In this article, we are going to discuss the 60 highest rated beers in America. You can skip our detailed analysis of the economic impact of the U.S. beer industry, the possible decline of premiumization in the beer market, and the devaluation of craft beer brands, and go directly to 10 Highest Rated Beers in America.
Although it is the third-most popular drink in the world, beer is often more than just a beverage. It has significant cultural and historical significance in many societies and traditions. In Germany, for example, beer is considered an essential part of the country’s cultural heritage, and the country has strict regulations on the production of beer to ensure its quality and authenticity. In Ireland, beer (specifically Guinness) is associated with the country’s national identity and is a common symbol of Irish culture. In the United States, beer has become synonymous with sports events and tailgating parties, as well as being a popular drink for socializing with friends.
Economic Impact of the U.S. Beer Industry:
Beer is the favorite tipple of Americans. As we mentioned in our article – 20 Biggest Beer Brands in America – the U.S. beer industry contributed over 2.4 million local jobs and $409 billion to the national economy in 2022, equivalent to 1.6% of GDP. The industry also paid $132 billion in wages and contributed $63.8 billion in taxes.
These economic figures represent substantial growth since the last study two years ago, with an uptick of $78 billion, or a 23.5% growth in economic impact. Also 400,000 new jobs were added in the last two years, representing a growth of 20%.
The 2.4 million jobs the industry provides fall into a multitude of sectors, including 92,159 brewer and beer-importer jobs, 77,847 manufacturing jobs, 137,420 distribution jobs, 52,220 agricultural jobs and 979,805 retail jobs. According to Beer Serves America, each job in the brewing industry generates 30 jobs in every corner of the country.
The Possible Decline of Premiumization:
Premium alcoholic beverages have been outperforming other price categories for many years, helping drive the steady growth in craft beer. But the first half of 2023 has begun to show some cracks in premiumization, which may not bode well for craft beer, which is already slowing due to multiple other factors.
On Drizly, the overall average unit price of products sold has seen a steady increase since 2019, growing nearly 17% over the last five years. So far in 2023 that average has remained flat. It is obvious that inflation has triggered a change in the spending habits by consumers, but how much those consumers of higher-end alcohol, such as craft beer, are willing to give up their favorite beverage to save money is unclear. In past recessions craft beer has fared well, with consumers tending to be more cost conscious by looking for deals, but seemingly not trading down into cheaper non-craft options.
One factor that is different today from past recessions is the amount of craft beer brands owned by global corporations, which have a higher ability to offer discounts. This could mean greater craft beer offerings from the big brewers on sale in the grocery store aisles, leading to a more price-competitive environment for smaller, independent brewers.
The Devaluation of Craft Beer Brands:
Tilray Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) – a craft beer and cannabis company that was among the first to be licensed for medical cannabis in Canada – announced last month that it has agreed to acquire eight beer and beverage brands from Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD).
The deal includes the Shock Top, Blue Point, 10 Barrel, Breckenridge, Redhook, Widmer Brothers, Square Mile Cider, and HiBall Energy brands. Upon satisfaction of customary closing conditions, Tilray Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) will become the fifth-largest craft brewer in the U.S. with a 5% market share.
One of the most noticeable aspects of this deal is the astonishingly low price – $85 million – that Tilray Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) paid for the 8 breweries combined. That’s about $150 per barrel – a far, far distance from the height of the craft beer industry when brands sold for as high as $1,000 per barrel only 6-8 years ago. This deal marks another sign that the large global brewers have lost interest in craft beer as they chase consumer preferences that are now trending into non-craft and non-beer categories. Tilray Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) already owns multiple beverage brands and ranks among the Biggest Marijuana Companies in the World.
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) is the Largest Beer Producer in the World but the company has been facing some headwinds in the American market after the recent controversy regarding its best-selling brand Bud Light, which resulted in the iconic brand losing its crown as the Top-Selling Beer in America after nearly two decades. Due to its falling beer volumes in the domestic market, the beer behemoth had indicated three months ago that it was looking to focus its efforts on fewer brands, hence the sale of the aforementioned brands to Tilray.
