If you’ve been on any form of social media this past week and have at least a few friends who enjoy craft beer, there’s a good chance you saw the post from Thrillist: “Every State in the USA, Ranked by Its Beer.” The story currently has almost 900,000 views and 170,000 shares. The only other piece that comes close is one on deep fried tequila shots, obviously, with about 130,000 shares.
In the sphere of online listicles, rankings and compilations of craft beers and states prove to be popular fodder. There’s also “America’s Favorite Beers by State” on Slate, a list of states that drink the most beer on USA Today, “50 States, 50 Beers We Love” from Serious Eats, and “Craft Beer Production by State,” with data provided by the Brewers Association.
These lists seem to be appealing because you can see how your state ranks, and then either brag or complain about it on social media. But the lists also make me think about how states develop their craft-beer culture and the geographic distinctions for craft beer.