Three of the world’s Top Ten breweries are within a half-day’s drive from Chicago.
This morning, RateBeer released their list of the Top 100 Brewers in the World, as defined by the ratings of their users.
Right behind top-ranked Hill Farmstead of Vermont is Toppling Goliath of Decorah, IA; Three Floyds in Munster ranked fourth in the world and Bells Beer in Kalamazoo clocked in at number six.
The rest of the Great Lakes and Plains states are very well represented — of the hundred listed breweries, a full fifth of them are close to Chicago.
There were a few surprises in the list — for example, just one Wisconsin brewery made the list and it wasn’t New Glarus. (Central Waters earned an inclusion, however.) Goose Island didn’t make the cut either, despite being included on last year’s Top Brewers list.
The list is extremely weighted towards American breweries, as it’s compiled from “reviews taken last year and weighted by performance within and outside of style, balanced by indicators of depth” and “reflect the top performing brewers of over 19,000 listed at RateBeer.” Over three-fourths of the list calls the USA home.
Here’s the rundown of the world’s best breweries in the Midwest as listed by the Ratebeer Top 100 of 2014:
Illinois:
Indiana:
Three Floyds Brewing Company (#4 in the World)
Iowa:
Toppling Goliath
Missouri:
Side Project Brewing
Minnesota:
Michigan:
Bells Brewery (#6 in the world)
B.Nektar Meadery
Oddside Ales
Schramm’s Mead
Ohio:
Fat Head’s Brewery & Saloon
Hoppin’ Frog Brewery
Jackie-O’s Pub & Brewery
Wisconsin:
Central Waters Brewing Company