USA TODAY 10Best
Bond Brothers Beer Company Wins Best New Brewery!
Best New Brewery (2017)
Craft breweries are opening in record numbers in the United States – a whopping 861 of them in 2016 alone. USA TODAY 10Best wants to find the best new breweries in the country, ones founded in the past three years, so we asked a panel of beer experts to nominate their favorites. For the last four weeks, USA TODAY 10Best readers have been voting daily for their favorites from a pool of 20 nominees, and the results are in.
The top 10 winners in the category Best New Brewery are as follows:
Photo courtesy of Steven Shomler / Great Notion Brewing
No. 10: Great Notion Brewing - Portland, Ore.
With a focus on New England-style IPAs and creative sours, Great Notion Brewing in Portland maintains a robust barrel program, where American sours are aged from nine to 24 months in oak. Founded early in 2016, the brewery also operates a taproom with house and guest beers on tap and a menu of pub fare.
Photo courtesy of The Veil Brewing Co.
No. 9: The Veil Brewing Co. - Richmond, Va.
Situated in the Scott's Addition neighborhood of Richmond, The Veil Brewing Co. opened in spring of 2016 with a focus on hop-centric beers, lagers, wild ales and spontaneous fermentation. The Veil beers can be enjoyed on draft in the taproom or from cans available to go.
Photo courtesy of Fieldwork Brewing Company
No. 8: Fieldwork Brewing Company - Berkeley, Calif.
Founded in Berkeley in early 2015, Fieldwork Brewing Company has been so successful, they're already expanding with new taprooms in Napa and Sacramento, with new ones slated to open soon in San Mateo and Monterey. Besides several brews available on draft (and in growlers to go) Fieldwork recently launched a limited release can program as well.
Photo courtesy of The Answer Brewpub
No. 7: The Answer Brewpub - Richmond, Va.
The Answer Brewpub opened in Richmond in fall of 2014 after An Hui of Mekong fame decided to expand from the Vietnamese restaurant and beer bar to open his own brewery. Visitors to the brewpub can choose between 56 taps – both Answer and guest beers – enjoyed alongside a menu of Vietnamese fare with live music in the background.
Photo courtesy of Narrow Gauge Brewing Company
No. 6: Narrow Gauge Brewing Company - Florissant, Mo.
Opened in summer 2016, Narrow Gauge Brewing Company pays tribute to Florissant, its home town and the former terminus of the West End Narrow Gauge railroad from St. Louis. Visitors are welcome in the 3-barrel brew house for a pint or to fill up a growler to take home. Narrow Gauge beers are also available at Cugino's Italian Grill.
Photo courtesy of Dovetail Brewery
No. 5: Dovetail Brewery - Chicago
Specializing in traditional, Continental European-style beers, Dovetail Brewery out of Chicago got started in May 2015 – the work of two brewers from Chicago who met in Munich while studying for their Master Brewer Certifications. Guests in the dog-friendly tap room can sample a flight of Dovetail's flagship beers while enjoying food ordered in or from a local hosted food truck.
Photo courtesy of Huge Galdones
No. 4: Cruz Blanca - Chicago
Cruz Blanca, a new Chicago restaurant and brewery from Chef Rick Bayless, debuted in May 2016 and has already earned a reputation for its excellent brewery tour and classic German, French and Austrian-style beers. Street-style tacos and tostadas made from wood-grilled meats are the perfect accompaniment.
Photo courtesy of Brew Gentlemen
No. 3: Brew Gentlemen - Braddock, Penn.
Housed within an old electric supply store in Braddock, Pennsylvania, Brew Gentlemen opened for business in May, 2014 and has since grown from a pair of college buddies brewing good beers to a team of 10. The focus of the beer program is on hop-centric flavors, with an emphasis on flavor and aroma rather than bitterness. Guests at the taproom can sip draft beer onsite or take growlers to go, and local food trucks are often hosted on site.
Photo courtesy of Scofflaw Brewing Company
No. 2: Scofflaw Brewing Company - Atlanta
Since Scofflaw Brewing Company opened its doors in Atlanta in July 2016, the brewery has been wildly successful. So successful, in fact, that they'll be adding fermentation capacity soon. The hop-forward beers are the standouts, including juicy Northeastern-style Basement IPA, Galaxy-hopped Hooligan IPA and Double Jeopardy Double IPA.
Photo courtesy of Bond Brothers Beer Company
No. 1: Bond Brothers Beer Company - Cary, N.C.
Started in April, 2016, Bond Brothers Beer Company brews up high-quality artisanal beers – mostly ales and sours – for thirsty beer lovers in historic downtown Cary, North Carolina. The dog- and kid-friendly brewery, taproom and beer garden features 14 beers on tap, monthly brewery tours and a barrel sour program.
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to picked the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. Experts Jack Muldowney (The Hop Review) and Ale Sharpton (AleSharpton.com) were chosen based on their knowledge and experience in the American beer industry.
Congratulations to all our winning breweries!
