

Finding a great beer is a pretty easy task these days. The advent of craft beer culture has gone mainstream — with IPAs and Imperial Stouts dominating beer bars from Singapore to Seattle. That’s not to say there aren’t still some hardcore classic beer stops around the world where Pilsners, Lambic, and even Lagers dominate the scene. Point is, we live in a boom era for beer, no matter what your favs are. The title of this one is self-explanatory. So let’s skip all the posturing and pontificating and just dive right into the best beer cities in the world. Cool? Good, let’s go! RELATED: The Best Beers Of The Month!

27. TEL AVIV, ISRAEL https://www.instagram.com/p/Bhg50mzjGLX/ As with Poland, it’s probably best to put politics aside here. Tel Aviv has one of the coolest microbeer scenes in the world. It all started with a few brewers making suds in their garages and now it’s a countrywide phenomenon. The beer comes from brewers who love beer so much they can’t help but brew at home 24/7. That’s a good sign. Craft beer bars and even liquor stores will carry beers brewed by their neighbors, literally in their backyards and garages. These beers are often labeled with hand-typed or even handwritten labels and it’s often f*cking delicious. HaMinzar, Beer Garden, and The Dancing Camel are good places to start in an upstart scene well worth digging into. 26. BANGKOK, THAILAND https://www.instagram.com/p/Bfih1CKgjn0/ Bangkok has some pretty strict laws when it comes to private enterprise and, thus, microbrewing outfits are few and far between. However, that hasn’t stopped Bangkok’s denizens from exalting craft beer from all over the world and, over the last decade, craft beer bars have started to dominate. Spots like CRAFT, MASH, Hair of the Dog, Goldencoins, Where Did WE Go, and a handful of other newbies are coming to define what a great beer bar in the SE Asia looks like by building brilliant oases for beer lovers.

25. CHICAGO (IL), USA View this post on Instagram The taps @revbrewchicago #revolutionbrewing #beer #draught #draughtbeer #whatsontap #taps #handle #bier #brewery #brauerei #craftbeer #chicago #antihero #brew #brauen #craft #igerschicago #igchicago #brewers #revolution A post shared by Duckdommer (@duckdommer) on Apr 25, 2018 at 5:29am PDT Chicago — and the Midwest in general — is a beer lover’s paradise. The open fields with amber waves of grain, seemingly endless supplies of fresh lake water, and a very Germanic/Slavic population base equates to great beer culture. Big-hitting local craft brewers like Revolution dominate the scene and with good reason. The beer is pretty on point. Still, Chicago is one of the greatest food cities in the world. So craft beer bars like Fountainhead, Bangers & Lace, Howell’s, Links, and Small Bar barely scratch the surface of the wonderful beers stops in the city.

22. TOKYO, JAPAN View this post on Instagram #こたつ #外でこたつ #東京#tokyo #kotatu ＃タイ料理#thaifood #皆既月食 東京のど真ん中。外でこたつでタイ料理🍺、そして見上げれば皆既月食？ コンセプトが重複しすぎてて、オジサンには理解できません💧 でも、楽しいひとときをありがとうございました！ A post shared by もうちゃん (@mouchanmouchan) on Jan 31, 2018 at 7:20am PST There’s a lot to see, do, and eat in Tokyo. The city is one of the biggest in the world and, at times, a bit overwhelming. If you’re feeling lost, drop into a local beer bar and unwind. Tokyo’s beer scene is a fundamental part of the city. You can go old school amongst the izakayas and drink fizzy lagers until you pass out. Or, you can hit up a long list of great craft bars with the best beers from all over the world. Spots like Craft Beer Market Jimbōchō and Ant ‘n Bee are great examples of the best Tokyo’s beer culture has to offer and represent about 1/1000th of the options for beer lovers in the city.

21. MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA https://www.instagram.com/p/BhTLqETjGcU/ Australians love to knock a few cold ones back. Add in British pub culture and migrant ingenuity and, yeah, the beer scene in Oz is goddamn spectacular. Melbourne, in particular, has the edge in Australia. The city is the de facto food capital of the country and therefore the beer scene is on point. Terminus Hotel Fitzroy North, The Alehouse Project, Slowbeer, and Penny Blue are great places to start your beer journey. Strike up a convo, make new friends, and suss out where the rest of the good beer in the city hides. 20. BOULDER (CO), USA https://www.instagram.com/p/BbIpCIkldAH/ There’s a lot of great beer in Colorado. But, the crown has to go to Boulder for the best concentration of all-around great beer in one spot. With the Rocky Mountains to the west and the great plains to the east, it’s easy to fall in love with Boulder and the great beer scene makes it even easier. Breweries like Avery, Asher, and especially Upslope help Boulder stand out from the crowd. Great bars like The West End Tavern, Mountain Sun, and BRU handbuilt ales & eats are cornerstones of the scene and great stops on your own beer tour. Just be careful with altitude. It’ll make those hangovers freaking kill.

