Greater Cincinnati has a rich beer-brewing history, with plenty of breweries around town. It also has one of the best new of the country’s breweries, according to a recent poll.
USA Today announced the best new breweries of 2026 on Wednesday as part of its 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Hearth Brewing in Harrison ranks No. 1 among the best breweries in the country. It finished ahead of second-place Night School of Athens, N.Y., and third-place Elder Piper Beer & Cider of Petoskey, Mich.
Hearth Brewing, located at 1195 Stone Drive in Harrison, is a “community-minded” brewery that is “a place where good people gather and enjoy good beer, good food and good company,” its website reads.
10Best writes: “Hearth Brewing, located just east of the Indiana-Ohio border, has been serving up stone-baked pizza, fresh craft beers, and a cozy atmosphere since 2024. On colder days, beers like Punked Ale and Spiced Autumn Ale are perfect for beating the chill, and the menu also features delicious favorites like grilled cheese and a buffalo chicken sandwich.”
The brewery is also in the running for the 2026 Cincinnati Favorite Beer Award with its coffee golden ale called Wake Up Betty. Voting will begin on March 9.
Hearth Brewing was named the best new brewery in America by USA Today readers.
USA TODAY 10Best invited a panel of industry experts to nominate their favorite points of interest and attractions across multiple categories. 10Best editors then review the nominations and select the final nominees, who readers have four weeks to vote on.
Here are the 10 best new breweries, as chosen by USA Today readers.
Best New Breweries According to USA Today’s 10Best
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Fried Beer/Night School (Athens, NY).
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Elder Piper Beer and Cider (Petoskey, MI).
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Lombardi Brewing Co. (Milwaukee, WI).
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Future Days Beer Co. (Philadelphia, PA).
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Terranaut Beer (Bend, OR).
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Blue Jay Brewing Co. (St. Louis, MO).
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Buena Connection Brewing Company (Buena, NJ).
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Test Brewery (Brooklyn, NY).
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Atomic Clock Brewing Company (Durham, NC).
This article originally appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati’s Hearth Brewing named No. 1 best new brewery in America