Although, as we mentioned in our article – 17 Countries with the Highest Percentage of Non-Drinkers – billionaire Bill Gates’ portfolio managers decided to initiate a $96 million position in the firm during the second quarter.
Broyhill Asset Management said the following about Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) in its second quarter 2023 investor letter:
“The largest detractors to performance over the quarter were First Horizon Corp (FHN), Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD), and Bayer (BAYRY). Problems at Anheuser Busch InBev began on April 1 with Dylan Mulvaney’s social media post, which ignited a fiery backlash amongst Bud Light customers across ‘Merica. With volumes down sharply, and competitors gaining share at BUD’s expense, operational deleveraging is set to weigh heavily on US margins amid peak demand pressure in the second quarter. Despite severe US headwinds (second-quarter operating profit maybe half of last year’s levels), we still expect BUD to grow consolidated operating profit at a mid-single-digit rate for the full year. With current issues well understood and investor sentiment in the gutters, we see significant upside in a stock, which is approaching a double-digit FCF yield. With FX headwinds and rising input costs reversing course, increasing margins are likely to drive positive surprises into FY24 as continued deleveraging accrues more value to shareholders.”
With that said, here are the Highest Rated Beers in America.
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Methodology:
To collect data for this article, we have referred to the benchmark website for beer reviews – BeerAdvocate – looking for the Top-Rated Beers in America. The following beers have been ranked according to their average rating on the website. The ratings have been granted from a total of 5. When two beers had the same average rating, we ranked them by the number of reviews they received.
If you want to find the best craft beers near you, here are the Best Craft Beer Brands in Each U.S. State.
60. Abricot Du Fermier
Average Rating: 4.59
Brewed by the Missouri-based Side Project Brewing, this beer is the brewery’s Saison du Fermier, which was racked to French oak cabernet barrels with apricots and allowed to age until dryness.
59. Double Dry Hopped Congress Street
Average Rating: 4.59
This amplified version of Congress Street IPA by the Trillium Brewing Company is a focused exhibition of the Galaxy hop. Milky and yellow-orange in appearance, this New England IPA emits fragrant aromatics of mango, pine resin, grapefruit, pineapple, and peach.
58. Double Galaxy
Average Rating: 4.59
Double Galaxy is an 8% ABV New England IPA brewed by the Hill Farmstead Brewery in Vermont. This Imperial Single Hop IPA is made exclusively with Galaxy hops.
Vermont ranks among the States that Produce the Most Craft Beer.
57. Atrial Rubicite
Average Rating: 4.59
This 5.8% ABV beer from the Jester King Brewery is made from well water, barley, wheat, hops, farmhouse yeast, native yeast from the Texas hill country, souring bacteria, and raspberries. The iconic beer is packaged in 500 ml bottles.
56. Headroom
Average Rating: 4.6
From its first batch brewed on Congress St. in 2015 to today, Headroom is a New England IPA that stands as a landmark, watershed beer in terms of Trillium’s evolution as a brewery.
Headroom ranks among the 100 Best Beers in America.
55. Bourbon County Brand Stout
Average Rating: 4.6
Barrel-aged for a year to develop the complexity that only time can provide, Bourbon County Stout boasts a unique blend of flavors such as fudge, vanilla, and caramel.
The Goose Island Brewery was acquired by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) in 2011, in a deal worth $39 million.
54. KBS
Average Rating: 4.6
Produced by the Founders Brewing Company, KBS is an imperial stout brewed with a massive amount of coffee and chocolates, then cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels for an entire year to make sure the wonderful bourbon undertones come through in the finish.
53. Flora Plum
Average Rating: 4.61
Flora is the wine barrel-aged saison by the Hill Farmstead Brewery. Selected barrels were aged on a variety of hand-picked organic plums for several months to create this 5% ABV pale ale.
