[You'll get a much better response from the regulars at rfdb.
Follow-ups set appropriately.]

Beer Drinking Dog > wrote:
>My boss just left with his wife for a tour of Napa valley to do a tour
>of all the different wineries.
>
>I don't care for wine, but do like beer (hey, I'm a homebrewer, right?),
>and was wondering if there's a comparable city/region that a beer fan
>could go to sample a bunch of different brews and tour the breweries.

>I know there are some microbreweries in Colorado, and for some reason I
>think Portland Oregon might have some. Anyone have any other ideas?

I think you hit the two hotspots. Portland is probably
the closest thing to a beer mecca in the US. Many brewpubs,
a full-on brewery (or two?), various multi-taps, at least
a couple decent craft-brew taps even in holes-in-the-wall
pizza joints. I've been there thrice, and the place still
amazes me wrt beer culture.
The Ft. Collins/Boulder/Denver corridor in Colorado also
has plenty to offer, though a bit more far-flung than in
Portland. Ft. Collins has three breweries and a brewpub,
Boulder has at least two breweries, several brewpubs, and
a meadery; Denver has multiple brewpubs, a few breweries,
and some nice bars.
--
Joel Plutchak "They're not people, they're HIPPIES!"
$LASTNAME at VERYWARMmail.com - Eric Cartman

In article >, plutchak AT see.headers (Joel) wrote:
>[You'll get a much better response from the regulars at rfdb.
>Follow-ups set appropriately.]
>
>Beer Drinking Dog > wrote:
>>My boss just left with his wife for a tour of Napa valley to do a tour
>>of all the different wineries.
>>
>>I don't care for wine, but do like beer (hey, I'm a homebrewer, right?),
>>and was wondering if there's a comparable city/region that a beer fan
>>could go to sample a bunch of different brews and tour the breweries.
>
>>I know there are some microbreweries in Colorado, and for some reason I
>>think Portland Oregon might have some. Anyone have any other ideas?
>
> I think you hit the two hotspots. Portland is probably
>the closest thing to a beer mecca in the US. Many brewpubs,
>a full-on brewery (or two?), various multi-taps, at least
>a couple decent craft-brew taps even in holes-in-the-wall
>pizza joints. I've been there thrice, and the place still
>amazes me wrt beer culture.
> The Ft. Collins/Boulder/Denver corridor in Colorado also
>has plenty to offer, though a bit more far-flung than in
>Portland. Ft. Collins has three breweries and a brewpub,
>Boulder has at least two breweries, several brewpubs, and
>a meadery; Denver has multiple brewpubs, a few breweries,
>and some nice bars.

Portland probably has a high brewpub culture due to education level,
my guess. I updated my list of towns with the most bars.

Pittsburgh 200 423K

Milwaukee 198 583K

Atlanta 267 425K

St. Louis 169 453K

Dallas 248 904K

NY 1347 8M

Portland Or. 166 562K

Here are the results so far.

Pop to bar ratio.

Atlanta 1591
Pittsburgh 2147
St. Louis 2680
Milwaukee 2944
Portland 3385
Dallas 3645
NY 5039

Results computed using City Search

greg

On Apr 20, 5:53 am, (Joel) wrote:
> [You'll get a much better response from the regulars at rfdb.
> Follow-ups set appropriately.]
>
> Beer Drinking Dog > wrote:
>
> >My boss just left with his wife for a tour of Napa valley to do a tour
> >of all the different wineries.
>
> >I don't care for wine, but do like beer (hey, I'm a homebrewer, right?),
> >and was wondering if there's a comparable city/region that a beer fan
> >could go to sample a bunch of different brews and tour the breweries.
> >I know there are some microbreweries in Colorado, and for some reason I
> >think Portland Oregon might have some. Anyone have any other ideas?
>
> I think you hit the two hotspots. Portland is probably
> the closest thing to a beer mecca in the US. Many brewpubs,
> a full-on brewery (or two?), various multi-taps, at least
> a couple decent craft-brew taps even in holes-in-the-wall
> pizza joints. I've been there thrice, and the place still
> amazes me wrt beer culture.
> The Ft. Collins/Boulder/Denver corridor in Colorado also
> has plenty to offer, though a bit more far-flung than in
> Portland. Ft. Collins has three breweries and a brewpub,
> Boulder has at least two breweries, several brewpubs, and
> a meadery; Denver has multiple brewpubs, a few breweries,
> and some nice bars.
> --
> Joel Plutchak "They're not people, they're HIPPIES!"
> $LASTNAME at VERYWARMmail.com - Eric Cartman

Ditto on Portland. Portland rocks for beer.

