Beer! Math! Beermath!
April 18, 2017 11:30 AM Subscribe
Craft beer — so hot right now. But what city is the microbrew capital of the US? An interactive data-visualization visual essay on the many ways to proclaim cities "Best" on beer, by Russell Goldenberg
Don't know that I trust an analysis that includes the ChopHouse as one of Denver's top five breweries.
posted by Clustercuss at 12:17 PM on April 18, 2017 [10 favorites]
posted by Clustercuss at 12:17 PM on April 18, 2017 [10 favorites]
The filter maxes out at 5 breweries within 5 miles?
That's not a brewery district, mate. This* is a brewery district.
*The Ballard neighborhood in Seattle. 13 breweries in a 3-mile radius. Link, from 2014, is already laughably out of date.
posted by gurple at 12:19 PM on April 18, 2017 [3 favorites]
That's not a brewery district, mate. This* is a brewery district.
*The Ballard neighborhood in Seattle. 13 breweries in a 3-mile radius. Link, from 2014, is already laughably out of date.
posted by gurple at 12:19 PM on April 18, 2017 [3 favorites]
i doubt anyone will find anything to complain about in this
posted by beerperson at 12:26 PM on April 18, 2017 [25 favorites]
posted by beerperson at 12:26 PM on April 18, 2017 [25 favorites]
Don't know that I trust an analysis that includes the ChopHouse as one of Denver's top five breweries.
It looks like they're just showing the top five alphabetically from a longer list. Which is silly but at least isn't a judgment of quality.
posted by asperity at 12:49 PM on April 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
It looks like they're just showing the top five alphabetically from a longer list. Which is silly but at least isn't a judgment of quality.
posted by asperity at 12:49 PM on April 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
Ha! I'm in Stow, Ohio right now!
The grocery store on the corner has a decent selection, but it's not really all that.
posted by slogger at 12:58 PM on April 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
The grocery store on the corner has a decent selection, but it's not really all that.
posted by slogger at 12:58 PM on April 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
I think it like figures out your location or something.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 1:10 PM on April 18, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 1:10 PM on April 18, 2017 [3 favorites]
Yeah I got super stoked when it mentioned Black Mountain, NC right away. (I'm in Black Mountain. And now I wanna go over to Pisgah Brewery for a cold one.)
posted by Bob Regular at 1:48 PM on April 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Bob Regular at 1:48 PM on April 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'm a fan of the small multiples and re-weightable chart, but oh my glob scrollytelling drives me bonkers.
posted by cichlid ceilidh at 2:28 PM on April 18, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by cichlid ceilidh at 2:28 PM on April 18, 2017 [3 favorites]
If you move the slider between quality and quantity San Diego stays pretty static in A territory and Minneapolis stays static at B+ distance from the "ideal" dot. The rating of most of the other "good" cities seems very sensitive to the parameterization.
posted by ethansr at 3:34 PM on April 18, 2017
posted by ethansr at 3:34 PM on April 18, 2017
A weighted quantity-vs-quality metric is an interesting twist, although I suspect that the author has turned the weighting heavily (80%) towards average-RateBeer-scores in part as a way to generate an interesting lead ("What's the microbrewery capital of the US? The answer may surprise you!"). I'm also not convinced that a straight average of ratings from all the reasonable-sized microbreweries is a good metric. Is a city with 5 good breweries more of a top microbrewery city than one with 10 equally good breweries and 2 lousy ones that bring the average score down?
I'm also curious about the details of how they generate those numbers, though. They describe how they chose to pick and average the beer ratings off of RateBeer, but in the easier-to-check metric of breweries per city, I can easily think of over twice as many microbreweries in my city as they have listed. The city is small enough that all the breweries in the city are within the distance limit. A few could be ruled out for not matching "3+ beers that were reviewed 10+ times and 50+ total reviews" on RateBeer or a category other than "microbrewery or brewpub", but the article's number are still off by over 50%.
posted by JiBB at 3:45 PM on April 18, 2017 [2 favorites]
I'm also curious about the details of how they generate those numbers, though. They describe how they chose to pick and average the beer ratings off of RateBeer, but in the easier-to-check metric of breweries per city, I can easily think of over twice as many microbreweries in my city as they have listed. The city is small enough that all the breweries in the city are within the distance limit. A few could be ruled out for not matching "3+ beers that were reviewed 10+ times and 50+ total reviews" on RateBeer or a category other than "microbrewery or brewpub", but the article's number are still off by over 50%.
posted by JiBB at 3:45 PM on April 18, 2017 [2 favorites]
Could Missoula, Montana, really be the microbrew capital of the US?
