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The best beer in every state, according to beer enthusiasts across the US
Red in color, this light-malt, light-hops lager is inspired by German brewing tradition. A dose of caramel balances out a bitter finish.
Dothan, Alabama
A chocolate and coffee-lover's delight, this rich porter smells like a fresh pot of morning Joe and tastes like a moche latté.
A barleywine-style ale brewed with Galaxy hop variety, A Deal with the Devil ages for between eight and 11 months in Cognac barrels. It's worth the wait. A blend of caramel, fig, Cognac, and wood spice creates a syrupy, full-bodied taste.
The crown jewels of the Alaskan Brewing Co. portfolio are the Smoked Porter (a German-style porter made with two varieties of hops that are smoked in a commercial food smoker) and Alaskan Amber (a balanced malty ale that lingers on the palate).
Some might call them American imports, because the brews travel by barge to the continental US.
Here's a classic porter that will satisfy any sweet tooth. The Achocolypse took three years to develop and combines dark and bitter chocolates, vanilla, and roasted malts.
This cool-weather brew features notes of dark chocolate, coffee, and caramel with a roasty finish. It pairs well with ribs, barbeque, cured meats, and chocolate cake.
After eight consecutive years atop Zymurgy Magazine's ranking of the best beers in America, Pliny the Elder fell to No. 2 in 2017.
The double IPA is dry and hoppy, making for a bitter and fragrant experience that's worth waiting in line for.
One sip of the Milk Stout Nitro is guaranteed to leave you a chocolate milk-like mustache. A creamy head like hard whipped cream forms on the pour, unleashing an aroma of brown sugar and vanilla cream.
The Force is strong with this imperial stout, brewed with nearly a dozen varieties of malts and grains. It smells like coffee; tastes like figs, plums, raisins; and satisfies a sugary craving with a subtle chocolate finish.
Originally released in 2001, the 90 Minute IPA uses a special technique called continual hopping which is responsible for its bold flavor and intense pine and citrus aromas. Brewers add hops to the boiling kettle at a consistent rate, creating an unapologetic flavor without the crushing bitterness.
Named for a game native to the Basque region of Spain, this India Pale Ale takes inspiration from another country. It mimics the ales sent from England to thirsty British troops in India during the 18th century.
The Tropicália is an IPA for people who say they don't like IPAs. Balanced, soft, and ripe with passion fruit and citrus hops aromas, this brew washes over the palate with a juicy flavor and a subtle bitterness.
A robust dark ale swimming in hand-toasted coconut, dark malts, and hints of mocha will transport you to the Hawaiian Islands.
Kailua-Kona, Big Island, Hawaii
Kona Brewing Co. has not one, but two, hallmark brews. The Pipeline Porter gets a boost of flavor from chocolate and Hawaiian Kona Coffee. Its nutty brown sibling, Koko Brown, is brewed with toasted coconut and boasts a smooth, roasty malt taste.
Full disclosure: RAM Restaurant & Brewery was established in Lakewood, Washington, over 40 years ago. But Idaho has carried on the RAM traditional admirably.
Zymurgy named the Rabbit Punch Irish Red — a fiesty ale with a toasted malt backbone and a punch of Citra hop flavor — the best beer in Idaho. It's available on tap only.
Brewed in honor of the 1,000th batch at the company's original Clybournm brewpub, this handsome stout has notes of charred oak, chocolate, vanilla, caramel, and smoke.
A brew that's fit for the living and the undead, Zombie Dust is a medium-bodied pale ale that gushes with hops. Touches of grapefruit and citrus make it a fresh and inviting brew.
Toppling Goliath is known for its big, bold beers brewed in small batches — pseudoSue is no exception. The American pale ale roars with aromas of grapefruit, citrus, mango, and evergreen, and has a mild bitter finish.
Here's an oatmal cream stout for people who swore they'd never enjoy a stout. Buffalo Sweat compares to liquid chocolate chip cookies with its rich taste, creamy mouthfeel, and sweet, lingering finish.
A new take on a highly popularized style, the West Sixth IPA tickles the senses with a bready malt and notes of peaches, lemon zest, "danky grassiness, pine needles, and tangerines.
Bayou Teche Brewing is known for recreating rare French and Belgian styles, and Miel Sauvage is a shining example of that work. Brewed in batches of 15 to 30 barrels, Miel Sauvage is a honey ale-style beer made with pale and honey malts.
Among the delightfully named brews made by Maine Beer Co., Dinner is a double IPA brewed with four hops varieties to deliver intense aromas of citrus, grapefruit, tropical fruit, lemon, and pine.
The people of Maryland cherish this American IPA for its hoppiness and "Belgian funk" — whatever that means. A sweat malt body balances pine and grapefruit hop flavors and exotic fruit yeast notes.
Made with 1.6 ounces of American hops per gallon, Julius is about as hoppy as they come. This American IPA features notes of passionfruit, mango, and citrus.
Meet the new king of beer. The IPA was named the best beer in America by Zymurgy Magazine in 2017. It uses 100% Centennial hops picked from the Pacific Northwest.
The hops aroma bursts with grapefruit, pineapple, pine, and a hint of spice — but a rich, caramel malt backbone tames the bitterness. A crisp finish leaves you craving another sip.
Surly Brewing Co. serves up a pair of IPAs that are not to be missed. Todd the Axe Man is a West Coast-style IPA brewed with one malt, Golden Promise from the UK, and Citra and Mosaic hops. Its seasonal sibling, Abrasive Ale, is an oatmeal double IPA with unapologetic aromas of candied grapefruit, tangerine, and tropical fruit.