"Joel" > wrote in message
...

> Beer Drinking Dog > wrote:
>>My boss just left with his wife for a tour of Napa valley to do a tour
>>of all the different wineries.
>>
>>I don't care for wine, but do like beer (hey, I'm a homebrewer, right?),
>>and was wondering if there's a comparable city/region that a beer fan
>>could go to sample a bunch of different brews and tour the breweries.

It's a pretty quick trip west from Napa & Sonoma to the US 101
corridor. From San Francisco to Healdsburg to the, you've got the
makings of a fine bit of beer touring right there.

San Francisco has several brewpubs, the many taps and bottles of
the Toronado, and plenty of other opportunities to eat, drink, and
drink some more. There are worthwhile brewpub and brewery stops in
Larkspur, Novato, Petaluma, Santa Rosa, and Healdsburg.

>>I know there are some microbreweries in Colorado, and for some reason I
>>think Portland Oregon might have some. Anyone have any other ideas?
>
> I think you hit the two hotspots. Portland is probably
> the closest thing to a beer mecca in the US.

*cough* Seattle *cough*
--
dgs

In article >, dgs > wrote:
>"Joel" > wrote in message
>> I think you hit the two hotspots. Portland is probably
>> the closest thing to a beer mecca in the US.
>
>*cough* Seattle *cough*

I'll kikc your azz gigyg.

Seriously though, I've never been to Seattle, but Portland
has such a beer vibe I'd be amazed that, with all the good beer
Seattle has to offer, it'd be a pervasive as in Portland.
One of these days...
--
Joel Plutchak "They're not people, they're HIPPIES!"
$LASTNAME at VERYWARMmail.com - Eric Cartman

In article >, ers
says...
> In article >, dgs > wrote:
> >"Joel" > wrote in message
> >> I think you hit the two hotspots. Portland is probably
> >> the closest thing to a beer mecca in the US.
> >
> >*cough* Seattle *cough*
>
> I'll kikc your azz gigyg.
>
> Seriously though, I've never been to Seattle, but Portland
> has such a beer vibe I'd be amazed that, with all the good beer
> Seattle has to offer, it'd be a pervasive as in Portland.
> One of these days...

Well, I'd say that Portland is a little more "defined" by the beer
culture than Seattle, but Seattle's no slouch. It may be simply that
Seattle is a bigger city, and as a result is defined more by the
neighborhoods & districts, the markets and so on. The beer is awesome,
but it feels like it's just an incidental part of a great city.

As for beer variety and quality though, both cities are fantastic.

--
Bill

> Portland probably has a high brewpub culture due to education level,
> my guess. I updated my list of towns with the most bars.
>
> Pittsburgh 200 423K
> Milwaukee 198 583K
> Atlanta 267 425K
> St. Louis 169 453K
> Dallas 248 904K
> NY 1347 8M
> Portland Or. 166 562K

> Here are the results so far.
> Pop to bar ratio.
>
> Atlanta 1591
> Pittsburgh 2147
> St. Louis 2680
> Milwaukee 2944
> Portland 3385
> Dallas 3645
> NY 5039
>
> Results computed using City Search

What surprises me here is the absence of Chicago on
both lists. Chicago is NOT known for brewpubs, but
several years ago I went on a pub crawl in a SW side
neighborhood and the list had 32 bars in just over a
one mile stretch of a street.

Chicago is also NOT known for great beers. 25 years
ago I was the President of a 2000 member social
organization and put someone in charge of buying
beer and wine for the monthly meeting (~150 members).
The first month he was in charge, he purchased
Heilmann's Old Style! I asked hin why. Turns out
he did not drink alcohol so he asked at a local
package goods store and was told Old Style was the
largest selling beer in Chicago. LoL!

