Where Milwaukee ranked on Best Beer City list by USA TODAY readers

For many, Milwaukee is synonymous with beer. It is "Brew City" after all. So naturally, USA TODAY readers included Milwaukee in their votes for this month's USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, which were focused around all things beer. Still, some of the results may be controversial to Milwaukeeans who regard Milwaukee as the No. 1 location for beer.

The results ranked Milwaukee eighth out of 10 for Best Beer City. First place went to Grand Rapids, Michigan, followed by St. Louis, Missouri, and Yakima, Washington.

Milwaukee’s Lakefront Brewery made the list for both Best Brewery Tour, where it ranked ninth, and Best Brewpub, where it ranked eighth.

Ranking fourth on the 10Best list for Best New Brewery was Lombardi Brewing Company, 2200 W. Mt. Vernon Ave., which opened in September 2025.

In the category of Best Beer Festival, Madison's Great Taste of the Midwest ranked ninth.

Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. in Chippewa Falls was third on the Best Brewery Tour list.

The full list of winners, from a total of eight lists, can be found online at 10best.usatoday.com/awards.

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