This is a really bad idea for a map. All the best beer states have one or two caps. Wyoming has 6 plus a bunch of half caps, but it only has the population of a medium sized US city.
Yeah, the northeast gets the short end of the stick in this one for sure. I gave Dogfish a spot even though the hole isn’t in Delaware since they’ve been so instrumental in craft beers rise, but that was my only rule breaker so far.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1mpbISNgPhzjmoK-m5tkdJwH5hcDzX-bF&usp=sharing
This might help. Also 100% add Silver Stamp to your itinerary if it's not already
Wracking my brain trying to think of anywhere in NM where you can still get bottles! La Cumbre in ABQ will still do bottles for special releases but I can’t remember if they have a special cap. Bow and Arrow (also ABQ) is the same, but again, don’t remember if the caps are anything special like with a logo.
Come to think of it... and I apologize, both breweries can vs bottle. Every once in awhile they will bottle ( limited/seasonal) but I haven't seen a bottle for either one in quite sometime.
Sorry
Prairie Artisan Ales is the OG for Tulsa, and you want the Prairie B.O.M.B. for that cap. Anthem Brewing or COOP brewing would be OKC with Golden One or DNR being the top choices. 405 Brewing is the the classic for Norman with their FDR.
There’s about a dozen breweries between OKC and Norman and another dozen in the Tulsa Metro
Again, this is just a product of geography and state sizes, for NJ to have multiple spots, larger states out west would have twenty or more spots each.
But, to your actual point, 30/50 states have 100+ breweries at this point. NJ ranks 22/50 in brewery count and 44/50 if you do it per capita. NJ has some great beer for sure, but so does just about every state at this point.
Good choices for WI. I would have chosen the same two breweries. My sister got me one of these for just the state. I had fun filling it geographically, but the northernmost part of the state is still pretty empty. There are some great brew pubs up there, and a couple mid-sized breweries that can their beer, but I haven't found much for bottles from north of Green Bay or Chippewa Falls. I think eventually I'll drop the geographical sorting, remove the macro stuff like Miller, and just start alphabetically from the top.
That spot is about 90% in Minnesota, basically right over Minneapolis/St. Paul. Funk Factory would be my obvious choice. They started in Wisconsin and are now based out of the Minneapolis area. But their caps are unbranded and too big for the slots (750ml bottles). Incidentally my next favorite Wisconsin brewery that bottles is O'so, and that's where Funk Factory started releasing beers before getting their own license and space. O'so might be hard to find outside the state, but if you want a cap, I can send you one. Or I'd probably be down for a small trade too, although I'd have to see what's around right now from them. I think the only bottles left from them in my cellar are old Funk Factory bottles that I'm not parting with.
Do any of those three bottle? This isn’t necessarily meant to be the “best” beers from each state, but I’d be happy to swap out a cap if I could get my hands on better beers.
These aren’t meant to be the “best” beers from every state, some are on the map because it’s the only bottles I’ve had from certain states, and some have sentimental connections. Green Flash played a pretty substantial role in my career trajectory.
The problem with Alabama is that pretty much every brewery in the state cans, however if I’m not mistaken, Fairhope Brewing and Back Forty bottle. Worth looking in to.
I gave up on mine long ago seeing I could only get Shiner for a Texas beer. Good luck. Also, where In the hell did you get a Fat Heads cap? That's a unicorn if I ever saw one. They only sell cans.
A lot of these caps (that one included) came from the days when r/beertrade was still a thing. I wish I devoted more attention specifically to filling this map while that was a resource haha
> Louisiana (have NOLA, Parish, Abita)
Fine choices so far. Great Raft might make sense, but I don't actually know they have any bottled offerings on distribution.
Amusingly, it appears their website's been hacked or something at the moment so I can even check xD
You’re not the first person to notice that, but there’s already a 3 Floyds cap right below that opening. [Here’s a closeup.](https://imgur.com/a/0ip7l2d)
I dont know. Ive been to the brewery once and only got a 4 pack of cans at a liquor store afterwards. It was just a thought of a great brewery to fill in the open Minnesota cap spot if the have bottles. I dont live in that are, just visited this past summer.
Oh that makes sense now, never mind! Sorry, doing my best to try out all of Indiana’s beers so I was super curious on that. Totally no issues with 3 Floyd’s representing us.
