Asheville loses ‘Beer City’ crown to Grand Rapids

Jason Sandford May 13, 2013

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

Filed in the “moving on” category. Tony Kiss of the Asheville Citizen-Times reports:

After four years, Asheville has lost the title of Beer City USA.

In online voting announced this morning, Grand Rapids, Mich. is now Beer City USA, a title that it shared with Asheville this year. Kalamazoo, Mich. finished second and Asheville finished third.

The voting was conducted by the noted brew author Charlie Papazian. There were exactly 50,000 votes cast for 23 cities, Papazian wrote at www.examiner.com/beer

Grand Rapids earned 27,005 votes, Kalamzoo took 11,150 votes and Asheville earned 10,075.

The week-long unscientific poll brought Asheville lots of attention over the past four years.

Tags::

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

Biltmore Mall to be transformed into outlet center

On Asheville as a sprouting pot, not a place to be planted to blossom

Asheville City Council accepts Harrah’s Cherokee bid for civic center naming rights

Jason Sandford May 29, 2019

BREW-ed Beer News: Taking stock of, and toasting to, the Beer City poll

Jason Sandford March 20, 2014

Ashvegas Hot Sheet: Wild Wing Cafe opens Friday in south Asheville, Chick-fil-A to open in April on north side, more

Jason Sandford March 11, 2014

Asheville Beer Guy: PR snafu catches Flying Dog Brewery in the crosshairs as it jokingly knocks Beery City

Jason Sandford August 8, 2013

6 Comments

Chuck Giezentanner May 15, 2013

We will get it next year!

I HEART ASHEVILLE!

Reply
Joey T May 13, 2013

i feel like like when determining beer city USA more scientific measures should be in order, like facts such as most micro-breweries per capita. On top of that you did not have to log in to place your vote, so the vote could have easily been compromised. I could have stopped into a mac store (not in Asheville) and placed 30 votes easily.

Reply
Jennifer S. May 13, 2013

Sean, the Beer City title was never really about the online poll. The poll helped. Now Asheville is beyond needing a poll to validate anything, or attract anyone’s attention.

On to Asheville Beer Week 2013. Please resume drinking.

Reply
John May 13, 2013

Who gives a rat’s ass about this poll?

Reply
Doug S. May 13, 2013

Good. We always looked silly paying any attention to this poll. You don’t see Portland going nuts about voting in this. Let’s face it, Asheville is above this.
Moving forward, can we please forget all about this poll?

Reply
Sean May 13, 2013

Does that mean that the myriad of “Beer City” festivals will go to Grand Rapids, or will the folks here just be posers?

Reply