Special Report

The Top-Rated Local Beer From Every State and D.C.

Courtesy of Central Waters Brewing Company via Facebook

If you’re a beer lover, beer isn’t just a beverage; it’s a way of life. And whereas names like Heady Topper, Pliny the Younger, Dinner, and CBS might be meaningless if you’re not initiated, for those in the know, they’re sought-after brews that are as worthy of a special occasion as a fine wine.   

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).

What these breweries are able to do with the raw materials of malt, hops, yeast, water, and often some imaginative added flavorings, is nothing short of astonishing. From super-hoppy double IPAs to jet-black imperial stouts to English-style barleywines to saison farmhouse ales, the variety of high-quality American beers just keeps getting better and better. (You’ll find plenty of examples among America’s 40 most delicious beers). 

To compile a list of the top-rated beer from every state and the District of Columbia, 24/7 Tempo reviewed “Top 250 Rated Beers” on BeerAdvocate, as judged by its readers.  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. 

Information on beer type and alcohol by volume – ABV – also came from BeerAdvocate. Information on international bitterness units, a gauge of beer’s bitterness, came from Untappd, a beer rating app. IBU is a measure of the parts per million of isohumulone found in a beer, represented on a scale from 1 to 100, with 100 being the bitterest.  

Click here to see the top-rated beer from every state and the District of Columbia

You’ll notice that there are a whole lot of stouts and IPAs on this list, reflective of the super-popularity of these beers and the high potential for experimentation by the brewer that’s inherent in the styles. If those styles don’t strike your fancy, then you’ll be happy to learn that the vast majority of these breweries also brew beers in a wide variety of other styles for you to try, and most also have tasting rooms that are open to the public. Road trip, anyone?

Courtesy of Good People Brewing Company via Facebook

Alabama: El Gordo
> Average score: 4.5 (140 votes)
> Style: Stout – Russian Imperial
> ABV: 13.9%
> IBU: 79
> Brewery: Good People Brewing Company

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Courtesy of craftshack.com

Alaska: Blessed
> Average score: 4.8 (213 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 14.0%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: Anchorage Brewing Company

Courtesy of totalwine.com

Arizona: White Russian Imperial Stout
> Average score: 4.4 (107 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 9.2%
> IBU: 65
> Brewery: Sun Up Brewing Co.

Courtesy of Ozark Beer Company via Facebook

Arkansas: BDCS
> Average score: 4.5 (538 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 10.2%
> IBU: 69
> Brewery: Ozark Beer Co.

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Courtesy of Russian River Brewing Company via Facebook

California: Pliny The Younger
> Average score: 4.7 (3,495 votes)
> Style: IPA – Imperial
> ABV: 10.3%
> IBU: 90
> Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company

Courtesy of WeldWerks Brewing Co. via Facebook

Colorado: Medianoche – Coconut
> Average score: 4.6 (194 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 14.1%
> IBU: 65
> Brewery: WeldWerks Brewing Co.

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Courtesy of New England Brewing Co. via Facebook

Connecticut: Fuzzy Baby Ducks
> Average score: 4.5 (1,136 votes)
> Style: IPA – New England
> ABV: 6.2%
> IBU: 60
> Brewery: New England Brewing Co.

Courtesy of Dogfish Head Brewpub via Facebook

Delaware: Utopias Barrel-Aged World Wide Stout
> Average score: 4.4 (283 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 17.3%
> IBU: 70
> Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Courtesy of totalwine.com

District of Columbia: On The Wings Of Armageddon
> Average score: 4.3 (2,110 votes)
> Style: IPA – Imperial
> ABV: 9.2%
> IBU: 110
> Brewery: DC Brau Brewing Co.

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Courtesy of Cigar City Brewing (Brewery & Taproom) via Facebook

Florida: Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout – Double Barrel Aged
> Average score: 4.7 (1,658 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 11.5%
> IBU: 80
> Brewery: Cigar City Brewing

Courtesy of Wrecking Bar Brewpub via Facebook

Georgia: Mexican Siberius Maximus
> Average score: 4.6 (76 votes)
> Style: Stout – Russian Imperial
> ABV: 11.0%
> IBU: 74
> Brewery: The Wrecking Bar Brewpub

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Courtesy of Maui Brewing Co.

