The best drinking city

[KNOTSANE]

I have drank in allot of places around the country and some places know how to throw it down and some cities just don't have a clue. To start it all off, I will vote for my hometown of New Orleans. Yeah we have Mardi Gras and Jazzfest and Voodoo fest and some other fest every other weekend, but we have Bourbon Street and the entire French Quarter every day of the year. Down here we don't need a reason for a party. Hell, where else can you walk down the street with an open container of alcohol in your hand? Oh, and the crawfish boils every weekend. So I think New Orleans is the professor and the rest of the country are just students. Come on down and get cha some.


EDIT--This thread is not just intended for the States. Let's from our Northern and Southern neighbors and our power drinking friends abroad. This is helping me with what places to hit when I'm traveling.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

I'll throw a vote in for Madison, WI and Memphis, TN. Madison may not allow open containers, but the beer culture is amazing. Memphis is just a good time. Biele St. allows you to have open containers the last time I checked...

 

[cyclogenesis]

I'm off to the big easy for a conference in two weeks... can't wait!

Denver was great fun when I visited it a few months ago, headed out and visited Breckenridge, Flying Dog, Wyncoop and Great Divide breweries... What a hangover!

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

ever been to minneapolis/st. paul? not saying it's the 'best' or anything, but it's a great beer city with lots of brewing tradition, lots of great craft breweries and a decent amount of small restaurants and pubs that brew beer. the home brewing scene also seems to be pretty solid. i'm gonna be a hometown fan on this thread.

 

[Clanchief]

Denver was great fun when I visited it a few months ago, headed out and visited Breckenridge, Flying Dog, Wyncoop and Great Divide breweries... What a hangover!

I live in Chicago, and love it, and think it's a very good beer city. We're up and coming, with some very nice local breweries. However, I have to second Denver. It may seem cliched, but whatever. I was there in August and it's awesome. Though it's hard to limit it to Denver per se, and more Colorado as a state. Longmont is great, Boulder fantastic, and of course Ft. Collins too.

 

[Realispatt]

Anchorage, just for the shear fact of the amount of brew pubs in one city, Mooses Tooth raspberry wheat is the best I've ever had of a raspberry wheat. Second would be Fo Co (Fort Collins) specificly old town, Its a good vibe with good beer, and Mayor of Old Town is an awesome beer bar. I would like to check out New Orleans though. I throw this out there too, any city in Georgia is the worst drinking city. This state and its laws and lack of a good beer culture is killing me.

 

[Mr_Pear]

I'm going to have to give it up for Portland Oregon. So many options, so little time.

 

[ajbram]

I think you need to open this up to places north of the border. Montreal has my vote!

 

[Thehopguy]

San diego hands down!

 

[ArtVandelay]

Best beer city : Denver
Best get drunk city: New Orleans (plus the food is amazing and cheap)
Best beer city/get drunk city in Midwest: Madison, WI

 

[Rivenin]

Portland Oregon for beer choices. However Cincinnati has some great spots. Seattle is pretty fun too

 

[Grippe]

Prague

 

[wolfman_48442]

Best get drunk city: New Orleans (plus the food is amazing and cheap)

I agree. In any other city, some of the shenanigans I got away with in NO would have gotten me arrested. If you're there when Tulane's in session and you're in to hot southern co-eds, well... Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Tokyo is awesome too. It's kind of like another planet anyway, so when you get drunk, it's really weird. In a good way.

 

[1stTimer]

Asheville, NC. Gorgeous city and the number of breweries in and around the city is growing at an incredible rate.

 

[Mongrel]

Portland. Great beer even in the dive bars, and good public transportation.

 

[MadHopper]

San diego hands down!

+1 on this (if only for beer). The number of great pubs, brewpubs and breweries is growing at an astounding rate. Also most regular restaurants have a good collection of craft brews.

I reckon NOLA or some other city has a better overall drinking culture.

 

[jevers]

...I throw this out there too, any city in Georgia is the worst drinking city. This state and its laws and lack of a good beer culture is killing me.

I'm gonna have to disagree with you there. My vote is for Savannah. Open containers allowed anywhere in the historic district, a bar on every corner, and all kinds of places to wander around. Also, Moon River on Bay Street is a pretty darn good brewpub.

Do yourself a favor and head down there for a weekend.

 

[squirrelly]

My vote is for San francisco. We have over 50 brew pubs and craft breweries in the bay area from my neck of the woods in Carmel to the east bay. The napa area is pretty darn good too.

 

[daksin]

That's three for San Diego. Anybody not voting for their home town?

