Comments on: Where Can You Find America’s Best Beer? http://flowingdata.com/2009/03/27/where-can-you-find-americas-best-beer/ Strength in Numbers Thu, 24 May 2012 03:29:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Matt http://flowingdata.com/2009/03/27/where-can-you-find-americas-best-beer/#comment-26405 Matt Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:45:37 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1463#comment-26405 Definitely some selection bias in terms of who enters - in contrast to Eddie's account of small-but-great breweries in Wisconsin that don't submit, there's really no reason for even the tiniest brewers in Colorado to skip GABF. But I will testify that Colorado brewers make some freaking amazing beers. Avery, O'Dell, Great Divide, and yes, New Belgium. Oh, Avery, my love. Another confounding variable here is state alcohol laws. I was impressed that my home state Iowa did as well as it did, considering that beers above about 6% ABV are taxed like spirits and thus basically aren't sold there. Conversely, Colorado has pretty strict limits on what can be sold in grocery stores - meaning that if you want to buy much other than Bud Light and wine coolers, you have to go to a liquor store, where you're more likely to encounter really great beer. Definitely some selection bias in terms of who enters – in contrast to Eddie’s account of small-but-great breweries in Wisconsin that don’t submit, there’s really no reason for even the tiniest brewers in Colorado to skip GABF. But I will testify that Colorado brewers make some freaking amazing beers. Avery, O’Dell, Great Divide, and yes, New Belgium. Oh, Avery, my love.

Another confounding variable here is state alcohol laws. I was impressed that my home state Iowa did as well as it did, considering that beers above about 6% ABV are taxed like spirits and thus basically aren’t sold there. Conversely, Colorado has pretty strict limits on what can be sold in grocery stores – meaning that if you want to buy much other than Bud Light and wine coolers, you have to go to a liquor store, where you’re more likely to encounter really great beer.

]]> By: John http://flowingdata.com/2009/03/27/where-can-you-find-americas-best-beer/#comment-26128 John Sat, 28 Mar 2009 05:02:00 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1463#comment-26128 Well Wisconsin isn't that surprising... Milwaukee is there, and their baseball team is called the Brewers. :) Colorado had a bunch of craft breweries start there, and continues to have great beer. Fat tire is probably the biggest. GABF was started in Colorado and continues to be hosted in Denver. Perhaps a local slant? Coors and Budweiser win medals because there are pretty much GABF categories built for them. ie, "Best American-style Lager". Well Wisconsin isn’t that surprising… Milwaukee is there, and their baseball team is called the Brewers. :)

Colorado had a bunch of craft breweries start there, and continues to have great beer. Fat tire is probably the biggest. GABF was started in Colorado and continues to be hosted in Denver. Perhaps a local slant?

Coors and Budweiser win medals because there are pretty much GABF categories built for them. ie, “Best American-style Lager”.

]]> By: Eddie Glick http://flowingdata.com/2009/03/27/where-can-you-find-americas-best-beer/#comment-26124 Eddie Glick Sat, 28 Mar 2009 04:34:37 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1463#comment-26124 One other thing to keep in mind when analyzing the data: this only takes into account breweries that actually submit their beers to the GABF. Founders, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is perhaps one of the best breweries in the world (Breakfast Stout, Devil Dancer, Red's Rye, Kentucky Breakfast Stout--incredible beers) and they don't usually submit to GBAF. A little brewery in Michigan called Bell's? Also doesn't submit to GABF. But no surprise Wisconsin is in the top three. New Glarus alone makes it one of the best beer states in the country. One other thing to keep in mind when analyzing the data: this only takes into account breweries that actually submit their beers to the GABF. Founders, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is perhaps one of the best breweries in the world (Breakfast Stout, Devil Dancer, Red’s Rye, Kentucky Breakfast Stout–incredible beers) and they don’t usually submit to GBAF. A little brewery in Michigan called Bell’s? Also doesn’t submit to GABF. But no surprise Wisconsin is in the top three. New Glarus alone makes it one of the best beer states in the country.

]]> By: tRJ http://flowingdata.com/2009/03/27/where-can-you-find-americas-best-beer/#comment-26098 tRJ Fri, 27 Mar 2009 19:53:02 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1463#comment-26098 We do indeed have some awesome beer here in Wisconsin. I will be very sad if I have to move somewhere that doesn't make beer such a priority. We do indeed have some awesome beer here in Wisconsin. I will be very sad if I have to move somewhere that doesn’t make beer such a priority.

