UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.

#10. Billings

If you hear someone mention whitetail, Devil’s Tower or Boothill in Billings, MT, they could either be talking about the rugged mountains that surround the city or its craft beers. Many of the brews concocted in Billings have been named after the impressive geological formations and abundant wildlife you’ll find here. The scenery surrounding Billings makes drinking beer that much more pleasurable and yes, that helped make it one of our best beer cities.

Billings residents drink beer more frequently than the average American and prefer craft brews over imported or mass-produced domestic beer. Out of the six breweries located in downtown Billings, one of our Top 100 Best Places to Live, Montana Brewing Co. takes the pinnacle position. The brewery has picked up six medals at the Great American Beer Festival since 2008, three of which were gold. Montana Brewing Co., which started in 1994, combines the concepts of a small brewery, saloon and restaurant. Uberbrew tapped into a partnership with Fort Collins Brewery to bring their beers to a wider audience. Using a small 10-barrel brewing system, Uberbrew produces a strong lineup of beers ranging from its Hi-Line Porter to its award-winning White Noise Hefeweizen. Carter’s Brewing is perhaps the most experimental brewery in Billings. Owner and brewmaster Michael Uhrich has crafted 70 different styles of beer since opening shop in 2007. The De-Railed IPA gets the most pours at Carter’s, while its Blackened CDA picked up a silver medal at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival.

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