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Dennis Malcolm "Ale" Sharpton
Dennis Malcolm Byron aka Ale Sharpton is a... Read More
Dennis Malcolm Byron aka Ale Sharpton is a world-renowned beer authority, award-winning journalist, blogger (AleSharpton.com), photographer, event planner, host, speaker and beer judge to name a few of his roles. While passionately traveling the globe to cover everything from automobiles to culinary scenes, celebrity profiles, sports, hotel destinations, art, and what he terms “the world’s best beverage,” Ale has contributed to more than 30 magazines and websites combined. His current media outlets include USAToday, Thrillist.com, Craft Beer & Brewing, CraftBeer.com, Theinfatuation.com, ButterATL.com, James Beard Foundation, Atlanta Magazine, and others. Along with being featured in various publications, on the web, radio, podcasts, television, beer fests, conferences, and ongoing Cruisin’ For A Brewsin’ video series, Ale utilizes his Cornell University School of Hotel Administration education and vast work experience to consult in the culinary industry as well. Forbes, Smithsonian Institution, UNTAPPD, Good Beer Hunting, and numerous others have showcased Ale’s accomplishments. In a collaboration going on six years with brewing giant New Belgium, Ale has produced a beer he conceptualized called Piano Keys–a chocolate vanilla imperial stout–geared to support diversity and racial equality. This project with New Belgium also spawned his initiative, BrewGether, which raises funds to support nonprofits embracing the same mission as Piano Keys. Ale proudly owns AllWays Open Creative Solutions, an agency specializing in creative direction, logo design, branding, web design, video production, photography, consulting, and social media. Although a native New Yorker, Ale proudly calls Atlanta his home. Follow Ale’s globetrotting adventures on his captivating Instagram (@realalesharpton).
Dennis Malcolm "Ale" Sharpton
Dennis Malcolm Byron aka Ale Sharpton is a world-renowned beer authority, award-winning journalist, blogger (AleSharpton.com), photographer, event planner, host, speaker and beer judge to name a few of his roles. While passionately traveling the globe to cover everything from automobiles to culinary scenes, celebrity profiles, sports, hotel destinations, art, and what he terms “the world’s best beverage,” Ale has contributed to more than 30 magazines and websites combined. His current media outlets include USAToday, Thrillist.com, Craft Beer & Brewing, CraftBeer.com, Theinfatuation.com, ButterATL.com, James Beard Foundation, Atlanta Magazine, and others. Along with being featured in various publications, on the web, radio, podcasts, television, beer fests, conferences, and ongoing Cruisin’ For A Brewsin’ video series, Ale utilizes his Cornell University School of Hotel Administration education and vast work experience to consult in the culinary industry as well. Forbes, Smithsonian Institution, UNTAPPD, Good Beer Hunting, and numerous others have showcased Ale’s accomplishments. In a collaboration going on six years with brewing giant New Belgium, Ale has produced a beer he conceptualized called Piano Keys–a chocolate vanilla imperial stout–geared to support diversity and racial equality. This project with New Belgium also spawned his initiative, BrewGether, which raises funds to support nonprofits embracing the same mission as Piano Keys. Ale proudly owns AllWays Open Creative Solutions, an agency specializing in creative direction, logo design, branding, web design, video production, photography, consulting, and social media. Although a native New Yorker, Ale proudly calls Atlanta his home. Follow Ale’s globetrotting adventures on his captivating Instagram (@realalesharpton).
Jack Muldowney
Jack Muldowney is co-founder of The Hop Review and... Read More
Jack Muldowney is co-founder of The Hop Review and founder of Chicago-based design and illustration studio, Malt. Since 2012, he's been fortunate enough to sit down with some of beer's biggest personalities, as well as travel the U.S. and the globe to capture the industry's best stories. He's also hosted several events, including the annual fresh beer festival "Ultra Fresh", and is a two-time SAVEUR "Best Beer Coverage" nominee. Through his travels, Jack appreciates the varying perspectives of an industry that's always adapting, and enjoys sharing pints with beer enthusiasts of all types.
Jack Muldowney
Jack Muldowney is co-founder of The Hop Review and founder of Chicago-based design and illustration studio, Malt. Since 2012, he's been fortunate enough to sit down with some of beer's biggest personalities, as well as travel the U.S. and the globe to capture the industry's best stories. He's also hosted several events, including the annual fresh beer festival "Ultra Fresh", and is a two-time SAVEUR "Best Beer Coverage" nominee. Through his travels, Jack appreciates the varying perspectives of an industry that's always adapting, and enjoys sharing pints with beer enthusiasts of all types.
Lydia Schrandt
10Best Photo Editor and Readers' Choice Production... Read More
10Best Photo Editor and Readers' Choice Production Manager Lydia Schrandt has sampled craft beers all over the world, but her favorites are brewed right in the USA. During her frequent travels, she loves nothing more than pulling up a stool at a brewery or beer bar to sample some new and interesting beers and make some new friends.
Lydia Schrandt
10Best Photo Editor and Readers' Choice Production Manager Lydia Schrandt has sampled craft beers all over the world, but her favorites are brewed right in the USA. During her frequent travels, she loves nothing more than pulling up a stool at a brewery or beer bar to sample some new and interesting beers and make some new friends.