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In May 2016, 24/7 Wall Street came out with a ranking of America’s drunkest cities. The list is based on self-reported drinking rates among adults in 381 metropolitan areas across the country. That data was then aggregated with county level data from a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program, called County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. These are the results(Click Here for full listing and story: CBS News)
1. Appleton, Wisconsin
2. Oshkosh-Neenah, Wisconsin
3. Green Bay, Wisconsin
4. Madison, Wisconsin
5. Fargo, North Dakota
6. La Crosse – Onalaska, Wisconsin
7. Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
8. Ames, Iowa
9. Eau Claire, Wisconsin
10. Mankato-North Mankato, Minnesota
11. Wausau, Wisconsin
12. Sheboygan, Wisconsin
13. Missoula, Montana
14. Grand Forks, North Dakota
15. Racine, Wisconsin
16. Janesville-Beloit, Wisconsin
17. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, Wisconsin
18. Lincoln, Nebraska
19. Iowa City, Iowa
20. Corvallis, Oregon

McGuire’s Irish Pub – Pensacola, FL
McGuire’s Irish Pub first opened in 1977 as a small neighborhood pub in a shopping center. McGuire cooked and tended bar and Molly waited tables and greeted customers. When Molly made her first tip -one dollar- she tacked it to the back bar for good luck. Friends of the pub added to the collection and it soon became tradition. Today you will see over 1 million one dollar bills hanging from the ceiling throughout the Pub, all of which have been signed by Irishmen of all nationalities.  In 1982 McGuire’s moved to its current location, Pensacola’s original 1927 Old Firehouse. The old “firehouse” look has become a true landmark, and inside the pub, a turn-of-the-century, New York Irish Saloon theme reigns. Guests are often in “awe” as they pass through the theme-oriented rooms at McGuire’s. Whether it’s the Pipers Den, Notre Dame Room, The Irish Links Room or the Ruprecht O’Tolf Wine Cellar, McGuire’s Irish Pub is a 400-seat, 20,000 square foot landmark with a staff of over 200 warm and friendly faces.
McGuire’s Brewery
McGuire’s offers fine Ale’s, Porters and Stouts brewed on premise in our traditional oak and copper brewery. Nature and the old-time know-how of a masterbrewer get the job done here. They brew with only the finest malted barley, imported hops, and McGuire’s very own house yeast.

Mcguire’s currently brew five regular beers and a rotating seasonal.  Their regular line up includes McGuire’s Light Ale, McGuire’s Irish Red Ale, McGuire’s Porter and McGuire’s Irish Stout. Our seasonal selections include Scotch Ale, Honey Wheat, Wild Irish Raspberry Wheat, Belgian Ale, India Pale Ale, Hefeweizen, Extra Special Bitter Altbier and Christmas Ale; just to name a few. They also make a very popular root beer served draft, right out of the keg.

Stop in for a tour of the brewery during your next visit. Mcguire’s brewmasters, Mike at McGuire’s in Pensacola or Gary or Tom at McGuire’s of Destin will gladly show you around and answer your questions. If you are a homebrewer, you may take some of  their yeast with you to try on your next batch. You can reach their brewmasters by phone at (850) 433-6789 in Pensacola and (850) 650-0000 in Destin.

History of Saint Patrick’s Day
Saint Patrick’s Day is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (c. AD 385–461), the foremost patron saint of Ireland.

Saint Patrick’s Day was made an official Christian feast day in the early 17th century and is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Lutheran Church. The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, and celebrates the heritage and culture of the Irish in general. Celebrations generally involve public parades and festivals, cèilidhs, and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks. Christians who belong to liturgical denominations also attend church services and historically the Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol were lifted for the day, which has encouraged and propagated the holiday’s tradition of alcohol consumption.

Top 10 U.S. Cities to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day(according to US News and World Report)
1. Boston, MA
2. Savannah, GA
3. New London, Wisconsin
4. Chicago
5. Hot Springs, Arkansas
6. North Kansas City, Missouri
7. New York City
8. O’Neill, Nebraska
9. Enterprise, Alabama
10. New Orleans

St. Patrick’s Day by the Numbers
13 Million pints of Guiness will be consumed worldwid on St. Patrick’s Day
60% of Americans plan to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
$5.9billion will be spent of St. Patrick’s Day
$40 is the average amount a St. Patrick’s partiers will spend
45 pounds of dye is used to turn the Chicago River Green
1962 was the first year the Chicago River was dyed green
$1.3 million is the market value of a leprechaun’s pot of gold contain 1,000 1 ounce coins.
4th-St. Patrick’s Days rank amoung the most popular drinking days.
16 cities in the United States are named Dublin.
1737 – The year of the first St. Patrick’s Day parade held in Boston not Ireland

The Brewers Association released its annual list of the Top 50 U.S. craft brewing companies Wednesday. The Top 50 list is compiled based on beer sales by volume in 2017.

“In an increasingly competitive and mature marketplace, these brewing companies continue to lead and pave the path for small and independent craft brewers,” says Bart Watson, chief economist at the Brewers Association.

The Brewers Association (BA), publishers of CraftBeer.com, is the not-for-profit trade group representing small and independent craft brewers. The BA board of directors is the body that sets the definition of a craft brewer.

Small – Annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less (approximately 3 percent of U.S. annual sales). Beer production is attributed to the rules of alternating proprietorships.

Independent – Less than 25 percent of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by a beverage alcohol industry member that is not itself a craft brewer.

Traditional – A brewer that has a majority of its total beverage alcohol volume in beers whose flavor derives from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients and their fermentation. Flavored malt beverages (FMBs) are not considered beers.

In June 2017, the BA released the independent craft brewer seal to help beer lovers recognize which brewers fit the craft definition. More than 3,000 breweries have adopted the logo in eight months. Look for the seal — an upside-down beer bottle — on packaging, labels, tap handles at more in breweries and at the grocery store.

Here’s a full look at the Top 50 U.S. craft brewing companies. And before you go sounding off in the comment section, this fact bears repeating: the Top 50 list is solely based on beer sales by volume — this list doesn’t rank breweries by ratings.