Craft beer has exploded across the United States over the past few decades. What used to be a niche hobby has transformed into a full-blown mainstream movement. Today, virtually every state has its own thriving brewing scene packed with include unique flavors, local ingredients, and passionate beer drinkers. American craft beer is specific to the region that produces it, from lagers brewed with mountain spring water to IPAs chock full of hops to rich stouts. For beer lovers, exploring the country’s craft brews is a delicious journey through local traditions, cultures, and communities.
This guide to the best craft brews in every state includes innovative breweries and their must-try beers. Whether you’re planning a multi-state beer bash or simply want to discover what your home state has to offer, you’ll find plenty of delicious options on this list. Get ready to learn about award-winning favorites, off-the-beaten-path taprooms, and bold brews that push the flavor boundaries! Cheers!
To compile a list of a beer lover’s guide to the best local brews in every state, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the “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.
Ratings were then calculated by weighting attributes differently (the most important is taste, weighted at 40%). Scores are current as of mid-May 2023. Craft beers range from hoppy double IPAs to imperial stouts to English-style barleywines. (If you prefer wheat beer, check out the only wheat beer brands you should be drinking.)
Here is a beer lover’s guide to the best local brews in every state:
Alabama: Hitchhiker
- Avg. score: 4.3/5 (126 votes)
- Beer style: American IPA
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 7.4%
- Brewery: Good People Brewing Company
Alaska: Blessed
- Avg. score: 4.7/5 (264 votes)
- Beer style: American imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 15.5%
- Brewery: Anchorage Brewing Company
Arizona: White Russian imperial stout
- Avg. score: 4.4/5 (108 votes)
- Beer style: American imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 9.2%
- Brewery: Sun Up Brewing Co.
Arkansas: BDCS
- Avg. score: 4.5/5 (554 votes)
- Beer style: Sweet/milk stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 10.2%
- Brewery: Ozark Beer Co.
California: Pliny The Younger
- Avg. score: 4.7/5 (3,544 votes)
- Beer style: Imperial IPA
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 10.3%
- Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company
Colorado: Leaner
- Avg. score: 4.6/5 (246 votes)
- Beer style: Saison
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.0%
- Brewery: Casey Brewing & Blending and Barrel Cellar
Connecticut: Fuzzy Baby Ducks
- Avg. score: 4.5/5 (1,159 votes)
- Beer style: New England IPA
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.2%
- Brewery: New England Brewing Co.
Delaware: Utopias Barrel-Aged World Wide Stout
- Avg. score: 4.4/5 (331 votes)
- Beer style: American imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 17.3%
- Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Florida: Hunahpu’s imperial stout – Double Barrel Aged
- Avg. score: 4.7/5 (1,663 votes)
- Beer style: American imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 11.0%
- Brewery: Cigar City Brewing
Georgia: Mexican Siberius Maximus
- Avg. score: 4.5/5 (81 votes)
- Beer style: Russian imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 11.0%
- Brewery: Wrecking Bar Brewpub
Hawaii: Imperial Coconut Porter
- Avg. score: 4.2/5 (275 votes)
- Beer style: Imperial porter
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 9.4%
- Brewery: Maui Brewing Co.
Idaho: Ada County
- Avg. score: 4.3/5 (31 votes)
- Beer style: American imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 15.0%
- Brewery: Woodland Empire Ale Craft
Illinois: Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout
- Avg. score: 4.7/5 (7,535 votes)
- Beer style: American imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 13.2%
- Brewery: Goose Island Beer Co.
Indiana: Marshmallow Handjee
- Avg. score: 4.8/5 (1,800 votes)
- Beer style: Russian imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 15.0%
- Brewery: 3 Floyds Brewing Co.
Iowa: Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout
- Avg. score: 4.8/5 (913 votes)
- Beer style: American imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 12.0%
- Brewery: Toppling Goliath Brewing Company
Kansas: Old Backus Barleywine
- Avg. score: 4.2/5 (263 votes)
- Beer style: American barleywine
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 10.5%
- Brewery: Free State Brewing Co.
Kentucky: Snake Cake
- Avg. score: 4.5/5 (42 votes)
- Beer style: American imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 13.0%
- Brewery: West Sixth Brewing Company
Louisiana: Ghost In The Machine – Double Dry-Hopped
- Avg. score: 4.6/5 (406 votes)
- Beer style: New England IPA
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.5%
- Brewery: Parish Brewing Company
Maine: Dinner
- Avg. score: 4.6/5 (2,749 votes)
- Beer style: Imperial IPA
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.2%
- Brewery: Maine Beer Company
Maryland: J.R.E.A.M. – Blueberry Cobbler
- Avg. score: 4.4/5 (27 votes)
- Beer style: Fruited kettle sour
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 4.8%
- Brewery: Burley Oak Brewing Co.
