Iowa Among Top States For Craft Beer Breweries

I grew up in a small Minnesota town just a few miles from the South Dakota border. It will come at no surprise to you that I had my first "adult beverage" before the age of 21. It was a small town...that's just what we did. I drank Old Milwaukee Light. It was cheap and there was no judging back in 1994. When I went to college, it was Busch Light. But, on payday we would reward ourselves with a case of Budweiser....because we had extra money.

It wasn't until a few years ago everything changed. We started to see tap handles changing from domestic brands to all kinds of new choices and flavors. "Craft Beer" slowly made its way into Iowa and it looks like it's here to stay. I've tried plenty of these 'crafty beers' over the last few months. Some are good, some are okay, and some are not good at all. But all these choices have made beer drinking a lot more fun and I've discovered some really good stuff.

What I don't like is trying to figure how much alcohol is in each serving. You almost need a manual to navigate your way through some of these fancy breweries. Gone are the days of just Bud and Miller. There's a whole new world out there for the beer drinking community.

KWWL reported that a recent study from C + R Research ranked Iowa as one of the states with the highest number of craft breweries per capita. The "Hawkeye State" came in at  #17 on the list. Again, I think this craft beer thing is here to stay.

So, let me ask you: Are you a fan of craft beer? What do you like and dislike about this new craze and do you think it's here to stay? Comment below and we can discuss your answers later this week on The KRNA Morning Show!

Speaking of craft beer, the Cedar Rapids Beer Summit is Saturday, March 2 at the Doubletree Convention Complex. You'll get unlimited sampling of over 100 craft beers and coders all in one place! Get your tickets before they sell out HERE.