USA Today reader polls declared Grand Rapids to be Beer City USA in 2012 and 2013. At the time, approximately 20 breweries called the city home but the newfound attention caused that number to nearly double by 2018. In 2016 and 2017, readers for USA Today declared Grand Rapids to possess the best beer scene in the nation, sparking a tourism boom of more than 40,000 visitors annually. Embracing this designation, the city launched the Beer City Brewsader Passport reward system, safe transportation options, the Beer City Ale Trail, and various festivals.