19. SAN DIEGO (CA), USA https://www.instagram.com/p/Bf-LbApAbb5/ California is another place that’s hard to boil down to only one city for great beer. Do San Francisco, L.A., and hundred other spots across the state have great beer scenes? Yes, of course. But, it’s San Diego that really rises above with the embracing of Mexican and American beer styles and all the fish tacos you can possibly eat. Juggernauts of the craft scene Stone Brewing (Escondido), AleSmith, Mission, and Ballast Point all call San Diego home. That’s only four of the 125+ craft breweries in the San Diego area. It’s a crazy amount of options — and that’s before you get to the beer bars. Hit the California 1 and head south — because San Diego is a beer lover’s “must stop” for all things West Coast IPA, craft Mexican Lagers, mind-bending Imperial Stouts, and everything in between. 18. PORTLAND (ME), USA https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh4o_pGnt3L/ The other Portland knows how to brew great beer. New England brews and especially their IPAs are all the rage at the moment. Maine has a wonderful beer scene in general and Portland is the heart of it all. Allagash tends to dominate the conversation about brewing in Portland and with good cause. Their beers are f*cking fantastic. But don’t sleep on Bissell Brothers, Bunker, Oxbow, Lone Pine, and Fore River and then the dozen or so other great breweries around town. Then make sure to hit Liquid Riot Bottling Company for great beer, food, and convo with the local beer lovers.

17. VICTORIA, CANADA View this post on Instagram Waar den #brouwer is moet den #bakker niet zijn. Who needs a baker when the brewer is here? #localbrewery #beer #localbeer #growler #supportinglocalbusiness @hoynebrewing @themarvelouscharles #connoisseurs from #belgium 😜 #bierlip A post shared by Renaat Marchand (@ubihabito) on Mar 24, 2017 at 6:25pm PDT Victoria has a unique presence in Canada with a very British pub culture underpinning a hip and crafty beer scene. It’s old world charm meets new world invention. Plus, it’s Vancouver Island — one of the most magical places on the planet. Hoyne, Phillips, and Driftwood breweries are gonna need to be your first stops. Get drunk there on great local brews and chat with the brewers and other beer geeks about the best places to plot a beer-centric course around the city. You’re definitely going to want to hit The Churchill and Little Jumbo too (note that the latter has a rad food menu).

16. PORTLAND (OR), USA https://www.instagram.com/p/BiiN7P_llpF/ The real Portland is a seriously hardcore beer destination. You can find a great local microbrew in almost every corner of the Rose City. The hipper-than-thou beer scene in Portland is always producing stellar beers in bars that feel like they’re straight out of Barfly. Where to start with Portland? This is a city where you can legitimately use the word “plethora” to describe the beer options. There are just so many spots. Saraveza, Horse Brass Pub, APEX, Stammtisch, Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom, The Upper Lip, and Deschutes barely scratch the surface here for a great beer. Our advice, just walk around the hip neighborhoods like The Pearl or Alberta, you’ll find a dope spot simply by keeping your eyes open. 15. CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA View this post on Instagram End off the weekend the RIOT way… with a beer 🤘🍺🍻 Good Company Sunday Market >> 1 Paddock Ave, Gardens, Cpt /\/¯¯¯¯¯\/\ @goodcompanysundaymarket @the_guy_who_sells_things A post shared by RIOT Beer (@riotbeer) on Feb 24, 2018 at 10:04am PST Wine is likely the first thing that comes to mind when most of us think ‘South Africa.’ And, fair enough. South Africa produces some amazing wine. It also produces some fantastic local brews and much of that wonderfulness is centered around Cape Town. Start at the Devils Peak Salt River Taproom, then hit Boston Breweries, Drifter, and Riot Beer. Talk to local beer aficionados, make new friends, and get recommendations for your continuing beer adventure.

8. TALLINN, ESTONIA View this post on Instagram Bottle share with my beloved Ōllenäkid girls! #craftbeerbabes #craftbeernotcrapbeer #craftbeer A post shared by Elisabeth (@lizdigsplants) on May 11, 2016 at 9:56am PDT Estonia is a small country with a big love of beer. Tallinn has a great, burgeoning beer scene that’s young, hip, and delicious. The approach is awesome — Tallinn is the perfect blending of being far away and still accessible, with a fresh take on great beer. Põhjala should be everyone’s first stop. Their beer is just outstanding. Põhjala’s Speakeasy is a beer mecca with best the brewery has to offer with a bustling crowd of beer lovers. Strike up a convo, make new beer friends, and explore the scene together. Don’t miss Koht, Põrgu, and Hell Hunt for a taste of the local scene. 7. DUBLIN, IRELAND View this post on Instagram Ah yes Guinness A post shared by Nicole Doherty (@nicoled123) on May 10, 2018 at 10:30am PDT Dublin is an easy sell. It’s got great history and killer pub scene. Plus Jameson and Guinness are made there. Yeah, it rains a lot. But you can just duck into a cozy pub and wait for the clouds to clear with a nice pint of the black stuff (Guinness). Okay, you can’t go to Dublin and not drink at the Guinness Storehouse. That’d be crazy. After you get that out of the way, there are literally thousands of pubs to choose from. The bulk will have local brews on tap from all over Dublin, Ireland, the UK, the USA, and most of Europe. So your options are kinda endless. Open Gate, Rascals, Wicklow Wolf, and Porterhouse Temple Bar are all essentials.