Flora Plum sits among the Best-Rated Beers in America.
52. Aaron
Average Rating: 4.61
Aaron is a barleywine that has rested, unhurriedly and undisturbed, for over 2 years in bourbon barrels from some of Hill Farmstead’s favorite distilleries, absorbing the essence of its surroundings and history.
51. Fuzzy
Average Rating: 4.61
Fuzzy is an 8% ABV Blonde American Wild Ale by Side Project Brewing, that has been fermented and aged in Chardonnay barrels with Missouri-grown white peaches. It is one of the best beers in the US.
50. Doubleganger
Average Rating: 4.61
This New England IPA by Tree House Brewing was conceived with the intent to push the concept of Doppelganger to the limit of flavor and intensity. Both the kettle hopping rates and dry hopping rates were increased while keeping the base beer the same.
Tree House produced 48,400 BBLs of beer in 2018 and had an estimated revenue of $48 million.
49. Double Citra
Average Rating: 4.61
Double Citra is an 8% ABV Imperial India Pale Ale by the Hill Farmstead Brewery, brewed exclusively with Citra hops.
Double Citra ranks among the Top 50 Highest Rated Beer Brands in America.
48. Parabola
Average Rating: 4.61
This Russian imperial oatmeal stout by the Firestone Walker Brewing Co. is aged for a full year in a blend of bourbon barrels from Elijah Craig, Four Roses, Pappy Van Winkle, Woodford Reserve, and Buffalo Trace.
Firestone Walker merged with the Antwerp-based Duvel Moortgat in 2015, in a deal worth an estimated $250 million.
47. Very HHHazyyy
Average Rating: 4.62
Very HHHazyyy is the most flavorful double IPA by Tree House, and yet it remains effortless to drink. It tastes like overripe peach nectar, pulpy orange juice, and the most delicious fruit cocktail ever.
46. Nectarine Premiere
Average Rating: 4.62
Nectarine Premiere is a wild farmhouse ale aged in oak wine barrels with nectarines. de Garde Brewing is a unique and delightful rural brewery, specializing in sour ales.
Nectarine Premiere sits among the Top Beers in U.S.A.
45. Maman
Average Rating: 4.62
Maman is an 11.5% ABV American Imperial Stout that has been aged for 18 to 20 months in Rittenhouse Rye barrels before blending. The highly-decorated Perennial Artisan Brewery of St. Louis specializes in premium craft beer production.
Missouri ranks among the States with the Most Craft Breweries.
44. Ann
Average Rating: 4.62
Ann is the wine barrel-aged version of Anna – Hill Farmstead’s honey farmstead ale. French oak wine barrels are filled with Anna and the beer is allowed to mature in the presence of the resident microflora. Each 750ml bottle is naturally carbonated and hand-dipped in beeswax.
43. Morning Wood
Average Rating: 4.62
With a world-class score of 100 on Beer Advocate, this Imperial Porter is one of the Best-Rated Beers in America. Aged in bourbon barrels for months and with its rich combo of coffee, maple and smoky flavors, the Morning Wood is a little bit of breakfast in a glass.
It was revealed in May this year that Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) is now re-selling the famous Funky Buddha Brewery back to its original founders.
42. Duck Duck Gooze
Average Rating: 4.62
Duck Duck Gooze is a blend of young and old barrel-aged beers that has been one of the most sought after beers year after year since its introduction in 2009. Alas, it is released in very small quantities only once every three years, so it’s extremely difficult to come by beyond the day it is released by The Lost Abbey.
41. Dinner
Average Rating: 4.62
Dinner is the first Double IPA by the Maine Beer Company. To maximize hop character, the 8.2% ABV beer is dry hopped twice with over 6 lbs. of hops per barrel.
Maine is among the States with the Most Craft Breweries.