]]> By: Kay http://flowingdata.com/2009/03/27/where-can-you-find-americas-best-beer/#comment-26089 Kay Fri, 27 Mar 2009 17:50:30 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1463#comment-26089 I moved to WI from MO in 2001 and was AMAZED at the number of microbreweries and brewpubs here already - ahead of the rest of the nation in the microbrewery craze except for CO probably (don't know much about CA). I think it's all the Germanic heritage, perhaps? Or that the winter here makes one want to drink. But anyway, anymore all I drink is local beer - there's plenty of it and it's good. My favorite breweries are New Glarus, Lake Louie, Central Waters, and good local brewpubs are too numerous to name. I moved to WI from MO in 2001 and was AMAZED at the number of microbreweries and brewpubs here already – ahead of the rest of the nation in the microbrewery craze except for CO probably (don’t know much about CA). I think it’s all the Germanic heritage, perhaps? Or that the winter here makes one want to drink. But anyway, anymore all I drink is local beer – there’s plenty of it and it’s good. My favorite breweries are New Glarus, Lake Louie, Central Waters, and good local brewpubs are too numerous to name.

]]> By: Moses http://flowingdata.com/2009/03/27/where-can-you-find-americas-best-beer/#comment-26088 Moses Fri, 27 Mar 2009 17:22:30 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1463#comment-26088 What would really be interesting is a medals to breweries (or even better microbreweries) ratio. That said, it's no accident that California, Wisconsin, and Colorado are the top three. Some of the best beers in the country are definitely coming out of those states. What would really be interesting is a medals to breweries (or even better microbreweries) ratio.

That said, it’s no accident that California, Wisconsin, and Colorado are the top three. Some of the best beers in the country are definitely coming out of those states.

]]> By: Jesse http://flowingdata.com/2009/03/27/where-can-you-find-americas-best-beer/#comment-26086 Jesse Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:58:44 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1463#comment-26086 I added population data and ran this again. Here are the top ten. State   Medals per 1,000 People Alaska 0.078683594 Colorado 0.065189365 Wyoming 0.045056208 Oregon 0.044854171 Wisconsin 0.041222701 Vermont 0.025753698 Delaware 0.021761739 Montana 0.020673117 Washington 0.017406642 Utah 0.01644482 And I also made a <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/z1-g18lERYmwV_WpGTcw7w?feat=directlink" rel="nofollow">fancy Excel graph</a>. yay! Btw, I'm from Colorado, and I love beer. So much. Mmmm... beer. I added population data and ran this again. Here are the top ten.

State   Medals per 1,000 People
Alaska 0.078683594
Colorado 0.065189365
Wyoming 0.045056208
Oregon 0.044854171
Wisconsin 0.041222701
Vermont 0.025753698
Delaware 0.021761739
Montana 0.020673117
Washington 0.017406642
Utah 0.01644482

And I also made a fancy Excel graph. yay!

Btw, I’m from Colorado, and I love beer. So much. Mmmm… beer.

]]> By: chris http://flowingdata.com/2009/03/27/where-can-you-find-americas-best-beer/#comment-26076 chris Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:14:40 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1463#comment-26076 There's a new-ish FB application where people can enter in their top 5 beer (and just about anything else too, tv shows, movies, etc.) It would be cool to see that sort of data charted like this - but I guess the app and or FB would have to allow it. There’s a new-ish FB application where people can enter in their top 5 beer (and just about anything else too, tv shows, movies, etc.) It would be cool to see that sort of data charted like this – but I guess the app and or FB would have to allow it.

]]> By: Nathan Yau http://flowingdata.com/2009/03/27/where-can-you-find-americas-best-beer/#comment-26066 Nathan Yau Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:48:00 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1463#comment-26066 (link fixed) (link fixed)

]]> By: Drew Robertson http://flowingdata.com/2009/03/27/where-can-you-find-americas-best-beer/#comment-26065 Drew Robertson Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:36:28 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1463#comment-26065 the chart really shd be adjusted for population...ideally population of non-Mormon, non-JW etc males between 18-80 the chart really shd be adjusted for population…ideally population of non-Mormon, non-JW etc males between 18-80

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