Hood River is one of 20 national finalists for USA Today’s Readers’ Choice Award in the best small town beer scene. A panel of experts chose twenty finalists before voting was turned over to the public to crown the winner. According to the most recent information from the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis in August 2019, Hood River has 13 times the U.S. average for breweries per capita, and nearly 25 times the volume of craft beer produced. In nominating Hood River as a finalist in the category, contest organizers noted, “Local libations are almost always close at hand in Hood River.” The public is invited to vote daily by visiting the Best Small Town Beer Scene section of the USA Today 10Best Awards, which also includes a current leaderboard and a list of competing towns. Voting closes July 24 at 8:59 a.m. The top 10 small beer towns, determined by votes, will be announced on August 4.