Ranking SEC Programs by it's best local brewery -- 247 Sports

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One thing that is often enjoyed on any campus during gameday is beer. With that in mind, Southeastern Conference towns are benefiting from the explosion in craft brewery popularity with an increase in the quality of beer options. 
Looking at the on-campus options as well as the popular social media app untappd, we can begin to evaluate which SEC fans have the best local craft beer scene. Here is that ranking, based on the brewery in each campus with the highest average rating, with a minimum requirement of 5,000 check-ins.

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1. Vanderbilt / Nashville
2. Georgia / Athens
3. Tennessee / Knoxville
4. Missouri / Columbia
5. South Carolina / Columbia
6. Kentucky / Lexington
7. Florida / Gainesville
8. Alabama / Tuscaloosa
9. Arkansas / Fayetteville
10. LSU / Baton Rouge
11. Texas A&M / College Station
12. State / Starkville
13. Auburn / Auburn
14. Ole Miss / Oxford

1. VANDERBILT (NASHVILLE, TENN.)
Not to be outdone by its in-state rival, Commodore fans have the best of both worlds - close to 20 craft breweries in town and the two highest-rated breweries in the SEC.

Fat Bottom Brewery has 69,873 check-ins and an average rating of 3.5. Little Harpeth Brewing has 31,266 check-ins, a 3.51 average rating, and a vienna lager named Bison Bock, a California Common named Upstream, and a Pilsner named Chicken Scratch. Czann's Brewing Company has 16,598 check-ins and an average rating of 3.57. Tennessee Brew Works has 132,021 check-ins, an average rating of 3.57, and has a pair of IPAs in Cutaway Rye and 1927.


Jackalope Brewing Company has 145,661 check-ins, an average rating of 3.64, and features a Bearwalker brown ale with Vermont Maple Syrup. Blackstone Brewing Company has 131,837 check-ins, an average rating of 3.65, and its best offering is the Black Belle imperial stout, which also comes barrel-aged and with different flavored adjuncts. Yazoo Brewing Company has 438,846 check-ins, a 3.66 average rating, and is known for one of the first major sour programs in the Southeast.

TailGate Brewery has 133,906 check-ins, a 3.66 average rating, and is known for its Peanut Butter Milk Stout. The Black Abbey Brewing Company is a Belgian-focused brewery that has 104,995 check-ins and an average rating of 3.68. Corsair Brewery, an extension of Corsair Distillery, has 11,327 check-ins and an average rating of 3.69. Honky Tonk Brewing Co, has 27,587 check-ins and an average rating of 3.69.

Diskin Cider is Nashville's first craft cidery, with 6,366 check-ins and an average rating of 3.76. Smith & Lentz has 31,432 check-ins and an average rating of 3.76. New Heights Brewing Company has 47,124 check-ins, an average rating of 3.78, and its flagship beers are New Heights IPA, Navel Gazer stout, and Nothing Fancy cream ale.

Bearded Iris has 333,076 check-ins, with a 4.11 average rating. Its focus is on IPAs, with Homestyle, Offbeat, and Attention Please as the flagships, but it also dabbles in milk stouts, such as its V. Latte series. Southern Grist has 204,480 check-ins with an average rating of 4.12. The brewery churns out weekly can drops with IPAs like Process Control, Pale Ales like Loud Whispers, and its beloved 'Hill' sour series. There were often stouts released in bottles like Over Stuff, which has double stuff Oreos added.

2. GEORGIA (ATHENS, GA.)
Georgia fans have three impressive craft brewery options in Athens. The Southern Brewing Company has 39,223 check-ins and an average rating of 3.81. The tap list usually includes many solid IPA options, including Hobnail, War Pig, and Maui, a refreshing Berliner Weisse called Red and Black, and usually a couple of barrel-aged sours as well. Akademia Brewing is a brewpub with 20,842 check-ins and an average rating of 3.87. The Hoprodisiac new england IPA features Citra and Mosaic hops and the Paraskevidekatriaphobia is a stout brewed with Condor Chocolate cocoa nibs.

The darling of Classic City is Creature Comforts, with 391,913 check-ins, and an 4.01 average rating. Its Athena berliner-weisse and Tropicália IPA saw cameos in Avengers: Endgame, becoming the beverage of choice for Thor. It is also home to one of the best mixed-fermentation programs in the Southeast.


3. TENNESSEE (KNOXVILLE, TENN.)
The surprise of this list is Knoxville, which is great news for Volunteer fans. With over 15 breweries in town with 3,000 check-ins, Tennessee has the second-most options of any SEC program at this time. Downtown Grill & Brewery has 10,197 check-ins, with an average rating of 3.43.

Woodruff Brewing Company has 8,738 check-ins, with an average rating of 3.39. Blackhorse Brewery has 48,261 check-ins and a 3.55 rating. Balter Beerwors has 16,441 check-ins a 3.68 average rating and features Bear Blend, a coffee oatmeal porter with Three Bears Coffee Co.

Hexagon Brewing has 10,243 check-ins and an average rating of 3.70. Hi-Wire is based in Asheville but just opened a location in Knoxville. The brewery has 400,665 check-ins and an average rating of 3.71. Elmont Exchange has 13,915 check-ins, an average rating of 3.76, and features a brown ale called Recluse and an IPA named Legion of Haze.

Schulz Bräu Brewing Company is a German family-owned brewery with 16,404 check-ins, an average rating of 3.79, and features a Dunkel, German Pilsner, Hefeweizen, Schwarzbier, and an Oktoberfest Märzen. Last Days of Autumn Brewing is a small-batch focused brewery with 18,536 check-ins and an average rating of 3.8.

Printshop Beer Co has 6,885 check-ins and an average rating of 3.82. Alliance Brewing Company has 15,690 check-ins, a 3.88 average rating, and features a Kölsch, a scotch ale, and a Cubano Coffee Brown with Three Bears cold brew.

Now to the big three in Knoxville. Pretentious Beer Co has 15,417 check-ins, an average rating of 3.91, and its flagship brew is New Kids On the Floc, an all-mosaic IPA. Shout out to Pretentious for its barleywine named Samuel Jackson’s M——- F——- Rye Wine. Abridged is a brewpub with 18,420 check-ins and an average rating of 3.94 and they are trying every style in the book. The Black Raspberry Dollypop is a fruited sour gose that is getting positive feedback.

Crafty Bastard Brewery has 30,133 check-ins and an average rating of 3.99. featuring an IPA called Hop Candy and a sour gose called Picklebier that is supposed to taste exactly like a dill pickle.




I tried posting the full details of what he had to say about all 14 schools, but couldn't fit it all in here so here are the top 3. The rest of the info is linked in the article

Kipp Adams -- 247 Sports