To expand on your thought - Prohibition is a huge factor in the evolution of brewing in America. There were major industrial type breweries but European immigrants were brewing all sorts of fantastic localized beers up until 1920. When prohibition hit only a small percentage of the larger breweries survived the 13 year ban on alcohol because they already had diversified into other beverages and products to utilize their distribution network, warehouses and refrigeration capabilities or they quickly pivoted into industries that could utilize existing capital. Soft drinks, n/a beers, malted milk for malt shops, straight malt syrup (which was used by lots of people to illegally brew their own beer at home), the list goes on. The biggest examples of American companies that survived until prohibition was lifted are all the breweries that we now associate with the generic American adjunct lager - Anheuser-Busch, Coors, Pabst, Miller, Yuengling, etc. Beer was plentiful again in the US post prohibition but it wasn't until Jimmy Carter passed a law in 1979 that legalized home brewing for the first time in about 50 years that sparked a renaissance in American brewing and effectively gave birth to what we now consider "craft beer". It's certainly a valid point that American brewing in the last 40ish years has pushed the definition of what beer can be further and faster than any other nation, but to state that Americans invented craft beer is lacking context.
I feel like it doesn't get discussed much but it seems like the internet played a part too. There was already the will and desire to brew in America but then large communities starting forming and sharing information on what works and doesn't work, tip and tricks, etc. It seems like it really accelerated the growth of the scene after the turn of the century.
I think the other commenters gave some great recommendations for things that can be found nationwide. I would just add that these days it seems like any city of decent size is going to have a few local breweries and I would be shocked if you cant find something you really enjoy. Even most grocery stores seem to have a selection of local beers.
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is a classic and a great introduction to the American Pale Ale style that highlights the (American) Cascade hops (think grapefruit) with good balance from caramel malts. But, if you're mostly familiar with European beers, American craft beer can be a bit of an acquired taste due to its bitterness.
I would also argue that a big part of the fun with American breweries is how many different styles they offer so you can find what works for you.
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Lagunitas IPA, and Descutes Fresh Squeezed paved the way for modern American IPAs. It may have been different on the East Coast but in the West you would regularly find one of these 3 beers on tap in just about every restaurant or bar YEARS before craft beers really blew up. I dont drink much IPAs anymore but theres a special place in my heart for Descutes Fresh Squeezed IPA.
Whats great about American craft beer is that its very regional. You can go just about anywhere in the states and find several really good local breweries. I recommend trying amber, brown, and pale ales. IPAs are also popular. Im not really a lager guy but theres some good ones out there. Tbh you cant go wrong as long as you stay away from ones that look too “experimental.” Stay away from the unfiltered vanilla strawberry tart shandys of the brewing world imo. My favorite category of American craft beer are blonde or golden ales and scotch ales.
Look into Other Half, Sierra Nevada, Equilibrium, Firestone Walker, Goose Island's Bourbon Barrel Aged brews (plus plenty of great Bourbon Barrel Aged brews around), Dogfish Head, Evil Twin (they're also in Europe from my understanding), The Veil, Anchorage, Jack's Abbey, The Alchemist, Ommegang, Drekker, Great Notion.
Lots of places have excellent craft beer. The UK, in fact all of europe, australia, Canada, Japan. It's so ubiquitous that nobody needs to drink foreign craft ale and that's awesome for the breweries in those countries and for sustainability.
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u/avg-bee-enjoyer 27d ago
This guy is an idiot, but don't sleep on American craft beer. Some of it is really very good.