40. Barrel-Aged Vietnamese Coffee Speedway Stout
Average Rating: 4.63
The AleSmith Brewing Company traditionally brews Vietnamese coffee, known as cà phê sữa đá, with a phin-style filter that gently percolates water through ground coffee. The result is a chocolaty and bold tasting coffee that perfectly complements the notes of oak, vanilla, and bourbon in this massive barrel-aged stout.
39. JJJuliusss!
Average Rating: 4.63
Decanted carefully in a Teku glass, this 100% American Beer by Tree House pours thickly with a densely packed head and gives off aromas of orange juice, melon, guava, and mango gummies.
38. Double Sunshine
Average Rating: 4.63
This American Double India pale ale by Lawson’s Finest Liquids is packed with juicy tropical fruit flavors and bright herbal aromas, thanks to the abundance of U.S-grown hops.
37. Abner
Average Rating: 4.63
This Double IPA is dutifully crafted from American malted barley, a plethora of American hops, Hill Farmstead’s ale yeast, and water from the brewery’s well. Abner is among the top beers in America.
36. CBS
Average Rating: 4.64
Canadian Breakfast Stout is an Imperial Stout brewed with a blend of coffees and imported chocolates, then aged in spent bourbon barrels that have most recently been aging pure Michigan maple syrup.
35. Pliny The Elder
Average Rating: 4.64
Pliny the Elder is an 8% ABV Imperial IPA by the Russian River Brewing Company. The Highly Rated American Beer is brewed with Amarillo, Centennial, CTZ, and Simcoe hops.
34. Framboise Du Fermier
Average Rating: 4.65
Framboise du Fermier is Side Project Brewing’s barrel-fermented and aged Saison du Fermier, which at maturity, was racked to French Oak barrels with raspberries and allowed to re-ferment for six months before being bottled.
33. Juice Machine
Average Rating: 4.65
The use of Magnum, Columbus, Amarillo, Citra, and Galaxy hops creates perhaps Tree House’s most complex drink with unapologetic flavors of tangerine, mango, lime, papaya, and grapefruit with waves of dankness.
32. Assassin
Average Rating: 4.65
This highly rated American beer is a pitch-black 12% ABV American Imperial Stout by the highly-rated, Iowa-based Toppling Goliath Brewing Company.
31. Very Green
Average Rating: 4.65
This Double IPA by Tree House Brewing is created with a massive kettle charge of Australian and American hops. It opens in the glass with huge notes of ripe pineapple, pithy citrus, and dank saturated hops.
30. Julius
Average Rating: 4.65
Bursting with 1.6 oz per gallon of American hops, Julius is loaded with notes of passionfruit, mango, and citrus. At 6.8% ABV, this New England IPA by Tree House is refreshing and freakishly drinkable.
29. Westly
Average Rating: 4.66
Westly is a reinterpretation of one of the most popular beers made at Sante Adairius Rustic Ales – West Ashley. With twice the amount of apricots and twice the time in barrels, Westly is the answer.
Westly ranks among the Top 30 Highest Rated American Beers.
28. Very GGGreennn
Average Rating: 4.66
Though it was hard to imagine improving upon Green or Very Green in a way that made it worthwhile, Tree House Brewing Company did exactly that with this IPA of the highest order.
27. Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout
Average Rating: 4.67
This excellent stout by Goose Island is made with a different coffee from Chicago’s Intelligentsia Coffee each year. With the change in coffee comes a change in the flavor profile, making each release truly unique from the previous years.
26. It Was All A Dream
Average Rating: 4.68
Made by J. Wakefield Brewing, this Imperial stout is aged in bourbon maple syrup barrels with coffee, coconut and vanilla. It ranks halfway in our list of the most popular beers of America.
25. Chemtrailmix – Rye Barrel
Average Rating: 4.68
At a staggering 15% ABV, this Russian Imperial Stout is 3 Floyds Brewing Company’s Dark Lord, but aged in rye barrels with cinnamon and pink peppercorns.
24. Anabasis
Average Rating: 4.68
Anabasis is a beer in which Side Project Brewing is continually experimenting with different barrels and resting times, always trying to find harmony in this American/English-inspired Barleywine.
