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Study: Detroit Is One of the Best Cities in the Country for Beer Lovers

Detroit ranked eighth in the nation as an exceptional place for beer aficionados

Jolly Pumpkin.
Jolly Pumpkin.
Michelle and Chris Gerard

Michigan is considered one of the best states in the nation for craft beer, with major breweries like Founders and Bell’s on the western side of the state. Here in Detroit (and the metro area) we have our fair share of up-and-coming breweries as well as more established spots like Motor City Brewing Works and Atwater. So it should come as no surprise that Detroit ranks highly as a destination for beer lovers.

A study by real estate website and data service Redfin in partnership with the Beer Institute ranked Detroit as one of the best cities in the nation for beer aficionados. Detroit came in eighth among 15 major U.S. cities. The Motor City ranked just below Denver, Colorado, and higher than Cleveland, Ohio; St. Louis, Missouri; Madison, Wisconsin; Long Island, New York; Seattle, Washington, Cincinnati, Ohio; and San Francisco, California. Another Michigan city, Grand Rapids, came in at number four, with Pittsburgh topping the list. Here's how the Detroit was ranked:

Breweries per 100,000 Adults 21+ in the State: 4

Active Brewery Permits: 291

State Beer Tax: $.20 per gallon

Walk Score: 55

Median Home Sale Price: $162,000

"Detroit is chock-full of microbreweries," real estate agent Terry Kaltsas states in the release. "In addition to the first microbrewery in Michigan, Traffic Jam and Snug, there’s Motor City Brewing Works, the Detroit Beer Company and Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales. And there are plenty of tasting rooms, like those at Atwater Brewery, Batch Brewing and Brew Detroit. Particularly downtown, you can easily spend an evening enjoying some well-crafted suds." For all the obnoxious rankings released on a regular basis, this is certainly one worth raising a pint to.


Editor markup for 32 Metro Detroit Breweries: An Essential Guide. This is only visible in the story editor.


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