9 reasons Denver is America’s best beer town (sorry, Portland)

Joel Williams
By Joel Williams, CNN
5 minute read
Updated 7:53 AM EST, Sun November 8, 2015
Held in September 2015, this year's Great American Beer Festival hosted more than 60,000 attendees, plus 750 breweries presenting 3,500 beers. It's the centerpiece of Denver's beer year.
Pour party —
Held in September 2015, this year's Great American Beer Festival hosted more than 60,000 attendees, plus 750 breweries presenting 3,500 beers. It's the centerpiece of Denver's beer year.
Photo © Brewers Association
The festival hosts one of the most prestigious beer competitions in the world. Thirty-six Colorado beers won medals at this year's competition, including 15 from the Denver area.
Serious business —
The festival hosts one of the most prestigious beer competitions in the world. Thirty-six Colorado beers won medals at this year's competition, including 15 from the Denver area.
Photo © Brewers Association
Home-made pretzel necklaces are a festival tradition. Ron Billinger of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, shows off his bandolier-style pretzel necklace. Billinger says the bandolier is easy to assemble and the pretzel rods are easy to deploy.
Pretzel logic —
Home-made pretzel necklaces are a festival tradition. Ron Billinger of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, shows off his bandolier-style pretzel necklace. Billinger says the bandolier is easy to assemble and the pretzel rods are easy to deploy.
Joel Williams
Scott Beam and Chad Edwards, both from Denver, adorned themselves in what many call the most important of all beer festival accessories. Beam and Edwards' necklaces included various types of string cheese, though they reported that the cheese got a bit soft and melty before the festival began.
Snack accessories —
Scott Beam and Chad Edwards, both from Denver, adorned themselves in what many call the most important of all beer festival accessories. Beam and Edwards' necklaces included various types of string cheese, though they reported that the cheese got a bit soft and melty before the festival began.
Joel Williams
The necklaces are one way attendees are able to make it through the festival, which offers unlimited beer samples. The pretzels are chomped as needed to mitigate the effects of yet another line with yet another delicious pour.
The secret —
The necklaces are one way attendees are able to make it through the festival, which offers unlimited beer samples. The pretzels are chomped as needed to mitigate the effects of yet another line with yet another delicious pour.
Joel Williams
Colorado's Dad & Dudes Breweria drew long lines this year with its Cannabis Beer, an Imperial IPA brewed with cannabidiol oil, a non-psychoactive hemp extract.
Merry mashup —
Colorado's Dad & Dudes Breweria drew long lines this year with its Cannabis Beer, an Imperial IPA brewed with cannabidiol oil, a non-psychoactive hemp extract.
Joel Williams
With their wacky onesies, these attendees from Connecticut managed to stand out from the crowd.
PJs and beer —
With their wacky onesies, these attendees from Connecticut managed to stand out from the crowd.
Joel Williams
Launched in 1982, the festival has steadily grown in popularity.
So much beer, so little stomach room —
Launched in 1982, the festival has steadily grown in popularity.
Photo © Brewers Association
The Great American Beer Festival
CNN  — 

Best beer city in the United States?

Lots of burgs hop to make that claim.

San Diego.

Asheville.

Brooklyn.

Chicago.

But if you’re looking at the question through the bottom of a glass of craft brew – and these days, who isn’t? – the argument usually boils down to two cities: Portland, Oregon, and Denver, Colorado.

For me, the answer is easy: the Mile High City trumps them all.

OK, maybe I can’t definitively say Denver is America’s best beer city.

Just as my esteemed colleague-in-beer, John Foyston, can’t say Portland is America’s best beer city.

Even though he did say just that, right here on CNN.

What I can confidently say, though, is that Denver – and the Colorado microbrew scene that’s exploded around it – is my favorite and a must visit for any beer lover.

Here’s why.

1. Statistically proven beer mania

The capital of Colorado, Denver is like the Pacific Northwest, but with less rain.

It’s also crazy for beer.

According to the American Homebrewers Association, there are more than 100,000 homebrewers in Colorado.

Since 2011, more than 100 new breweries have opened in Colorado, according to the Brewer’s Association.

With 48 breweries in metro Denver, there’s more than enough fresh local brew to keep your taste buds guessing.

Maybe the beer it produces isn’t your favorite anymore, but the Coors brewing facility outside of Denver is still the largest in America.

And where else but Denver is it possible to find not one but two contests where locals can win free beer for a year?

2. Two centuries of sudsy tradition

That steady beer pour is no accident. They've been doing it in Denver pretty much since there was a Denver.
That steady beer pour is no accident. They've been doing it in Denver pretty much since there was a Denver.
Photo © Brewers Association

Founded in 1859, Denver got its start as a base for pioneers hoping to strike it rich mining for gold in the area.

According to