago
  5. Bottle Logic Brewing - Anaheim, Calif.
  6. Orpheus Brewing - Atlanta
  7. Creature Comforts Brewing Co. - Athens, Ga.
  8. Bissell Brothers - Portland, Maine
  9. Right Proper Brewing Company - Washington
  10. Green Bench Brewing Co. - St. Petersburg, Fla.

Best Beer Festival

Great beer festivals not only allow you to sample a huge variety of interesting brews, they also often offer opportunities to interact directly with the brewers, sample professionally paired food and mingle with fellow aficionados. These 10 winning festivals rank among the most travel-worthy in the U.S.

  1. Great American Beer Festival - Denver
  2. Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival - Atlantic City
  3. Great Taste of the Midwest - Madison, Wis.
  4. Field of Beers - Jupiter, Fla.
  5. BrewMasters Craft Beer Festival - Galveston, Texas
  6. North American Belgian Beer Festival - Westland, Mich.
  7. Tailspin Ale Fest - Louisville
  8. Belgium Comes to Cooperstown - Cooperstown, N.Y.
  9. Festival of Barrel-Aged Beers - Chicago
  10. Decatur Craft Beer Festival - Decatur, Ga.

Best Beer Bar

While you can get a good craft beer just about anywhere these days, these 10 winners for Best Beer Bar offer so much more. Stellar selections of local, rare and unusual brews, knowledgeable bar staff to help narrow down the choice and a great atmosphere make these beer bars must-visits for any craft beer enthusiast.

  1. Mekong Restaurant - Richmond, Va.
  2. HopCat - Grand Rapids, Mich.
  3. Cloverleaf Tavern - Caldwell, N.J.
  4. The J. Clyde - Birmingham, Ala.
  5. The Birch - Norfolk, Va.
  6. The Bier Stein - Eugene, Ore.
  7. Thirsty Monk - Asheville, N.C.
  8. Maria's Packaged Goods & Community Bar - Chicago
  9. Brick Store Pub - Decatur, Ga.
  10. Max's Taphouse - Baltimore

Best Brewpub

What's better than great beer? Great beer and great food, served side by side. That's just what you'll find at our 10 winners for Best Brewpub -- establishments that brew their own beers and serve them alongside a stellar menu.

  1. Titletown Brewing Company - Green Bay, Wis.
  2. Brewery Vivant - Grand Rapids, Mich.
  3. The Schlafly Tap Room - St. Louis
  4. Urban Chestnut Brewing Company - St. Louis
  5. Ithaca Beer Company Taproom - Ithaca, N.Y.
  6. TAPS Fish House and Brewery - Corona, Calif.
  7. Piece Brewery and Pizzeria - Chicago
  8. Revolution Brewing Brewpub - Chicago
  9. Founders Brewing Co. Taproom - Grand Rapids, Mich.
  10. 3 Floyds Brewpub - Munster, Ind.

Best Beer Label

They say don't judge a book by its cover, but when faced with an ever expanding selection of craft beer cans and bottles, sometimes you have to judge a beer by its label. A great beer label pushes boundaries, epitomizes the beer within, captures the eye or makes us smile. Some manage all four.

  1. Cream Ale - Newburgh Brewing Company
  2. 8-Bit Pale Ale - Tallgrass Brewing Co.
  3. B/A/Y/S (Black As Your Soul) Imperial Stout - Adroit Theory Brewing
  4. Ninja vs. Unicorn Double IPA - Pipeworks Brewing Co.
  5. Breakfast Stout - Founders Brewing Co.
  6. Moondance - Southbound Brewing Company
  7. Fade to Black - Left Hand Brewing Company
  8. Selfies Are For Wieners Double IPA - Spiteful Brewing
  9. Sexual Chocolate Imperial Stout - Foothills Brewing
  10. Suburban Beverage - Perennial Artisan Ales

Congratulations to all our beer category winners! To see other Readers' Choice winners or cast your vote in current categories, visit 10Best.com.