Yes. And if you wanna not believe that, fine. More delicious beer for me.
posted by ikahime at 3:46 PM on April 18, 2017 [4 favorites]
Yes. And if you wanna not believe that, fine. More delicious beer for me.
posted by ikahime at 3:46 PM on April 18, 2017 [4 favorites]
Like ikahime, I came here for the Missoula reason.
We have 10 breweries in a town of 70,000 people and and a two-county population of 150,000 (Missoula/Ravalli.) We have two more breweries in the works in the downtown area. This month alone there are two Bacon and Beer fests, one of which is sold out and one of which is FREE! to attend tomorrow night.
Missoula has 10+ Brewfests a year. Most are at a park right next to the river, so you can fly fish the river and then go 200 feet to get a beer. Hell, you can ride your surfboard on a standing wave 200 feet from the brewfest with 200 people watching.
I will note that I read this at a brewery, then drove past three breweries on my way home (1.5 miles.) If I had gone back to my office I would have passed 5 breweries and three distilleries in 1.5 miles.)
posted by ITravelMontana at 4:48 PM on April 18, 2017 [5 favorites]
We have 10 breweries in a town of 70,000 people and and a two-county population of 150,000 (Missoula/Ravalli.) We have two more breweries in the works in the downtown area. This month alone there are two Bacon and Beer fests, one of which is sold out and one of which is FREE! to attend tomorrow night.
Missoula has 10+ Brewfests a year. Most are at a park right next to the river, so you can fly fish the river and then go 200 feet to get a beer. Hell, you can ride your surfboard on a standing wave 200 feet from the brewfest with 200 people watching.
I will note that I read this at a brewery, then drove past three breweries on my way home (1.5 miles.) If I had gone back to my office I would have passed 5 breweries and three distilleries in 1.5 miles.)
posted by ITravelMontana at 4:48 PM on April 18, 2017 [5 favorites]
as a beer drinker in Minneapolis I'm heartened to see it ranked 6th. We've been playing catch up for 6 years following the law change that allowed microbreweries. Hell, we're almost ready to start selling alcohol on Sundays.
posted by djseafood at 5:47 PM on April 18, 2017
posted by djseafood at 5:47 PM on April 18, 2017
I'm in Cleveland. We've had at least five new breweries open recently and more will be opening soon. But most importantly, they're actually GOOOOOOOD. Mmm. Platform. Yes please.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 6:55 PM on April 18, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by bitter-girl.com at 6:55 PM on April 18, 2017 [2 favorites]
Boo! Philly is number 1 forever! We are the best at beer! (I don't care about beer but I love philadelphia and winning)
posted by queen_mob at 7:13 PM on April 18, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by queen_mob at 7:13 PM on April 18, 2017 [2 favorites]
Santa Rosa my other home! If you like to eat and drink it kind of cant be beat. We're obsessed with food in Sonoma County.
posted by supercrayon at 7:25 PM on April 18, 2017
posted by supercrayon at 7:25 PM on April 18, 2017
I think it like figures out your location or something.--RobotVoodooPower
Are you saying that the website's results depend on where you are browsing from?
posted by eye of newt at 8:23 PM on April 18, 2017
Are you saying that the website's results depend on where you are browsing from?
posted by eye of newt at 8:23 PM on April 18, 2017
Having just moved from San Diego to Santa Rosa, this was really interesting.
It'd be really cool if you could show breweries within 20 minutes of drive time at happy hour, say, instead of 20 miles. Because depending on which miles, 20 miles in San Diego can be a long drive.
Also, it's odd that the headline says Sebastopol, but the rest of the article has Santa Rosa. Sure they're close, but they're not the same place…
posted by mmc at 10:16 PM on April 18, 2017
It'd be really cool if you could show breweries within 20 minutes of drive time at happy hour, say, instead of 20 miles. Because depending on which miles, 20 miles in San Diego can be a long drive.
Also, it's odd that the headline says Sebastopol, but the rest of the article has Santa Rosa. Sure they're close, but they're not the same place…
posted by mmc at 10:16 PM on April 18, 2017
It's weird Russian River Brewing doesn't figure in the top breweries in Santa Rosa. They've got a 100/100 rating (with 20k+ ratings!) on RateBeer.com and beer #6 and #19 on the top 50.