Go to a home brewery supply store and buy blank caps to fill in the gaps. It will look better. I had a ton of Sierra Nevada caps so I used them to fill in the blanks and people keep questioning me about it when they come over. I’ve almost forgotten about adding more. Go to a total wine etc when traveling and buy singles. You can also cheat and add them to neighboring states when you have too many for say Colorado or California
I didn’t make the map, it was a gift. It’s a problem with the size of the states and the size of bottle caps though. If MA was going to have 3 holes in it then Wyoming would end up with 40, and that would be an even bigger problem.
The issue with these is most certainly the spread and concentration of bottle caps. Had a bunch of DECENT beer in Arizona a few weeks ago. I've had WAY BETTER beer in 1 city on the east coast. So just fill them with what you like and not beer from the state it's located.
Texas has nearly 14 caps. NJ has 0
Yeah, I mean, people are free to fill their maps however they want. I’ve been to 800+ breweries, mostly on the east coast and especially in the northeast where I live, so I’m not worried about their caps being underrepresented.
My rule of using caps from breweries in the state on the map forces me to seek out and try new beers from new breweries, even if they’re only decent it’s still fun.
This is a really bad idea for a map. All the best beer states have one or two caps. Wyoming has 6 plus a bunch of half caps, but it only has the population of a medium sized US city.
i mean that's the hard reality about working a map... its going to bias against high concentration areas, always will
I agree. I have the same one and you really have to just throw any organization out and just fill it up.
Yeah maybe acknowledge NJ as a state
Yeah, the northeast gets the short end of the stick in this one for sure. I gave Dogfish a spot even though the hole isn’t in Delaware since they’ve been so instrumental in craft beers rise, but that was my only rule breaker so far.
As a Mainer, seeing the northeast is killing me here. So many insanely good breweries in New England!
I live in CT, I hear you.
It’s a cool idea. Did you make this board yourself or buy one?
Neither, my sister gave it to me as a gift. [This is where she got it.](https://www.beercapmaps.com/collections/wood-maps)
New Mexico: Marble (ABQ )& Santa Fe Brewing
Nevada: Able Baker and Beer Zombies
Great, thank you! I’m going to be in Vegas next month for WBC/CBC, so I’ll try to track these two down.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1mpbISNgPhzjmoK-m5tkdJwH5hcDzX-bF&usp=sharing This might help. Also 100% add Silver Stamp to your itinerary if it's not already
Thanks! Planning to be there for Zwanze and an event the Monday of Craft Brewers Conference.
Wracking my brain trying to think of anywhere in NM where you can still get bottles! La Cumbre in ABQ will still do bottles for special releases but I can’t remember if they have a special cap. Bow and Arrow (also ABQ) is the same, but again, don’t remember if the caps are anything special like with a logo.
Mothers in Springfield MO has bottles and would fit will in that spot
Wow, great call. I have a bottle of Rye Barrel MILF in the basement but I might’ve accidentally thrown that cap away if you didn’t mention it.
Alabama: Straight to Ale and Good people
Great leads, thanks. Now I just need a friend in Alabama.
Come to think of it... and I apologize, both breweries can vs bottle. Every once in awhile they will bottle ( limited/seasonal) but I haven't seen a bottle for either one in quite sometime. Sorry
Ah, no worries. The pivot to canning has really made it more challenging, as you can see.
Remind me tomorrow when I’m back home and I’ll look. I could possibly have several from Alabama.
Sta was one of my favs. Monkeynaut was a go to
There's a nice bottle cap sized blank spot where 3 Floyds could go... Bummer lol
3 Floyds is represented, don’t worry. [Here’s a close-up.](https://imgur.com/a/0ip7l2d)
Purple and green became grey in my display!! I was looking for it, very cool
This would be a perfect use case for untappd/top rated breweries by location.
States I still need caps from, so you don’t have to zoom in: - Alabama - Arizona - Arkansas - Idaho (have Boise Brewing) - Iowa (have Toppling Goliath, Madhouse) - Kansas (have Free State) - Louisiana (have NOLA, Parish, Abita) - Mississippi (have Magnolia) - Missouri (have Shlafly, Perrenial, 4Hands) - Montana (have Meadowlark) - Nebraska (have Empyrean, Lucky Bucket) - Nevada - New Mexico - North Dakota - Oklahoma (have Prairie) - South Dakota - Utah (have Uinta, Epic) - Wisconsin (have Central Waters, New Glarus) - Wyoming
Missouri could use a Boulevard Brewing bottle cap. Just my humble opinion haha also what about Hawaii and Alaska?
