Pliny. Heady Topper. King Julius. If you’re a beer nerd, these names can automatically trigger some serious longing. In the past decade or so, a golden age of American beer has seen hundreds of simply spectacular (and often imaginatively named) new beers hit the market. Some are common, some are rare; some are imperial IPAs and some are imperial stouts. We’re glad they all exist.
It wasn’t too long ago that if you wanted a beer, your options were limited to the mass-produced classics like Bud or Coors and perhaps a handful of imports. But over the past couple decades, craft brewing has exploded the world over, with 716 craft breweries opening just in the U.S. in 2020 alone, according to the Brewers Association. (Speaking of mass-produced, these are America’s top-selling beer brands).
To compile a list of the best beers in America, 24/7 Tempo reviewed “Top 250 Rated Beers” on BeerAdvocate, as judged by its readers. (Information on beer type and alcohol by volume – ABV – also came from BeerAdvocate.) The site asks reviewers to score beers on a scale of 1.00 to 5.00 in 0.25-point increments on five ratable attributes: appearance, aroma, taste, mouthfeel, and overall impressions. The site then calculates ratings by weighting attributes differently (most important is taste, weighted at 40%). The weighting accounts for the fact that in the ranking here, the highest placed beers don’t necessarily have the highest reader scores. Scores are current as of mid-April 2022.
Click here to see the 30 best beers in America
You’ll notice that while major brewing states like California are well-represented, Iowa’s Toppling Goliath Brewing Company makes several appearances, as well as do Tree House Brewing Company from Massachusetts and Alaska’s Anchorage Brewing Company. Florida is also well-represented. Clearly, there’s great beer coming from every corner of the country these days, and these are the best. (These, on the other hand, are America’s least favorite beers.)
30. Pliny The Elder
> Average score: 4.6 (15,526 votes)
> Style: IPA – Imperial
> ABV: 8.0%
> Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company
> Location: California
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29. Speedway Stout – Vietnamese Coffee – Bourbon-Barrel Aged
> Average score: 4.7 (990 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 14%
> Brewery: AleSmith Brewing Company
> Location: California
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28. Westly
> Average score: 4.7 (432 votes)
> Style: Farmhouse Ale – Saison
> ABV: 8.5%
> Brewery: Sante Adairius Rustic Ales
> Location: California
27. Assassin
> Average score: 4.7 (1,473 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 12%
> Brewery: Toppling Goliath Brewing Company
> Location: Iowa
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26. It Was All A Dream
> Average score: 4.7 (181 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 17%
> Brewery: J. Wakefield Brewing
> Location: Florida
25. Julius
> Average score: 4.7 (4,989 votes)
> Style: IPA – New England
> ABV: 6.8%
> Brewery: Tree House Brewing Company
> Location: Massachusetts
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24. Anabasis
> Average score: 4.7 (247 votes)
> Style: Barleywine – American
> ABV: 14%
> Brewery: Side Project Brewing
> Location: Missouri
23. Juice Machine
> Average score: 4.7 (1,255 votes)
> Style: IPA – New England
> ABV: 8.2%
> Brewery: Tree House Brewing Company
> Location: Massachusetts
22. V.S.O.J.
> Average score: 4.7 (298 votes)
> Style: Barleywine – English
> ABV: 14%
> Brewery: Revolution Brewing
> Location: Illinois
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21. Very Green
> Average score: 4.7 (1,601 votes)
> Style: IPA – New England
> ABV: 8.6%
> Brewery: Tree House Brewing Company
> Location: Massachusetts
20. A Deal With The Devil – Double Oak-Aged
> Average score: 4.7 (186 votes)
> Style: Barleywine – American
> ABV: 17%
> Brewery: Anchorage Brewing Company
> Location: Alaska
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19. Chemtrailmix – Rye (2018-2020)
> Average score: 4.7 (246 votes)
> Style: Stout – Russian Imperial
> ABV: 15%
> Brewery: 3 Floyds Brewing Co.
> Location: Indiana
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18. A Deal With The Devil – Triple Oak-Aged
> Average score: 4.8 (89 votes)
> Style: Barleywine – American
> ABV: 17%
> Brewery: Anchorage Brewing Company
> Location: Alaska
.jpg "Tree House Brewing Interior (24964696951) by Eric Kilby")
17. Very GGGreennn
> Average score: 4.7 (377 votes)
> Style: IPA – New England
> ABV: 8.3%
> Brewery: Tree House Brewing Company
> Location: Massachusetts
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16. Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout – Laird’s Apple Brandy Barrel
> Average score: 4.7 (389 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 11.5%
> Brewery: Cigar City Brewing
> Location: Florida
15. Fundamental Observation
> Average score: 4.7 (1,517 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 14.3%
> Brewery: Bottle Logic Brewing
> Location: California
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14. Very Hazy
> Average score: 4.7 (1,239 votes)
> Style: IPA – New England
> ABV: 8.6%
> Brewery: Tree House Brewing Company
> Location: Massachusetts
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13. Barrel Aged Imperial German Chocolate Cupcake Stout
> Average score: 4.7 (352 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 11%
> Brewery: Angry Chair Brewing
> Location: Florida
12. Pliny The Younger
> Average score: 4.7 (3,495 votes)
> Style: IPA – Imperial
> ABV: 10.25%
> Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company
> Location: California
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11. King Julius
> Average score: 4.7 (1,504 votes)
> Style: IPA – New England
> ABV: 8.3%
> Brewery: Tree House Brewing Company
> Location: Massachusetts
10. Mornin’ Delight
> Average score: 4.7 (1,730 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 12.8%
> Brewery: Toppling Goliath Brewing Company
> Location: Iowa
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9. King JJJuliusss
> Average score: 4.7 (817 votes)
> Style: IPA – New England
> ABV: 8.4%
> Brewery: Tree House Brewing Company
> Location: Massachusetts
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8. SR-71
> Average score: 4.7 (546 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 14%
> Brewery: Toppling Goliath Brewing Company
> Location: Iowa
7. Heady Topper
> Average score: 4.7 (15,079 votes)
> Style: IPA – Imperial
> ABV: 8%
> Brewery: The Alchemist
> Location: Vermont
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6. Blessed
> Average score: 4.8 (213 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 14%
> Brewery: Anchorage Brewing Company
> Location: Alaska
5. Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout – Double Barrel Aged
> Average score: 4.7 (1,658 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 11%
> Brewery: Cigar City Brewing
> Location: Florida
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4. Perennial Artisan Ales
> Average score: 4.8 (105 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 12.8%
> Brewery: Toppling Goliath Brewing Company
> Location: Iowa
3. Abraxas – Barrel-Aged
> Average score: 4.7 (1,641 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 11%
> Brewery: Perennial Artisan Ales
> Location: Missouri
2. Marshmallow Handjee
> Average score: 4.7 (1,782 votes)
> Style: Stout – Russian Imperial
> ABV: 15%
> Brewery: 3 Floyds Brewing Co.
> Location: Indiana
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1. Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout
> Average score: 4.8 (894 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 12%
> Brewery: Toppling Goliath Brewing Company
> Location: Iowa
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