Hawaii: Imperial Coconut Porter
> Average score: 4.2 (271 votes)
> Style: Porter – Imperial
> ABV: 9.4%
> IBU: 32
> Brewery: Maui Brewing Co.

Courtesy of craftbrewersofboise.com

Idaho: Ada County
> Average score: 4.4 (30 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 15.0%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: Woodland Empire Ale Craft

Courtesy of Revolution Brewing via Facebook

Illinois: V.S.O.J. (Very Special Old Jacket)
> Average score: 4.7 (298 votes)
> Style: Barleywine – English
> ABV: 14.0%
> IBU: 23
> Brewery: Revolution Brewing

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Courtesy of Tammy Q. via Yelp

Indiana: Marshmallow Handjee
> Average score: 4.7 (1,782 votes)
> Style: Stout – Russian Imperial
> ABV: 15.0%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: 3 Floyds Brewing Co.

Courtesy of Toppling Goliath Taproom via Facebook

Iowa: Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout
> Average score: 4.8 (895 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 12.0%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: Toppling Goliath Brewing Company

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Courtesy of The Free State Brewing Co. via Facebook

Kansas: Old Backus Barleywine
> Average score: 4.2 (262 votes)
> Style: Barleywine – American
> ABV: 10.5%
> IBU: 100
> Brewery: Free State Brewing Co.

Courtesy of totalwine.com

Kentucky: Baba Yaga
> Average score: 4.5 (26 votes)
> Style: Stout – Russian Imperial
> ABV: 13.1%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: Ethereal Brewing

Courtesy of Parish Brewing Company Taproom via Facebook

Louisiana: Ghost In The Machine – Double Dry-Hopped
> Average score: 4.6 (369 votes)
> Style: IPA – New England
> ABV: 8.5%
> IBU: 100
> Brewery: Parish Brewing Company

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Courtesy of Maine Beer Company

Maine: Dinner
> Average score: 4.6 (2,696 votes)
> Style: IPA – Imperial
> ABV: 8.2%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: Maine Beer Company

Maryland: Gose Gone Wild
> Average score: 4.4 (1,125 votes)
> Style: Sour – Gose
> ABV: 4.3%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: Stillwater Artisanal Ales

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Massachusetts: King JJJuliusss
> Average score: 4.7 (817 votes)
> Style: IPA – New England
> ABV: 8.4%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: Tree House Brewing Company

Courtesy of totalwine.com

Michigan: CBS (Canadian Breakfast Stout)
> Average score: 4.6 (6,730 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 11.3%
> IBU: 45
> Brewery: Founders Brewing Company

Courtesy of Forager Brewery via Facebook

Minnesota: Nillerzzzzz
> Average score: 4.6 (118 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 14.0%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: Forager Brewing Company

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Courtesy of Southern Prohibition via Facebook

Mississippi: Paradise Lost
> Average score: 4.3 (73 votes)
> Style: IPA – New England
> ABV: 8.1%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: Southern Prohibition Brewing

Courtesy of uncrate.com

Missouri: Abraxas – Barrel-Aged
> Average score: 4.7 (1,641 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 11.0%
> IBU: 60
> Brewery: Perennial Artisan Ales

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Courtesy of craftshack.com

Montana: Ivan The Terrible Imperial Stout – Barrel-Aged
> Average score: 4.3 (895 votes)
> Style: Stout – Russian Imperial
> ABV: 11.6%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: Big Sky Brewing Company

Courtesy of White Elm Brewing Co. via Facebook

Nebraska: Bourbon Barrel Aged Champurrado
> Average score: 4.5 (14 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 12.1%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: White Elm Brewing Company

Courtesy of craftbrewersofboise.com

Nevada: Coconut Pie Face
> Average score: 4.4 (19 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 11.7%
> IBU: 50
> Brewery: Revision Brewing Company

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Courtesy of Isla R. via Yelp

New Hampshire: Vinatta Russian Imperial Stout
> Average score: 4.4 (92 votes)
> Style: Stout – Russian Imperial
> ABV: 12.0%
> IBU: 86
> Brewery: Kelsen Brewing Company

Courtesy of Brenda C. via Yelp

New Jersey: Double Double Cask
> Average score: 4.6 (75 votes)
> Style: Barleywine – American
> ABV: 15.7%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: Kane Brewing Company

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Courtesy of totalwine.com

New Mexico: Project Dank
> Average score: 4.4 (904 votes)
> Style: IPA – American
> ABV: 7.5%
> IBU: 100
> Brewery: La Cumbre Brewing Co.

