Is This Ohio's Best Brewery?

ATHENS, OH — Jackie O's was named Ohio's best brewery by Thrillist. The iconic Athens business has delighted Ohio University students, and returning alumni, for nearly 13 years.

Besides brewing amazing beer, Jackie O's runs a brewpup, to feed the masses, and sources its ingredients from a local farm in Lodi. The company said it wants to be more sustainable. It's a college kid's dream, guilt-free food and delicious beer.

What does Thrillist like about Jackie O's? A lot, actually (warning: Thrillist does not pull punches with its language).

"College students drink a lot of beer. But that doesn't mean they drink a lot of good beer. Unless, of course they're Ohio University Bobcats, in which case… holy shit, college kids drink amazing beer!," wrote Thrillist.

"The beloved brewpub has upped its game since opening up a production facility in 2013, and quickly threw down on the barrel-aged innovation game, transitioning from bourbon barrels to rum, tequila, and sherry. And it knows exactly what it's doing, as evidenced by the likes of the incredibly balanced Wood Ya Honey wheat wine-style beer ale in bourbon barrels. Lest that be too heavy, there are plenty of lighter options like the Firefly amber and the Mystic Mama IPA. Just, you know, don't play beer pong with it. You may be in a college town, but this is big-kid beer. Wasting it is a sin. "

You can see Thrillist's list of each state's best craft brewery here.

While it would be blasphemy to doubt Jackie O's prowess in the brew game, it would be equally heinous to not mention Ohio's depth of quality brewers. Great Lakes, Platform, Rhinegeist, Urban Artifact, and so many others call the Buckeye State home. There's a lot of great beer in this state.

What do you think of Thrillist's choice? Did they get it right? Do you prefer a different brewery? Let us know!

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