 

[squirrelly]

Ok fine; I guess it's biased to vote for our home towns. Then I shall recast my vote for rotterdam. The 2 years I spent there I had all the local Belgian, German, and Dutch beers at my disposal. The only thing lacking was the 100 IBU IPAs.

 

[TheWall]

Houghton, Michigan - With 20 ft of snow and the greatest drinking college in the United States. We also have the wonderful Keweenaw Brewing Company.

 

[Spencecore24]

Ill eliminate Los Angeles. All of the bars are so far apart and they are way to expensive. There are a couple of spots that sell awesome beer but most are full of hipster ****** bags.

 

[Grumpybumpy]

Austin is a great place to rage, the craft beer scene is still in its infantile stages and can only get better!

Cap hill in seattle is a ton of fun and great beer everywhere.

 

[Airborneguy]

All my best drinking nights were in Germany! We got nothing on the European cities.

 

[squirrelly]

In all seriousness I do strongly recommend checking out SF beer week. 12 days of craft brew conventions. The barley wine festival is pretty rockin too. 50 different barley wines in one local can't be beat.

There are few times I won't work, but NHC, GABF, BNA, and SF beer week are justifiable days to take off.

 

[HerbieHowells]

I would call New Orleans the best cocktail city. When I am in New Orleans, I may down a few Abita beers here and there, but for the most part I am drinking cocktails. Pimms at the Napoleon House, frozen Irish coffee at Molly's, or Sazeracs anywhere. You can have Bourbon Street, Hurricanes, and Hand Grenades if you must, but don't ask me to come along.

If you ever get a chance to have a night out in Dusseldorf, do it. Alt and street stand sausage? Yes thank you.

 

[Jay1]

My vote is for San francisco. We have over 50 brew pubs and craft breweries in the bay area from my neck of the woods in Carmel to the east bay. The napa area is pretty darn good too.

SF has some great breweries. I really liked 21st Amendment, bit the drive up to Lagunitas was my favorite, that is the coolest brewery I have ever been to.

My favorite drinking city is Portland (I can't believe it doesn't have more votes). There is an insane amount of really good craft breweries in the city, its completely overwhelming. Also, the have Mcmennimens Hotels, which is pretty much Disney Land from beer drinkers. If your ever in Portland you owe it to yourself to stay at one of their properties.

Honerable mention goes to Bend, OR. Bend is fun town with a huge amount of micros in a very small radius. If you complete the Bend Ale Trail, their tourism board will send you a Silipint glass. Really fun city!

 

[Spencecore24]

I would have to say San Diego. Love that city. Love those beers! They have Stone!

 

[bovineblitz]

Cambridge MA is pretty solid. About to walk to my fav bar right now

 

[badbrew]

Ill eliminate Los Angeles. All of the bars are so far apart and they are way to expensive. There are a couple of spots that sell awesome beer but most are full of hipster ****** bags.

At least Vegas is nearby.

 

[buffalobrewer]

In the small town division I would nominate Ellicottville, NY. Population ~520, probably a few thousand on winter weekends. 20 bars/restaurants, and a damn fine brewpub.

Our Beer

:rockin:

 

[Mr_Pear]

Oh Bend man, that's also a good call! Man its tough to beat Bend and Portland so much good food and soo much good beer!!!

 

[dkennedy]

I'll throw a vote in for Madison, WI and Memphis, TN. Madison may not allow open containers, but the beer culture is amazing. Memphis is just a good time. Biele St. allows you to have open containers the last time I checked...

Second Madtown- beer and cheese, amazing that people stay in shape.

 

[Cubslover]

Louisville

 

[2BeerSpeer]

Asheville, NC "Beer City USA"

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Ugh. You people that voted Madison are nuts. I used to live there. I hated it so much that to this day I wont go back even for a day unless I absolutely have to.

 

[cdubbaya]

Best beer city : Denver
Best get drunk city: New Orleans (plus the food is amazing and cheap)
Best beer city/get drunk city in Midwest: Madison, WI

This.

I'd throw Austin, TX in there too, just for all the cool spots. Not a great craft beer city though.

Hard to beat the chain of cities near denver, just because they have great breweries and awesome distribution.

 

[bad67z]

I have family in Philly and visit a couple of time a year, I can't believe what a great beer city it is. It has Monk's Cafe voted one of the 10 best place on earth to drink beer. And that is just one of many.

 

[dkennedy]

Ugh. You people that voted Madison are nuts. I used to live there. I hated it so much that to this day I wont go back even for a day unless I absolutely have to.

I'd be prone to say the same about Denver (the metro esp.), personally...opinions!

 

[C-Rider]

Perhaps someplace in the Czech Republic. They drink more beer per capita than any other country in the world. Or so I've been told.