2 NC beer scenes rank among ‘most outstanding’ in the US. Why they’re special
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- Charlotte and Asheville rank among the nation's top cities for beer lovers.
- To create the list, USA Today's 10Best gathered expert nominations and votes from readers.
- Beer-related North Carolina businesses made it onto lists of the best bars and breweries.
Beer lovers, rejoice! North Carolina is home to two of the nation’s best places to grab a pint, new rankings show.
Charlotte ranks No. 6, and Asheville is No. 7 on a list of the top 10 cities for beer drinkers.
The cities join a list of the “most outstanding beer scenes in the nation. That means stellar collections of established and up-and-coming breweries, beer bars, brewpubs, beer festivals, and even thriving homebrewing communities where a novice brewer can get their foot in the door,” USA Today’s 10Best wrote in its Wednesday, March 4 report.
But 10Best’s praise for North Carolina as a beer destination didn’t stop there. Across the state, these businesses and attractions also made their marks in various categories:
- Brewgaloo in Raleigh at No. 2 for beer festivals (N&O coverage here)
- Burial Beer Co. in Asheville at No. 2 for brewery tours
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in Mills River at No. 5 for brewery tours
- Raleigh Beer Garden at No. 7 for beer gardens
- The Whale in Asheville at No. 7 for beer bars
- Burial Beer Co. in Asheville at No. 8 for beer labels
- Atomic Clock Brewing Co. in Durham at No. 10 for new breweries
How did NC beer scenes rank high?
North Carolina’s beer scenes received nods after 10Best said it considered places across the country. To determine the fan-favorite destinations for beer, the website turned to its editors and beer pros.
“We set out to highlight the best of the beer scene by asking beer experts to nominate their top picks across each of eight categories,” 10Best wrote. “Then, our readers voted to determine the winners.”
In the resulting readers’ choice awards, the only category that didn’t include a North Carolina winner was best brewpub.
What makes Charlotte and Asheville special?
Both Charlotte and Asheville have earned past recognition from 10Best, CharlotteFive previously reported. This time around, Charlotte ranked the highest of the two cities at No. 6.
“The craft beer scene is continually expanding, and The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery has the largest biergarten in the Southeast,” 10Best wrote in its report. “Charlotte also hosts its own Queen City Brewers Festival each February.”
Also ranking among the top places to raise a glass was Asheville, which took the No. 7 spot. It might not come as a surprise, given the city has made it into similar best-of lists from Craft Beer & Brewing magazine and Tasting Table, CharlotteFive previously reported.
In its latest report, 10Best highlighted Asheville’s “impressive number of breweries, friendly beer bars, and bottle shops that provide enthusiasts with easy access to more than 100 local beers.” It turns out, the mountain destination is home to “more breweries per capita than any U.S. city,” according to the Explore Asheville tourism website.
Asheville has been rebuilding since Hurricane Helene unleashed catastrophic flooding on parts of Western North Carolina in 2024. These days, tourism officials encourage people visiting hard-hit areas to call ahead to see whether businesses are open.
Nationwide, 10Best said the top-ranked place for beer was Grand Rapids, Michigan. Here are the other cities that rounded out the top five:
- St. Louis at No. 2
- Yakima, Washington, at No. 3
- San Diego at No. 4
- Pittsburgh at No. 5
In the past, 10Best told McClatchy News it doesn’t reveal the number of people who vote in its contests.
