Guess Where America Ranks When It Comes to Best Countries for Beer [VIDEO]

If the Olympics of beer were held, which country do you think would take the gold?

A study on YAHOO, has named the 13 best beer countries. Looking at production numbers, it would be China.  As far as who drinks the most, that award goes to the Czech Republic. On this list, America is number 2.

• 13. Ireland.  I would have thought they would score much higher. Given that the government there recently enacted laws offering incentives and education opportunities to brewers, next year they probably will.
• 12. New Zealand. Thank the earth for that score as New Zealand grows some of the tastiest hops and barley in the world.
• 11. Sweden. Despite laws prohibiting the sale of beer with more than 3.5% alcohol outside of state shops and the fact that they import more American beer than any other country except Canada, the Swedes almost made the top 10 as a great beer country.
• 10. Italy.  You'd think wine for them, but beer is quickly overtaking vino as the favorite drink. An explosion of microbreweries is expected to keep that trend growing for the next several years.
• 9. Norway. According to Ratebeer, two of the best new breweries in the world for 2015 call Norway home.
• 8. The Netherlands.  Heineken and Amstel.  Enough said.
• 7. Canada.  You knew these guys were going to rank high.  Could it be because they import more American beer than any other country?
• 6. Japan.  Can you blame them for loving the suds? Saki tastes terrible.
• 5. Denmark. Traditional, seasonal brews bring them to the cinco spot.
• 4. Germany. I totally would have bet on the Germans taking the number 1 spot wouldn't you? They rank number 5 for production but get all the way to 3 for consumption.
• 3. United Kingdom.  Thanks to changes in legislation, they now have the most microbreweries in the UK since WWII.
• 2. America.  Microbreweries are opening at the rate of 1.5 per day in the good old US of A and the popularity of American brewing styles has many craft brewers expanding to Europe.
• 1. Belgium.  Mixing it up with traditional brewing styles as well as modern ones, Belgium is tops when it comes to brews.