This Decade's Ten Best Breweries

1. Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, TX features their Bock which they have been brewing for over a hundred years. Their signature is a manly strong lager you can't get in many places outside of Texas. The tour is free on weekdays and provides a great history lesson.

2. Visit Grand Rapids, MI at the Founder's Brewing Co. recently founded in 1997. Their Dirty Bastard is a must try, brewed with seven types of malts. This brewery was a dream of two college students and is a monument of taking chances.

3. Visit Cigar City in Tampa Florida for an up and coming brewery. Check out their Puppy's Breath porter to experience great chocolate malt accented beer. They release special one-offs on a regular basis.

4. The St. Bernardus is a Belgian brewery which offers high fermented beers since 1946. It is in the remote area of West Flanders and originally a monastery which brewed its own beers. Try the Grottenbier, designated one of the world's top beers by Beer Guru Michael Jackson.

5. A great classic brewery is Samuel Adams in Boston. Their Sam Adams Chocolate Bock is a great new addition. The camaraderie of the brewery provides a comfortable atmosphere for visiting.

6. Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon offers sublime handcrafted ales. Check out their local pubs overlooking the Deschutes River. Mirror Pond Pale Ale, named after the pond just a few blocks from the brewery offers sweetness of malted barley and a bit of hops.

7. Three Floyds Brewery in Munster, Indiana limits its production to maintain quality so each costumer is limited to a six-pack of its flagship beer, Dark Lord. You can only get their beers in certain states such as Illinois and Indiana.

8. In London, U.K. the highly lauded Griffin's Brewery was reopened in March, 2009. They offer 20 tours a week and they feature such beers as the Chiswick Bitter, a fresh and clean tasting award winning beer.

9. As Anhueser-Busch recently changed hands, now is a great time to visit this St. Louis brewery. They offer free brewery tours in multiple locations and offer a free beer with your visit.

10. At the Goose Island Beer Company in Chicago, local beer is celebrated in pubs all through the city. They are highlighting their Mild Winter brew, which is a rich caramel malt.