East Coast vs. West Coast Battle for “Beer City USA” Incites Debate, Tie, Thirst
(ASHEVILLE, N.C.) May 11, 2009 – An independent beer movement is brewing. Over the past month, more than 16,000 craft beer enthusiasts from 46 countries cast votes for “Beer City USA” in an online poll posted by founder of the American Homebrewers Association Charlie Papazian on Examiner.com. With roughly 30% of the votes each, the top honor of Beer City USA was ultimately split between two cities – Portland, Oregon on the west coast (an epicenter of American brew culture with more than 30 breweries) and, unexpected underdog, Asheville, North Carolina on the east coast (a smaller, but zealous, brew culture with more breweries per capita than any city in the U.S.).
Hundreds of heated blog comments, campaigning via Twitter and Facebook, and multitude off-shoot blog posts fueled the best beer city debate in advance of American Craft Beer Week, May 11 – 17, a national celebration highlighting the culture and contributions of craft beer.
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"One thing that a poll like this indicates is the degree of beer culture and networks that exist in various areas of the country. It helps to bring to the forefront that beer culture, beer community and beer enthusiasm are relevant forces in the quest for access to better beer," stated brewing authority, blogger and poll author Charlie Papazian.
Beer Links
- "Beer City USA" – Examiner.com poll results
- AmericanCraftBeerWeek.org
- BrewtopianSociety.com – a guide to Asheville’s craft breweries via FoodtopianSociety.com
- Portlandbeer.org – guide to Portland’s brew culture
About Asheville: Brewtopian Society
Asheville has long been known for its stunning scenery, lively mountain music and famous attractions including Biltmore and the Blue Ridge Parkway. And now, it’s become the craft brewing center of the Southeast. With a population of just over 70,000, Asheville is giving bigger cities a beer-run for their money with seven diverse craft breweries (and two more well under construction).
On any given day, about 50 local beers can be enjoyed, served on draft and in bottles. Asheville is also home to a world-renowned specialty beer store (Bruisin’ Ales, rated #3 retailer worldwide by RateBeer), three annual beer festivals (Brewgrass, Oktoberfest and Winter Warmer), and a wide selection of pubs, including Thirsty Monk, with a downstairs tasting room featuring an all-Belgian lineup. A behind-the-scene brewery tour, Asheville Brews Cruise offers an insider’s look with a designated driver of Asheville’s rapidly evolving brew culture.
Media Resources
- VIDEO: Asheville Brews Cruise
- IMAGES: High Res Images
- FoodtopianSociety.com – a guide to Asheville’s local food movement, brewing scene and culinary adventures
Contact
Dodie Stephens | Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau | 828.257.4959 direct
dstephens@exploreasheville.com | @AshevilleTravel on Twitter |
exploreasheville.com | foodtopiansociety.com
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