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American Beer, Bourbon and More

American Beer, Bourbon and More

By Food & Wine

Updated May 09, 2019

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Alabama

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Back Forty Beer Co. Naked Pig Pale Ale

Brewers Jason Wilson and Zach Folmar work with a local farmer to grow hops for this citrusy pale ale. Gadsden town laws won't allow the brewery to serve beer, so Back Forty gives visitors vouchers for a free pint at local bars.

Photo © Theo Morrison.

2 of 52

Alaska

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Alaskan Brewing Co. Winter Ale

Handpicked Sitka spruce tips give this rich, vintage-dated winter ale from Juneau a pretty floral note.

Photo © Theo Morrison.

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Arizona

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Nimbus Old Monkeyshine

Tucson-based Nimbus's beers, like this English-style strong ale, are bottled on a 1950s Coca-Cola line.

Photo © Theo Morrison.

4 of 52

Arkansas

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Diamond Bear Pale Ale

The staff at this Little Rock brewery is so small that it solicits volunteers from the community to work the bottling line. Their pay: beer, like this ultra-refreshing pale ale.

Photo © Theo Morrison.

5 of 52

California

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Ballast Point Sculpin IPA

From perhaps the only brewery in the US with a fishing team (definitely the only one in San Diego), this fantastically hoppy IPA is even named for a fish.

Photo © Theo Morrison.

6 of 52

Colorado

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Funkwerks White

Saison ales (originally brewed in Belgian farmhouses) inspired this new Fort Collins brewery and its terrific orange peel–infused wheat beer. Visitors to the new taproom can try 12 different handcrafted brews.

Photo © Theo Morrison.

7 of 52

Connecticut

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Cottrell Brewing Company Mystic Bridge IPA

Charles Cottrell Buffum Jr. founded this Pawcatuck brewery in a printing press factory started by his great-grandfather in 1855. This nicely bitter IPA is the newer of Cottrell's two beers.

Photo © Theo Morrison.

8 of 52

Delaware

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Old Dominion Oak Barrel Stout

Each batch of this smoky stout is infused with a pound of vanilla beans to give it a rich sweetness. This summer the brewery will release a special Kentucky bourbon-barrel-aged version.

Photo © Kyle Holtgren.

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Florida

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Cigar City Brewing Jai Alai IPA

Once the country's largest producer of cigars, Tampa is heavily influenced by its large Cuban population, as evidenced by the local cuisine. Brewer Wayne Wambles takes inspiration from those flavors when creating his beers, among them this fresh, herbal IPA.

Photo © Theo Morrison.

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Georgia

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Wild Heaven Ode To Mercy Imperial Brown Ale

This dense, malty brown ale is brewed with a blend of coffee beans from local Atlanta roaster 1000 Faces Coffee.

Photo courtesy Chris Rank.

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Hawaii

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Pau Maui Vodka

On Maui, Mark Nigbur utilizes a special glass still to make a vodka from sweet Hawaiian pineapples. The result is remarkably pure, with just the slightest hint of fruit.

Photo © Theo Morrison.

Great Vodka Cocktails

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Idaho

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44 North Magic Valley Wheat Vodka

This smooth, mellow vodka from the town of Rigby is distilled from local Brundage winter wheat (chosen for its high-carbohydrate and low-protein content) and Rocky Mountain water.

Photo © Theo Morrison.

13 of 52

Illinois

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Two Brothers Cane and Ebel Red Rye Ale

Warrenville brewers Jim and Jason Ebel match rye's spiciness with hoppy pine notes in this robust beer. They also run a home-brew shop, called the Brewer's Coop, in front of the brewery.

Photo © Theo Morrison.

14 of 52

Indiana

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Three Floyds Gumballhead

Three Floyds' brewpub in Munster isn't the typical nachos-and-wings place. Try vegetables from the pub's 3,000-square-foot organic garden and dishes like mussels steamed in this tangerine-scented wheat beer.

Photo © Theo Morrison.

15 of 52

Iowa

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Templeton Rye

Third-generation distiller and former NFL player Keith Kerkhoff uses the same recipe his grandfather created during Prohibition to make this smooth rye whiskey in the small town of Templeton.

Photo courtesy of Templeton Rye.

16 of 52

Kansas

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Tallgrass Buffalo Sweat Stout

Tall, eco-friendly cans hold this mocha-scented stout from the plains of Manhattan, Kansas.

Photo © Theo Morrison.

17 of 52

Kentucky

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Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon

Small Batch is a gorgeous, caramelly blend of four bourbons picked by Lawrenceburg distiller Jim Rutledge for an ideal balance of body, richness and spice.