Here are the "top breweries" for Santa Rosa, according to TFA:
Bear Republic: 0 beers on the top 50, 100/100 rating (and based in Healdsburg?)
Woodfour: 0 beers on the top 50, 92/100 rating (and based in Sebastopol?)
Fogbelt: 0 beers on the top 50, 76/100 rating
Henhouse: 0 beers on the top 50, 89/100 rating
Moonlight: 0 beers on the top 50, 98/100 rating
Russian River is my favourite US brewery (my God the sour ales!) and their brew pub is smack dab in the middle of Santa Rosa. I call shenanigans.
posted by flippant at 1:03 AM on April 19, 2017
Here are the "top breweries" for Santa Rosa, according to TFA:
Bear Republic: 0 beers on the top 50, 100/100 rating (and based in Healdsburg?)
Woodfour: 0 beers on the top 50, 92/100 rating (and based in Sebastopol?)
Fogbelt: 0 beers on the top 50, 76/100 rating
Henhouse: 0 beers on the top 50, 89/100 rating
Moonlight: 0 beers on the top 50, 98/100 rating
Russian River is my favourite US brewery (my God the sour ales!) and their brew pub is smack dab in the middle of Santa Rosa. I call shenanigans.
posted by flippant at 1:03 AM on April 19, 2017
Yeah, I'm from Richmond and it's beyond dispute that Veil is the best brewer in town. Go to any trade site online and their beers are on everyone's wish list -- they sold out for their anniversary release online in 30 seconds. They aren't even listed as one of the top 5, despite having a 99/100 on ratebeer. The places he includes are all lower rated and he also omits Triple Crossing at 96/100 which should be 2nd and Theanswer at 98/100 would should be 3rd. I think there are some data problems.
posted by Lame_username at 3:48 AM on April 19, 2017
posted by Lame_username at 3:48 AM on April 19, 2017
I just want to point out that with Frederick, Baltimore and Washington, DC (they're on our side of the Potomac, thank you) all on the list, we seem to be doing remarkably well in Maryland.
posted by timdiggerm at 4:57 AM on April 19, 2017
posted by timdiggerm at 4:57 AM on April 19, 2017
It's weird Russian River Brewing doesn't figure in the top breweries in Santa Rosa.
No, it isn't. It starts with the letter R. It would be very unlikely for it to place in the top five breweries alphabetically.
Not that I don't love me some Supplication.
Same with all the other breweries that fail the alphabetical ranking. Should've picked a different, more bail bonds or locksmith-style name. AAAA 4 Aces Brewery, maybe?
posted by asperity at 6:26 AM on April 19, 2017
No, it isn't. It starts with the letter R. It would be very unlikely for it to place in the top five breweries alphabetically.
Not that I don't love me some Supplication.
Same with all the other breweries that fail the alphabetical ranking. Should've picked a different, more bail bonds or locksmith-style name. AAAA 4 Aces Brewery, maybe?
posted by asperity at 6:26 AM on April 19, 2017
I'm pleased that both Portlands made the top ten list. I haven't drunk that much Portland beer, but I can attest from personal experience that the other Portland has a lot of great craft brews.
posted by tobascodagama at 6:27 AM on April 19, 2017
posted by tobascodagama at 6:27 AM on April 19, 2017
I will note that I read this at a brewery, then drove past three breweries on my way home (1.5 miles.)
But I don't want to go anywhere I have to drive home from a brewery. Especially not for just a mile and a half.
posted by asperity at 6:29 AM on April 19, 2017
But I don't want to go anywhere I have to drive home from a brewery. Especially not for just a mile and a half.
posted by asperity at 6:29 AM on April 19, 2017
I'm curious about how much is location independent. The site obviously grabs your location in order to formulate its title, e.g. "Craft beer — so hot right now. Could [your city], really be the microbrew capital of the US?" and the original graphic, pointing at that same city.
I suppose this is ok, since the next text says "Not quite." (Unless I suppose if you live in Santa Rosa). However, it then ranks your city in an absolute fashion-- "After analyzing over 1600 breweries [your city]comes in nth..."
How is n determined? Playing with the interactive portion fails to recover n.
posted by TreeRooster at 7:25 AM on April 19, 2017
I suppose this is ok, since the next text says "Not quite." (Unless I suppose if you live in Santa Rosa). However, it then ranks your city in an absolute fashion-- "After analyzing over 1600 breweries [your city]comes in nth..."
How is n determined? Playing with the interactive portion fails to recover n.
posted by TreeRooster at 7:25 AM on April 19, 2017
I guess it's kind of fun. But extremely pointless.