Massachusetts: King Julius
- Avg. score: 4.7/5 (1,581 votes)
- Beer style: New England IPA
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.2%
- Brewery: Tree House Brewing Company
Michigan: CBS (Canadian Breakfast Stout)
- Avg. score: 4.6/5 (6,750 votes)
- Beer style: American imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 11.3%
- Brewery: Founders Brewing Company
Minnesota: Nillerzzzzz
- Avg. score: 4.6/5 (141 votes)
- Beer style: American imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 14.0%
- Brewery: Forager Brewing Company
Mississippi: Paradise Lost
- Avg. score: 4.3/5 (72 votes)
- Beer style: New England IPA
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.1%
- Brewery: Southern Prohibition Brewing
Missouri: Abraxas – Barrel-Aged
- Avg. score: 4.7/5 (1,664 votes)
- Beer style: American imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 11.0%
- Brewery: Perennial Artisan Ales
Montana: Ivan The Terrible imperial stout – Barrel-Aged
- Avg. score: 4.3/5 (900 votes)
- Beer style: Russian imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 11.6%
- Brewery: Big Sky Brewing Company
Nebraska: Champurrado Stout
- Avg. score: 4.5/5 (32 votes)
- Beer style: American imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 13.0%
- Brewery: White Elm Brewing Company
Nevada: Coconut Pie Face
- Avg. score: 4.4/5 (29 votes)
- Beer style: American imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 11.7%
- Brewery: Revision Brewing Company
New Hampshire: Vinatta Russian imperial stout
- Avg. score: 4.4/5 (94 votes)
- Beer style: Russian imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 12.0%
- Brewery: Kelsen Brewing Company
New Jersey: Sunday Brunch
- Avg. score: 4.6/5 (851 votes)
- Beer style: Imperial porter
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 9.2%
- Brewery: Kane Brewing Company
New Mexico: Project Dank
- Avg. score: 4.4/5 (914 votes)
- Beer style: American IPA
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 7.5%
- Brewery: La Cumbre Brewing Co.
New York: 4th Anniversary
- Avg. score: 4.6/5 (260 votes)
- Beer style: New England IPA
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 10.0%
- Brewery: Other Half Brewing Company
North Carolina: CitraQuench’l
- Avg. score: 7.1/5 (372 votes)
- Beer style: New England IPA
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 7.1%
- Brewery: Heist Brewery (Noda location temporarily closed due to fire damage)
North Dakota: Chonk Sundae Sour (Mango and Marshmallow)
- Avg. score: 4.4/5 (28 votes)
- Beer style: Fruited kettle sour
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 7.2%
- Brewery: Drekker Brewing Company
Ohio: Appervation
- Avg. score: 4.5/5 (339 votes)
- Beer style: American imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 15.0%
- Brewery: Jackie O’s Brewpub
Oklahoma: Bourbon Paradise
- Avg. score: 4.6/5 (935 votes)
- Beer style: American imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 13.7%
- Brewery: Prairie Artisan Ales
Oregon: Nectarine Premiere
- Avg. score: 4.6/5 (408 votes)
- Beer style: Saison
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 7.1%
- Brewery: de Garde Brewing
Pennsylvania: Albatross
- Avg. score: 4.5/5 (110 votes)
- Beer style: New England IPA
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.0%
- Brewery: Brew Gentlemen
Rhode Island: The Chosen One
- Avg. score: 4.5/5 (171 votes)
- Beer style: New England IPA
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.5%
- Brewery: Tilted Barn Brewery
South Carolina: Mexican Coffee Cake
- Avg. score: 4.4/5 (330 votes)
- Beer style: American imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 10.5%
- Brewery: Westbrook Brewing Co.
South Dakota: SoDank IPA
- Avg. score: 4.1/5 (14 votes)
- Beer style: American IPA
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.8%
- Brewery: Lost Cabin Beer Co.
Tennessee: Astronaut Status
- Avg. score: 4.4/5 (215 votes)
- Beer style: American imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 12.2%
- Brewery: Wiseacre Brewing – Broad Ave OG
Texas: Atrial Rubicite
- Avg. score: 4.6/5 (2,012 votes)
- Beer style: Wild ale
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.8%
- Brewery: Jester King Brewery
Utah: Big Bad Baptista
- Avg. score: 4.4/5 (815 votes)
- Beer style: American imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 11.7%
- Brewery: Epic Brewing Company
Vermont: Heady Topper
- Avg. score: 4.7/5 (15,197 votes)
- Beer style: Imperial IPA
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.0%
- Brewery: The Alchemist
Virginia: Double Orange Starfish
- Avg. score: 4.5/5 (488 votes)
- Beer style: New England IPA
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.3%
- Brewery: Aslin Beer Company
Washington: Coffee Cinnamon B-Bomb
- Avg. score: 4.6/5 (1,128 votes)
- Beer style: American strong ale
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 13.0%
- Brewery: Fremont Brewing Company
West Virginia: Halleck Pale Ale
- Avg. score: 4.3/5 (58 votes)
- Beer style: American pale ale
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.0%
- Brewery: Chestnut Brew Works
Wisconsin: Black Gold
- Avg. score: 4.5/5 (869 votes)
- Beer style: American imperial stout
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 11.0%
- Brewery: Central Waters Brewing Co.
Wyoming: 2×4 DIPA
- Avg. score: 4.3/5 (884 votes)
- Beer style: Imperial IPA
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): 9.9%
- Brewery: Melvin Brewing
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