He also get a Ros'e instead of a Red wine. When
someone complained about the Ros'e, I relied "Just
be happy he didn't buy Mad Dog 20/20 or Ripple."

After that he was given a list from which to select.

Dick

On 4/21/2007 5:27 PM Joel jumped down, turned around, and wrote:

> In article >, dgs > wrote:
>> [...]
>> *cough* Seattle *cough*
>
> I'll kikc your azz gigyg.

Yuo wnat a peace of me btihc?

> Seriously though, I've never been to Seattle, but Portland
> has such a beer vibe I'd be amazed that, with all the good beer
> Seattle has to offer, it'd be a pervasive as in Portland.

C'mon by and be amazed, then. It's as nearby as a walk from my house.
--
dgs

Dick Adams wrote:
>
>
> 25 years
> ago I was the President of a 2000 member social
> organization and put someone in charge of buying
> beer and wine for the monthly meeting (~150 members).
> The first month he was in charge, he purchased
> Heilmann's Old Style! I asked hin why. Turns out
> he did not drink alcohol so he asked at a local
> package goods store and was told Old Style was the
> largest selling beer in Chicago. LoL!
>
> He also get a Ros'e instead of a Red wine. When
> someone complained about the Ros'e, I relied "Just
> be happy he didn't buy Mad Dog 20/20 or Ripple."

What a sec- *you* appointed somebody to buy beer and wine for your club
who not only didn't drink and was, from your story, given no guidelines
so he asked a retailer "What's the most popular beer in Chicago?" and
got a (correct, IIRC) answer and bought that and *you* ridiculed him for it?

Seems to me, even asking someone who DOES drink (Drink? Drink *what*?)
to buy beer and hope to please 150 people is a pretty tough
assignment...but if you goes by sales figures, it sure looks to me that
90-95% of the US market is light lagers and light beers, both foreign
and domestic, so...

That said, I'd hate to hear the comments from a 2000 member club if *I*
bought their beer...

d.g.s. > wrote:
>On 4/21/2007 5:27 PM Joel jumped down, turned around, and wrote:
>> In article >, dgs > wrote:
>>> *cough* Seattle *cough*
>>
>> I'll kikc your azz gigyg.
>
>Yuo wnat a peace of me btihc?
>
>> Seriously though, I've never been to Seattle, but Portland
>> has such a beer vibe I'd be amazed that, with all the good beer
>> Seattle has to offer, it'd be a pervasive as in Portland.
>
>C'mon by and be amazed, then. It's as nearby as a walk from my house.

Like I said, one of these days I'll take you up on that
offer. Might be a couple years, but I'll make it there.
--
Joel Plutchak "They're not people, they're HIPPIES!"
$LASTNAME at VERYWARMmail.com - Eric Cartman

"dgs" > wrote in message
...

> "Joel" > wrote in message
> ...

>>Portland is probably
>> the closest thing to a beer mecca in the US.
>
> *cough* Seattle *cough*

Have spent a fair amount of time in both (I'm practically a local!), I'd
have to say Portland trumps Seattle as an American beer mecca. Seattle's
impressive, no question, but I just didn't get the impression that good beer
is quite as pervasive there as in Portland. It's not a wide gulf, but my
totally subjective perception is that Portland's a little more saturated -
and it's built a little more into the mainstream culture - than Seattle.

OTOH, a few years ago I would have said Seattle's a little more adventurous
(there were actually lagers, some of them even good) than Portland, but
Portland brewers seem to be picking things up again the last couple years.

Not that I'd sneeze at either city.

-Steve

> What a sec- *you* appointed somebody to buy beer and wine for your club
> who not only didn't drink and was, from your story, given no guidelines
> so he asked a retailer "What's the most popular beer in Chicago?" and
> got a (correct, IIRC) answer and bought that and *you* ridiculed him for it?

I did not ridicule him. I took the full brunt of the complaints.
The next month he went back to our standand fare - Porter, various
English Ales, and some American Swill.

My point was that Chicago is not known for good beer!