TIL there are only 25 "microbreweries" or "brewpubs" within 50 miles of San Diego (actually, they're all within 5 miles, upping it to 50 miles doesn't change the number). Odd. Stone doesn't count. But Bear Republic does?
(I know, they're just using arbitrary data from ratebeer, don't blame them.)
beerperson clearly had it right. Just can't help it.
posted by booooooze at 1:27 PM on April 19, 2017
TIL there are only 25 "microbreweries" or "brewpubs" within 50 miles of San Diego (actually, they're all within 5 miles, upping it to 50 miles doesn't change the number). Odd. Stone doesn't count. But Bear Republic does?
(I know, they're just using arbitrary data from ratebeer, don't blame them.)
beerperson clearly had it right. Just can't help it.
posted by booooooze at 1:27 PM on April 19, 2017
I'm terribly disappointed that this contraption has now accounted for RateBeer ratings for the breweries rather than just alphabetical order. (Russian River's now tops in Santa Rosa.) I was enjoying being the top MeFite in this thread by that standard!
Or possibly it just wasn't loading correctly for me, but it doesn't look like I'm the only one who had it display that way. *shrug*
posted by asperity at 2:07 PM on April 19, 2017
Or possibly it just wasn't loading correctly for me, but it doesn't look like I'm the only one who had it display that way. *shrug*
posted by asperity at 2:07 PM on April 19, 2017
My impression of San Diego is, if you like IPA, you are going to have a wonderful time. If you don't, have fun trying to find something to enjoy because having such a robust local output of IPA means it can be hard to find anything other than IPA. There are entire, highly-successful breweries here that pretty much do 20 different IPA.
posted by Foam Pants at 3:00 PM on April 19, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Foam Pants at 3:00 PM on April 19, 2017 [2 favorites]
My impression of San Diego ALL OF CALIFORNIA is, if you like IPA, you are going to have a wonderful time
FTFY
posted by GuyZero at 3:57 PM on April 19, 2017 [2 favorites]
FTFY
posted by GuyZero at 3:57 PM on April 19, 2017 [2 favorites]
No, it isn't. It starts with the letter R. It would be very unlikely for it to place in the top five breweries alphabetically. -asperityIn what world does B W F H M constitute alphabetical order? Even if it was a random ranking of the first five to occur alphabetically, R comes before W.
posted by flippant at 4:35 AM on April 20, 2017
They changed the breweries listed! I promise I'm not imagining it... I think.
posted by asperity at 5:48 AM on April 20, 2017
posted by asperity at 5:48 AM on April 20, 2017
Not to pick too many nits, but, while it's not uncommon for any given bar or brewery here to devote half of its taps to IPAs, I would strongly disagree that it's hard to find anything else.
Of the ~35 beers on tap at my current employer, "only" 10 are IPAs.
posted by booooooze at 8:22 AM on April 20, 2017
Of the ~35 beers on tap at my current employer, "only" 10 are IPAs.
posted by booooooze at 8:22 AM on April 20, 2017
The IPA craze has seeped into other beer genres. Modern American pale ales are now much hoppier than they used to be. And, yes, when I go to buy beer here in San Diego, the cold case is dominated by local brews, the majority of which are hoppy beers. I'm glad your bar carries more than just IPA but, in my experience, SoCal is all about the hops.
posted by Foam Pants at 2:22 PM on April 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Foam Pants at 2:22 PM on April 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
I like to experiment sometimes by just grabbing a beer I've never tried before off my brocery store's shelf. (They actually have a decent selection of microbrews and craft beers there.) Anyway, I grabbed a stout one night, because I like stouts and it was the middle of winter.
It was only after I got home and took a sip that I realised I had grabbed a hoppy stout. Not "imperial", hoppy. It tasted almost exactly like an IPA, with just a slightly maltier aftertaste.
posted by tobascodagama at 3:54 PM on April 22, 2017
It was only after I got home and took a sip that I realised I had grabbed a hoppy stout. Not "imperial", hoppy. It tasted almost exactly like an IPA, with just a slightly maltier aftertaste.
posted by tobascodagama at 3:54 PM on April 22, 2017
That's because you went to a brocery store. Just go to a regular grocery store next time, sheesh!
posted by Foam Pants at 12:10 PM on April 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Foam Pants at 12:10 PM on April 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
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posted by GuyZero at 11:32 AM on April 18, 2017 [3 favorites]