Drink Up, Chicago! Our Craft Beer Rocks

By Emily Stone

Good news for all the discerning Illinois beer drinkers out there: our state has one of the best selections of craft beer in the country.

HuffingtonPost blogger Joe Satran took a look at craft beer availability by state and Illinois comes in at No. 4, behind Vermont, Pennsylvania and New York. He lists Founders, Bell's, AleSmith, Evil Twin, Ballast Point, Hoppin' Frog and Anchorage as the best craft beers available state-wide.

All states are not created equal when it comes to craft beer because of small batches and a patchwork of local laws that make distribution difficult.

Click over to Patch's friends at HuffingtonPost to read the full analysis of who has the best beer.

I won't quibble with our high ranking, but I’m not sure why the accompanying photo is of beer drinkers at Wrigley Field. While an Old Style on a sunny day in the bleachers can be delicious, I’m not sure anyone would claim it’s a craft brew.

What’s your favorite craft beer? Are there any you wish you could get locally but can’t?