This Colorado city is known as one of the best beer cities in the US

Maddie Rhodes
·2 min read
16

DENVER (KDVR) — A new survey rated the best beer cities in the nation, including one city outside of Denver that produces 70% of Colorado’s craft beer.

USA Today used an expert panel and readers’ votes to determine the nation’s top beer cities, including up-and-coming breweries, age-old establishments, beer bars and pubs, beer festivals and homebrewing communities.

Local legend: How a farmer’s mistake made Sloans Lake

Among these hoppy cities is Fort Collins, which made the top of the list at No. 4 for the best beer city in the nation.

The city is home to 20 award-winning craft breweries and one of the best-known large breweries in the world, Anheuser-Busch, according to Visit Fort Collins. Not to mention, Fort Collins produces 70% of Colorado’s craft beer and 7% of the United States’ beer.

If you couldn’t tell, the city takes its beer seriously.

The mayor of Fort Collins, Jeni Arndt, even bet the Boulder mayor for locally brewed beer on the 2023 Rocky Mountain Showdown football game between the No. 18 University of Colorado Buffaloes and the Colorado State University Rams.

Boulder, Fort Collins mayors bet beer on CU vs. CSU game

USA Today specifically raves over the city’s nationally renowned heavyweight New Belgium as well as smaller, award-winning breweries such as Odell, Funkwerks and Equinox.

While Fort Collins is filled with pints and yeast, there are other brew-loving cities around the U.S.

Here’s the full list:

  1. Grand Rapids, Michigan

  2. Milwaukee, Wisconsin

  3. Columbus, Ohio

  4. Fort Collins, Colorado

  5. Richmond, Virginia

  6. Jacksonville, Florida

  7. Indianapolis, Indiana

  8. Asheville, North Carolina

  9. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  10. Santa Rosa, California

Fort Collins ranks just behind a few major beer cities, including Grand Rapids, which has a city-official “Beer City Ale Trail” that lists more than 80 breweries in the surrounding area and a local calendar filled with brew events.

While Fort Collins isn’t in the top three cities, it couldn’t compete with Milwaukee, which has a baseball team literally called the Brewers.

If you’re looking for the garden where fresh beer grows in Colorado, head to Fort Collins, where you’ll find craft beer breweries covering the city.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.