Craft beers are as big as ever, and every state in the union has the one that they think’s best. Well, some experts who think they have better beer sense than you…and definitely more time…set out to find the best one that each state has to offer. Here's what's best in Iowa and Illinois...
ILLINOIS: Scratch Brewing Company's Spring Tonic - To give its products a sense of place, farm-based Scratch grows and forages the ingredients found in its beers, including the tart Spring Tonic. It’s flavored with bitter dandelion and carrot tops, while ginger adds a spicy zing.
IOWA: 515 Brewing Company's Mexican Spring - To create beer that tastes a bit like tequila, Des Moines–based 515 brewed a wheat beer lightly sweetened with agave nectar and finished it with a little bit of lime—no salt lick needed.