Raise Your Glass to the Five Best Beer Cities in the World

Michelle Tribe/Flickr

That magical time of year is finally upon us. Oktoberfest celebrations are underway around the globe, and people of all backgrounds are indulging in some tasty beer and bratwurst to show their support. Centered in Munich, the festival is an important part of Bavarian culture that has been held annually since 1810. But let’s be real – most people use it as an excuse to drink copious amounts of beer, and that’s just fine by us.

America has a long and interesting history with booze, as Ken Burns’ and Lynn Novick’s documentary Prohibition is currently exploring on PBS. For better or worse, it’s always been a part of our culture. According to the Beer Institute in their Beer Capita Consumption Report (PDF), the average American 21 years of age and older consumed 28.9 gallons of beer in 2010. New Hampshire had the highest per capita beer consumption rate in 2010 with 44.2 gallons per person, followed closely by Montana with 41.6 gallons per person, North Dakota with 41.1, South Dakota with 38.9, and Nevada with 37.6. The states with the lowest beer consumption per capita in 2010 were Utah (19.4), Connecticut (22.1), New York, (22.6), New Jersey (23.1) and Maryland (24.1).

Beer, beer, beer and more beer at Oktoberfest. Courtesy of Erin Borrini.

All this beer talk inspired us to research the best beer cities in the world and determine our favorites (no easy task, we assure you). So for all the beer lovers out there, pour yourself a cold one and see if your city made MyCityWay’s top five:

Amsterdam: The Dutch city has more English and Belgian brews than any beer enthusiast can handle, but that doesn’t stop people from trying. One highlight is the IJ Brewery, which offers visitors a sample of 10 organic beer varieties (and there’s a windmill to boot).

Dublin: How could the home of Guinness not make the list? The brewery celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2009, and it remains one of the most popular beers in the world. And there’s no denying that a Guinness will never taste better than in its hometown. Luckily, there are hundreds of lively and historic pubs in Dublin to have a few sips.

Mexico City: Corona, the most widely distributed beer from Mexico, is produced here at Grupo Modelo. Other popular brands in Mexico City include Negra Modelo, a smooth dark lager also produced by Grupo Modelo, as well as Bohemia and Dos XX.

Munich: As Oktoberfest’s birthplace, it’s only expected that Munich dominates in the beer world. Famous brands Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Erdinger and Löwenbräu all originate here, and the state-owned brewery’s beer garden, Hofbräuhaus, is nothing short of legendary.

San Francisco: For most beer lovers, it’s considered the craft beer capital of the United States. With over 25 breweries that include Anchor Brewing Company, Gordon Biersch, Pacific Coast Brewing and Steelhead, San Francisco is a beer lover’s must-visit destination.

What are your favorite beer cities? Is there a city you think should have made the final cut? Let us know in the comments!

Most Read

• Social Networks

• 
• 
•