Anabasis is one of the Top-Rated Beers in the U.S.
23. V.S.O.J.
Average Rating: 4.68
This periodic and rotating release by Revolution Brewing is a cuvée of English Barlewines aged between two and four years in bourbon barrels. Lusciously sweet and colossally complex, V.S.O.J. is equal parts refinement and excess.
22. Very Hazy
Average Rating: 4.68
Clocking in at 8.6% ABV, Very Hazy is a kicked up version of Haze. Brewed by Tree House, Very Hazy conveys all the beautiful flavors of Haze, but with even greater depth and potency.
21. Fundamental Observation
Average Rating: 4.68
This 13% ABV Imperial Stout by Bottle Logic Brewing is blended with Madagascar Vanilla Beans & aged in bourbon barrels.
Fundamental Observations is one of the 25 Best Beers in America.
20. Adjunct Trail
Average Rating: 4.69
A collaboration between Angry Chair Brewing and Prairie Artisan Ales, Adjunct Trail is an Imperial Sweet Stout matured 18 months in bourbon barrels with toasted coconut and hazelnut coffee.
19. Clover
Average Rating: 4.69
Brewed in the memory of their cat, Clover by Hill Farmstead is among the top 20 highest rated beers in the U.S. This 6.5% ABV saison is a blend of the brewery’s Ann and Art beers that had been aged for 12 to 22 months.
18. A Deal With The Devil – Double Oak-Aged
Average Rating: 4.69
This blend by the Anchorage Brewing Company is an American Barleywine, aged for 9 months in Heaven Hill Bourbon Barrels, then transferred into freshly emptied Woodford Reserve Double Oaked barrels for an additional 7 months.
17. Pliny The Younger
Average Rating: 4.69
This is almost a true Triple IPA with triple the amount of hops as a regular IPA. That said, it is extremely difficult, time and space consuming, and very expensive to make, and that is why the Russian River Brewing Company doesn’t make it more often.
The 2022 release of Russian River’s Pliny the Younger generated $6.1 million in economic impact, a record for the brewery and $1 million (20%) increase compared to 2020, the last year that the Triple IPA was released.
16. Samuel
Average Rating: 4.7
To produce this iconic saison, Hill Farmstead set out by crafting a base of buckwheat, spelt, Vermont wildflower honey, and the same hops used in both Vera and Sarrasin. Following shifting seasons of rest in wine barrels and more than a year of bottle conditioning, they are finally able to present a beer worthy of being among America’s Highest Rated Beers.
15. Barrel Aged Imperial German Chocolate Cupcake Stout
Average Rating: 4.7
This 11% ABV beer by Angry Chair Brewing is a bourbon barrel aged Imperial Milk Stout with coconut, cacao nibs & madagascar vanilla.
14. King JJJuliusss
Average Rating: 4.7
To continue with their 4th anniversary celebration, Tree House brewed an extra kettle hop and extra dry-hopped version of King Julius. The result is an incredibly intense citrus hop blast in the form of this New England IPA.
13. King Julius
Average Rating: 4.7
Brewed by the Tree House Brewing Company, King Julius is an American Double IPA brewed to be an exceptionally flavorful, juicy, and hop saturated beer while never tiring the palate.
12. Mornin’ Delight
Average Rating: 4.7
Try this delicious coffee stout from Toppling Goliath and you’ll never want your low-fat vanilla cream latte again. This might not contain a wonderful design in the foam, but it certainly will satisfy your need for a late evening coffee pick-me-up.
11. Heady Topper
Average Rating: 4.71
Heady Topper is an American double IPA by The Alchemist. This beer is not intended to be the biggest or most bitter. It is meant to give you wave after wave of hoppy goodness on your palate.
Heady Topper ranks 11th in our list of Top-Rated Beers in the U.S.
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Disclosure: None. 60 Highest Rated Beers in America is originally published on Insider Monkey.