Dick

In article >, (Dick Adams) wrote:
>> Portland probably has a high brewpub culture due to education level,
>> my guess. I updated my list of towns with the most bars.
>>
>> Pittsburgh 200 423K
>> Milwaukee 198 583K
>> Atlanta 267 425K
>> St. Louis 169 453K
>> Dallas 248 904K
>> NY 1347 8M
>> Portland Or. 166 562K

Chicago 644 2.8M


>> Here are the results so far.
>> Pop to bar ratio.
>>
>> Atlanta 1591
>> Pittsburgh 2147
>> St. Louis 2680
>> Milwaukee 2944
>> Portland 3385
>> Dallas 3645

Chicago 4347

>> NY 5039

>> Results computed using City Search
>
>What surprises me here is the absence of Chicago on
>both lists. Chicago is NOT known for brewpubs, but

So I added Chicago to the "most bars" thread.

greg

"Dick Adams" > wrote in message
...

> My point was that Chicago is not known for good beer!

Then your point's wrong. Is it everywhere? No. Is there a lot of very good
beer that's pretty easy to find? Hell yes.

-Steve

So you make a claim about beer in Chicago based on 25 years ago?

Almost as bad as the claim that the education level in Portland has
something to do with a "high brewpub culture."

Jeesh.

"Dick Adams" > wrote in message
...
>> Portland probably has a high brewpub culture due to education level,
>> my guess. I updated my list of towns with the most bars.
>>
>> Pittsburgh 200 423K
>> Milwaukee 198 583K
>> Atlanta 267 425K
>> St. Louis 169 453K
>> Dallas 248 904K
>> NY 1347 8M
>> Portland Or. 166 562K
>
>> Here are the results so far.
>> Pop to bar ratio.
>>
>> Atlanta 1591
>> Pittsburgh 2147
>> St. Louis 2680
>> Milwaukee 2944
>> Portland 3385
>> Dallas 3645
>> NY 5039
>>
>> Results computed using City Search
>
> What surprises me here is the absence of Chicago on
> both lists. Chicago is NOT known for brewpubs, but
> several years ago I went on a pub crawl in a SW side
> neighborhood and the list had 32 bars in just over a
> one mile stretch of a street.
>
> Chicago is also NOT known for great beers. 25 years
> ago I was the President of a 2000 member social
> organization and put someone in charge of buying
> beer and wine for the monthly meeting (~150 members).
> The first month he was in charge, he purchased
> Heilmann's Old Style! I asked hin why. Turns out
> he did not drink alcohol so he asked at a local
> package goods store and was told Old Style was the
> largest selling beer in Chicago. LoL!
>
> He also get a Ros'e instead of a Red wine. When
> someone complained about the Ros'e, I relied "Just
> be happy he didn't buy Mad Dog 20/20 or Ripple."
>
> After that he was given a list from which to select.
>
> Dick

On 7/24/2007 11:54 AM Bob S jumped down, turned around, and wrote:

> "Dick Adams" > wrote in message
> ...
>>> Portland probably has a high brewpub culture due to education level,
>>> my guess. I updated my list of towns with the most bars.
>>>
>>> Pittsburgh 200 423K
>>> Milwaukee 198 583K
>>> Atlanta 267 425K
>>> St. Louis 169 453K
>>> Dallas 248 904K
>>> NY 1347 8M
>>> Portland Or. 166 562K
>>> Here are the results so far.
>>> Pop to bar ratio.
>>>
>>> Atlanta 1591
>>> Pittsburgh 2147
>>> St. Louis 2680
>>> Milwaukee 2944
>>> Portland 3385
>>> Dallas 3645
>>> NY 5039
>>>
>>> Results computed using City Search
>> What surprises me here is the absence of Chicago on
>> both lists. Chicago is NOT known for brewpubs [...]
>>
>> Chicago is also NOT known for great beers. [...]
> So you make a claim about beer in Chicago based on 25 years ago?
>
> Almost as bad as the claim that the education level in Portland has
> something to do with a "high brewpub culture."
>
> Jeesh.

Bears repeating:

"... newbies who use to come on and ask a naive question or said
something like "I still like a cold Budweiser on a hot day" were hounded
and brow-beated right out of the group by the geeks."

Irony-challenged *and* top-posting. Gonna go for the trifecta?
--
dgs