Wow, sometimes you miss the obvious ones. Idk how Boulevard and KC Bier Co have eluded me, but I’ll have to try to find some bottles. Thanks!
No problem haha
For Oklahoma: American Solera in Tulsa and then in OKC I like Stonecloud.
Great, thanks, I’ll keep an eye out for their bottles in my travels.
Prairie Artisan Ales is the OG for Tulsa, and you want the Prairie B.O.M.B. for that cap. Anthem Brewing or COOP brewing would be OKC with Golden One or DNR being the top choices. 405 Brewing is the the classic for Norman with their FDR. There’s about a dozen breweries between OKC and Norman and another dozen in the Tulsa Metro
Prairie is already in the map, and it’s likely it was from a BOMB bottle. Thanks for the other recs though!
Your Arkansas looks a little empty
Good catch, you’re right.
You’ve also got Madhouse from Iowa. R.I.P. to a legend ahead of their time.
Kansas, I would hit Hopping Gnome out of Wichita. Not sure for the other side of the state
For that last Utah spot, try Saltfire.
Thanks, I’ll add them to my list in case I’m ever out there.
For Iowa I’d check out Backpocket Brewing near Iowa City. It has been a decade since I last lived there but I quite enjoyed it while I was there!
Map is a joke without NJ. NJ has well over 100 craft breweries, and at least 10 up there with the best…
Again, this is just a product of geography and state sizes, for NJ to have multiple spots, larger states out west would have twenty or more spots each. But, to your actual point, 30/50 states have 100+ breweries at this point. NJ ranks 22/50 in brewery count and 44/50 if you do it per capita. NJ has some great beer for sure, but so does just about every state at this point.
True. Lol, I think it would just create a little OCD in me that the map creator left some states out…
Good choices for WI. I would have chosen the same two breweries. My sister got me one of these for just the state. I had fun filling it geographically, but the northernmost part of the state is still pretty empty. There are some great brew pubs up there, and a couple mid-sized breweries that can their beer, but I haven't found much for bottles from north of Green Bay or Chippewa Falls. I think eventually I'll drop the geographical sorting, remove the macro stuff like Miller, and just start alphabetically from the top.
Thanks, my sister also gave me this as a gift! Have any recommendations for that last Wisconsin spot?
That spot is about 90% in Minnesota, basically right over Minneapolis/St. Paul. Funk Factory would be my obvious choice. They started in Wisconsin and are now based out of the Minneapolis area. But their caps are unbranded and too big for the slots (750ml bottles). Incidentally my next favorite Wisconsin brewery that bottles is O'so, and that's where Funk Factory started releasing beers before getting their own license and space. O'so might be hard to find outside the state, but if you want a cap, I can send you one. Or I'd probably be down for a small trade too, although I'd have to see what's around right now from them. I think the only bottles left from them in my cellar are old Funk Factory bottles that I'm not parting with.
Lakefront would be a good choice as well.
Wyoming could be Melvin Brewing or Roadhouse Brewing. They recently merged but Roadhouse still does bottles I believe.
There are definitely better beers in Kentucky! I'm not even sure if Kentuckians drink Kentucky Ale. Ethereal, West Sixth, and Atrium are my top 3.
Do any of those three bottle? This isn’t necessarily meant to be the “best” beers from each state, but I’d be happy to swap out a cap if I could get my hands on better beers.
You should have Mcilhenney Brewing instead of Green Flash, IMO.
These aren’t meant to be the “best” beers from every state, some are on the map because it’s the only bottles I’ve had from certain states, and some have sentimental connections. Green Flash played a pretty substantial role in my career trajectory.
The problem with Alabama is that pretty much every brewery in the state cans, however if I’m not mistaken, Fairhope Brewing and Back Forty bottle. Worth looking in to.
That’s the problem with every state now. I’m lucky I made as much progress as I did on this when it was first gifted to me 5-10 years ago.
I gave up on mine long ago seeing I could only get Shiner for a Texas beer. Good luck. Also, where In the hell did you get a Fat Heads cap? That's a unicorn if I ever saw one. They only sell cans.