As fine as a slice of pecan pie, the Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale is — to the brewer's knowledge — the first beer in the world made with whole roasted pecans.
The result of lengthy experiments on Belgian-style farmhouse ales, Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale delivers a big surge of fruity aromatics, notes of grapefruit, and a peppery, dry finish.
Made with malted barley grown in Montana and Citra hops, Bitter Root Brewing's flagship beer has a perfect balance of citrus flavor and bitterness.
Formerly known as Hop God, HopAnomaly ages for six months in French Oak Chardonnay Barrels. Like good wine, it's complex, with notes of citrus and grapefruit.
Loaded with personality, like its namesake, the Dirty Wookie is an Imperial pale brewed with six varieties of malts. Brewers adds generous amounts of hops late in the process, which give it a balanced taste and a creamy mouthfeel.
A world-class meadery and cider brewery, Moonlight Meadery has medaled three times at the Mazer Cup International with its traditional mead, Utopian. It's aged in Samuel Adams casks for five years.
This take on the American IPA is all about the hops. Kane Brewing Company uses five varieties grown in the Pacific Northwest to produce a beer that is heavy on grapefruit flavor. Notes of citrus, tropical fruits, and pine smell good enough to eat.
A bronze medal-winner at the 2012 World Beer Cup, Elevated IPA combines spicy and bitter hops to balance out a sweet maltiness.
With the Choklat Oranj, Southern Tier Brewing Co. delivers a stout that's worth making the six-hour drive from New York City. It's brewed with chocolate and orange peels and, according to the brewers, tastes great with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
With Pernicious IPA, Wicked Weed Brewing promises to "ruin your expectations for all other IPAs." A balanced hop bitterness and clean finish make it incredibly drinkable.
Well, this is awkward. Zymurgy Magazine did not name a best beer in North Dakota.
May we recommend the Iron Horse Pale Ale from craft brewer Fargo Brewing Company? The 5% ABV beer delivers a powerful surge of floral hop aromas and flavors of grapefruit. Iron Horse strikes a balance as hoppy enough for hop lovers, but not too hoppy for the hop-averse.
Fat Heads Brewery takes on the traditional IPA with a West Coast style. Aggressively dry-hopped with three varieties, the Hop Juju puts on a huge display of pine, grapefruit, citrus, and pineapple aromas.
Bomb! gets its name from the explosive flavor combination of coffee, chocolate, vanilla beans, and ancho chili peppers, which deliver just the right amount of heat. The Imperial stout is available by the keg if you don't want to stop at one bottle.
This mouthwatering IPA gets its juicy flavor from a heavy helping of Citra and Mosaic hops. Touches of grapefruit, orange, tangerine, lemon, and lime settle onto both the nose and the palate — making it a beer worth drinking for breakfast.
When the first hops of the harvest trickle into Tröegs Independent Brewing, brewers get to work on this super-fresh, excessively dry-hopped explosion of pine, resin, and mango.
A new addition to Grey Sail Brewing's year-round portfolio, Captain's Daughter is an Imperial IPA that's light in color but not in alcohol content. This 8.5% ABV brew has the aroma and flavor of tropical and stone fruits.
A Southern take on a traditional, wheat India Pale Ale, Huger Street IPA invites you in with the floral aroma of Chinook hops and the robust citrus notes of Citra hops.
Chokecherries may not be very tasty right off the tree, but cooked down to a fuschia-colored jam, they make a wonderful addition to this bittersweet brown ale.
A spicy, herbal lager, Blue Eyed Girl has sweet undertones and a clean malt base. If you see it on tap, get it. Firehouse Brewing Co. makes 40 different beers and rotates through about nine brews on tap at any time.
A true example of a Bavarian Hefeweizen, the aptly named Hefeweizen from Yazoo Brewing Co. uses a yeast that gives it a fruit banana aroma with just a hint of cloves.
At the start of the year, Jester King Brewery dumps several hundred pounds of raspberries into oak barrels that contain mature sour beer. The result is Atrial Rubicite, a sour beer imbued with rich character but devoid of sweetness.
It's big, it's bad, and it's barrel-aged in whiskey or bourbon casks. Big Bad Baptist uses cocoa nibs and coffee beans — a different dark roast every season — and pairs well with hard cheeses and dark chocolate.
The Heady Topper has been called America's most coveted beer. People wait in line hours ahead of store openings to get their hands on the often-sold-out, 8% alcohol IPA.
The Alchemist adds most of the hops late in the brewing process, which creates bold flavor dripping with grapefruit, orange, tropical fruits, and fresh herbs.
An utterly decadent Imperial milk stout, Christmas Morning delivers hints of honey, oven-baked gingerbread, and the comforting nuances of freshly brewed coffee, thanks to a helping of locally roasted Mexican Chiapas coffee beans. We only wish it was available year-round.
Barrel Aged Dark Star has a complex recipe for a robust taste. The Imperial oatmeal stout mixes six-month, 12-month, and 24-month aged Dark Star stout and ages the blend in 15-year-old Kentucky bourbon barrels.
Ouch! Zymurgy Magazine also failed to find a winner in West Virginia.
We recommend Zack Morgan's IPA from Morgantown Brewing Company. A unique blend of Cascade, Centennial, and Columbus hops give the IPA a biting citrus aroma.
Described as a "tapestry of flavor," the Wisconsin Belgian Red is brewed with whole Montmorency cherries, Wisconsin-grown wheat, and Belgian roasted barleys. The result is a medium-body brew that is highly carbonated and intense with cherry flavor.
Named the best damn double IPA in the world — by the brewers — 2x4 DIPA features several hop varieties bursting with floral and citrus aromas. Bright flavors and a crisp finish make it a beer worth traveling for.
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