Courtesy of Other Half Brewing Company via Facebook

New York: 4th Anniversary
> Average score: 4.6 (247 votes)
> Style: IPA – New England
> ABV: 10.0%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: Other Half Brewing Company

Courtesy of totalwine.com

North Carolina: Citraquench’l
> Average score: 4.5 (357 votes)
> Style: IPA – New England
> ABV: 7.1%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: Heist Brewery

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Courtesy of beerandbrewing.com

North Dakota: Freak Parade
> Average score: 4.3 (112 votes)
> Style: IPA – New England
> ABV: 8.2%
> IBU: 70
> Brewery: Drekker Brewing Company

Courtesy of Jackie O's Brewery via Facebook

Ohio: Appervation
> Average score: 4.5 (328 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 15.0%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery

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Courtesy of Prairie Artisan Ales via Facebook

Oklahoma: Bourbon Paradise
> Average score: 4.6 (809 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 13.7%
> IBU: 9
> Brewery: Prairie Artisan Ales

Courtesy of Lisa D. via Yelp

Oregon: Nectarine Premiere
> Average score: 4.6 (397 votes)
> Style: Farmhouse Ale – Saison
> ABV: 7.1%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: de Garde Brewing

Courtesy of Brew Gentlemen via Facebook

Pennsylvania: Albatross
> Average score: 4.5 (93 votes)
> Style: IPA – New England
> ABV: 8.0%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: Brew Gentlemen

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Courtesy of Tilted Barn Brewery via Facebook

Rhode Island: The Chosen One
> Average score: 4.5 (161 votes)
> Style: IPA – New England
> ABV: 8.5%
> IBU: 80
> Brewery: Tilted Barn Brewery

Courtesy of craftshack.com

South Carolina: Mexican Cake – Maple Bourbon Barrel-Aged
> Average score: 4.6 (191 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 10.2%
> IBU: 20
> Brewery: Westbrook Brewing Co.

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Courtesy of craftshack.com

South Dakota: SoDank IPA
> Average score: 4.1 (12 votes)
> Style: IPA – American
> ABV: 6.8%
> IBU: 68
> Brewery: Lost Cabin Beer Co.

Courtesy of totalwine.com

Tennessee: Astronaut Status
> Average score: 4.4 (209 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 12.2%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: Wiseacre Brewing

Courtesy of craftshack.com

Texas: Atrial Rubicite
> Average score: 4.6 (1,994 votes)
> Style: Wild Ale
> ABV: 5.8%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: Jester King Brewery

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Courtesy of totalwine.com

Utah: Big Bad Baptista
> Average score: 4.4 (809 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 11.7%
> IBU: 65
> Brewery: Epic Brewing Company

Vermont: Heady Topper
> Average score: 4.7 (15,079 votes)
> Style: IPA – Imperial
> ABV: 8.0%
> IBU: 100
> Brewery: The Alchemist

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Courtesy of craftbeercellar.com

Virginia: Double Orange Starfish
> Average score: 4.5 (460 votes)
> Style: IPA – New England
> ABV: 8.3%
> IBU: N/A
> Brewery: Aslin Beer Company

Courtesy of craftshack.com

Washington: Coffee Cinnamon B-Bomb
> Average score: 4.6 (1,108 votes)
> Style: Strong Ale – American
> ABV: 13.0%
> IBU: 50
> Brewery: Fremont Brewing Company

Courtesy of Chestnut Brew Works, LLC via Facebok

West Virginia: Halleck Pale Ale
> Average score: 4.3 (56 votes)
> Style: Pale Ale – American
> ABV: 6.0%
> IBU: 50
> Brewery: Chestnut Brew Works

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Courtesy of Central Waters Brewing Company via Facebook

Wisconsin: Black Gold
> Average score: 4.5 (859 votes)
> Style: Stout – American Imperial
> ABV: 11.0%
> IBU: 50
> Brewery: Central Waters Brewing Co.

Courtesy of totalwine.com

Wyoming: 2×4 DIPA
> Average score: 4.3 (874 votes)
> Style: IPA – Imperial
> ABV: 9.9%
> IBU: 100
> Brewery: Melvin Brewing / Thai Me Up

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