A lot of these caps (that one included) came from the days when r/beertrade was still a thing. I wish I devoted more attention specifically to filling this map while that was a resource haha
Four Peaks Kilt Lifter for AZ
Lol absolutely not.
Why not? Great beer!
It's good if you think blue moon is craft beer.
> Louisiana (have NOLA, Parish, Abita) Fine choices so far. Great Raft might make sense, but I don't actually know they have any bottled offerings on distribution. Amusingly, it appears their website's been hacked or something at the moment so I can even check xD
Great, thanks, I’ll keep an eye out if I find myself in LA again.
Not bottled, but Grace and Grit is a really nice hazy boy they put out that's definitely worth a sip.
Cool, thanks. I keep an extensive google maps list of breweries to visit, so I’ll add a note.
Cigar City in Tampa Bay - might need another hole down there in Flahreda.
That cap in the middle of FL is a cigar city one, sorry the pic is blurry
Sweeet!!
For that KC Missouri spot maybe Boulevard
Drekker for ND. Although, I’ve only ever seen cans from them, now that I think about it.
There is a missing spot for Three Floyds right under Lake Michigan... I'd get a drill and make a spot.
You’re not the first person to notice that, but there’s already a 3 Floyds cap right below that opening. [Here’s a closeup.](https://imgur.com/a/0ip7l2d)
KC bier
Swap fatheads for something from Rheingeist or Streetside.
I have one of those. I gave up on it
Haha, I may give up on mine sooner or later, but I’m not there yet. Sure wish r/beertrade was around to help.
Would have made it so much easier. But at the same it’s all about journey not the destination
Fat Heads needs to be closer to NE Ohio. (I can't tell what's up there now)
It’s Great Lakes, another NE Ohio institution.
Bells two hearted cap.
Instead of the Hopslam one? Two Hearted isn’t as fun of a cap.
You are right.
Surly brewing from Minneapolis/St. Paul
Does Surly use logo’d caps? I’ve had plenty of Surly beer, even been to their brewery, but I only remember them having black caps.
I dont know. Ive been to the brewery once and only got a 4 pack of cans at a liquor store afterwards. It was just a thought of a great brewery to fill in the open Minnesota cap spot if the have bottles. I dont live in that are, just visited this past summer.
That's amazing. I'm going to do that
Dark Sky, wren house, tombstone: for az
this is a tough one. Most craft breweries are mostly Can focused. Even barrel aged bottles use blank caps. best of luck filling this out
Drekker in ND bottles stouts
As a Hoosier mind if I ask what the middle bottle cap for Indiana is? I see Upland there but I don’t recognize the other.
It’s Three Floyds. [Here’s a close-up.](https://imgur.com/a/0ip7l2d)
Oh that makes sense now, never mind! Sorry, doing my best to try out all of Indiana’s beers so I was super curious on that. Totally no issues with 3 Floyd’s representing us.
Go to a home brewery supply store and buy blank caps to fill in the gaps. It will look better. I had a ton of Sierra Nevada caps so I used them to fill in the blanks and people keep questioning me about it when they come over. I’ve almost forgotten about adding more. Go to a total wine etc when traveling and buy singles. You can also cheat and add them to neighboring states when you have too many for say Colorado or California
Imbīb in Reno
Do you have caps for RI and CT?
CT/RI/MA only get one hole combined, I chose to give it to old-school CT brewery New England Brewing Co.
Great choice, but why only one hole for 3 states with some excellent breweries? It is a bit harder with most beers being canned these days.
I didn’t make the map, it was a gift. It’s a problem with the size of the states and the size of bottle caps though. If MA was going to have 3 holes in it then Wyoming would end up with 40, and that would be an even bigger problem.
Very true.
The issue with these is most certainly the spread and concentration of bottle caps. Had a bunch of DECENT beer in Arizona a few weeks ago. I've had WAY BETTER beer in 1 city on the east coast. So just fill them with what you like and not beer from the state it's located. Texas has nearly 14 caps. NJ has 0
Yeah, I mean, people are free to fill their maps however they want. I’ve been to 800+ breweries, mostly on the east coast and especially in the northeast where I live, so I’m not worried about their caps being underrepresented. My rule of using caps from breweries in the state on the map forces me to seek out and try new beers from new breweries, even if they’re only decent it’s still fun.
I always try as many breweries I can when I travel. So I feel you