Photo courtesy of Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon.

18 of 52

Louisiana

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Abita Jockamo IPA

Abita helped start the craft-beer movement in America, and its hoppy but balanced IPA shows why. The Abita Springs brewpub and tasting room pours special small-batch beers.

Photo © Theo Morrison.

19 of 52

Maine

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Maine Beer Company Peeper Ale

This tiny new Portland brewery is entirely wind-powered, gives its spent grain to local farmers for feed and donates part of its profits to saving the planet. No surprise this fresh ale tastes so grassy and green.

Photo © Theo Morrison.

20 of 52

Maryland

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Stillwater Cellar Door American Farmhouse Ale

Part of the growing ranks of so-called gypsy brewers, Brian Strumke spends half his time traveling around the world to collaborate with other beermakers, like Denmark's dynamic Mikkel Borg Bjergso. At home in Baltimore, he works on his own brews, like this white sage–infused one.

Photo © Theo Morrison.

21 of 52

Massachusetts

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Pretty Things Jack D'Or

Dann and Martha Paquette's Pretty Things in Somerville reflects historical European beer styles. The Jack D'Or is a layered, citrusy saison.

Photo © Carolyn Fong.

22 of 52

Michigan

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Bell's Two Hearted Ale

This piney, grapefruity ale from legendary Galesburg brewer Larry Bell is one of the country's top beers. Try it at the brewery's aptly named Eccentric Café in downtown Kalamazoo.

Photo © Theo Morrison.

23 of 52

Minnesota

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Surly Brewing Co. Furious Beer

Admission to Surly's popular Friday-night tours requires one non-perishable food item for the local food bank. In exchange: a taste of this roasty, fragrant IPA.

Photo © Theo Morrison.

24 of 52

Mississippi

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Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale

For this toffee-scented beer, brewer Leslie Henderson infuses earthy brown ale with roasted pecans.

25 of 52

Missouri

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Boulevard Brewing Co. Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale

Along with making great beer like this citrusy ale, Kansas City's Boulevard also started a citywide glass-recycling program, with drop-off points for its bottles.

26 of 52

Montana

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Ridge Distillery Silvertip American Dry Gin

Joe and Julie Legate use wild angelica foraged from the Rockies and cultivated juniper and coriander to make this clean, fragrant small-batch gin.

Gin Cocktails

27 of 52

Nebraska

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Lucky Bucket IPA

28 of 52

Nevada

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Buckbean Black Noddy Lager

This dark, Bavarian-style Schwarzbier from Reno is surprisingly light and crisp.

29 of 52

New Hampshire

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Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale

Dozens of dog lovers send photos of their old brown dogs to Smuttynose every year—a testament to the popularity of this roasty, nutty brown ale.

30 of 52

New Jersey

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Flying Fish Brewing Co. Exit 4 American Trippel

Flying Fish, in Cherry Hill, is creating beers inspired by 18 of the exits along the New Jersey Turnpike. It's even taking recommendations on its website. In honor of exit 4, Mount Laurel Township, the brewery created a rich, nutmeg-scented Belgian-style trippel.

31 of 52

New Mexico

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Santa Fe Brewing Company State Pen Porter

Saturday tours offer standard beers like this robust, coconutty porter and also include tastes of one-off experiments by assistant brewers, like a Green Chile Pale Ale.

32 of 52

New York

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Tuthilltown Spirits Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey

Second-generation distiller Gable Erenzo uses New York state corn to make this rich, slightly sweet whiskey, which he ages in oak for three months.

Photo courtesy Tuthilltown Distillery.

33 of 52

North Carolina

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The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery Brown Ale

Paul Philippon, a former philosophy professor, has made his name by producing only dark beers, like this toasty brown ale.

34 of 52

North Dakota

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Edwinton Brewing Company and Fargo Brewing Company

This summer, North Dakota will get its first craft breweries. Edwinton Brewing will specialize in Belgian beers; Fargo Brewing in American styles.

Photo courtesy Edwinton Brewing Company.

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American Beer, Bourbon and More

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Alabama

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Alaska

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Arizona

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Arkansas

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California

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Colorado

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Connecticut

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Delaware

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Florida

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Georgia

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Hawaii

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Idaho

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Illinois

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Indiana

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Iowa

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Kansas

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Kentucky

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Louisiana

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Maine

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Maryland

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Massachusetts

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Michigan

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Minnesota

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Mississippi

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Missouri

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Montana

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