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Beer Lover’s Delight: A Guide to the Best Craft Brews in Every State

Beer Lover’s Delight: A Guide to the Best Craft Brews in Every State

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Beer Lover’s Delight: A Guide to the Best Craft Brews in Every State

Rouzes / E+ / Getty Images

Alabama: Hitchhiker
Alaska: Blessed
Arizona: White Russian imperial stout
Arkansas: BDCS

Courtesy of Ozark Beer Company

California: Pliny The Younger

Justin Sullivan / Getty Images News via Getty Images

Colorado: Leaner
Delaware: Utopias Barrel-Aged World Wide Stout
Florida: Hunahpu's imperial stout – Double Barrel Aged
Georgia: Mexican Siberius Maximus
Hawaii: Imperial Coconut Porter

Courtesy of Winnie L. via Yelp

Idaho: Ada County
Illinois: Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout

brostad / Flickr

Indiana: Marshmallow Handjee
Iowa: Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout
Kansas: Old Backus Barleywine
Kentucky: Snake Cake
Louisiana: Ghost In The Machine – Double Dry-Hopped
Maine: Dinner

Courtesy of Maine Beer Company

Maryland: J.R.E.A.M. – Blueberry Cobbler

Courtesy of Polly R. via Yelp

Massachusetts: King Julius

Courtesy of Amanda C. via Yelp

Michigan: CBS (Canadian Breakfast Stout)

Courtesy of Cy M. via Yelp

Minnesota: Nillerzzzzz
Mississippi: Paradise Lost
Missouri: Abraxas – Barrel-Aged
Montana: Ivan The Terrible imperial stout – Barrel-Aged
Nebraska: Champurrado Stout
Nevada: Coconut Pie Face
New Hampshire: Vinatta Russian imperial stout

Courtesy of Courtney M. via Yelp

New Jersey: Sunday Brunch
New Mexico: Project Dank

Courtesy of Charles K. via Yelp

New York: 4th Anniversary
North Carolina: CitraQuench'l
North Dakota: Chonk Sundae Sour (Mango and Marshmallow)
Ohio: Appervation
Oklahoma: Bourbon Paradise
Oregon: Nectarine Premiere

Courtesy of Melissa E. via Yelp

Pennsylvania: Albatross
Rhode Island: The Chosen One
South Carolina: Mexican Coffee Cake
South Dakota: SoDank IPA
Tennessee: Astronaut Status
Texas: Atrial Rubicite
Utah: Big Bad Baptista
Vermont: Heady Topper

walkn / Flickr

Virginia: Double Orange Starfish
Washington: Coffee Cinnamon B-Bomb

Courtesy of Mel T. via Yelp

West Virginia: Halleck Pale Ale
Wisconsin: Black Gold
Wyoming: 2×4 DIPA
Beer Lover’s Delight: A Guide to the Best Craft Brews in Every State
Alabama: Hitchhiker
Alaska: Blessed
Arizona: White Russian imperial stout
Arkansas: BDCS
California: Pliny The Younger
Colorado: Leaner
Connecticut: Fuzzy Baby Ducks
Delaware: Utopias Barrel-Aged World Wide Stout
Florida: Hunahpu's imperial stout – Double Barrel Aged
Georgia: Mexican Siberius Maximus
Hawaii: Imperial Coconut Porter
Idaho: Ada County
Illinois: Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout
Indiana: Marshmallow Handjee
Iowa: Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout
Kansas: Old Backus Barleywine
Kentucky: Snake Cake
Louisiana: Ghost In The Machine – Double Dry-Hopped
Maine: Dinner
Maryland: J.R.E.A.M. – Blueberry Cobbler
Massachusetts: King Julius
Michigan: CBS (Canadian Breakfast Stout)
Minnesota: Nillerzzzzz
Mississippi: Paradise Lost
Missouri: Abraxas – Barrel-Aged
Montana: Ivan The Terrible imperial stout – Barrel-Aged
Nebraska: Champurrado Stout
Nevada: Coconut Pie Face
New Hampshire: Vinatta Russian imperial stout
New Jersey: Sunday Brunch
New Mexico: Project Dank
New York: 4th Anniversary
North Carolina: CitraQuench'l
North Dakota: Chonk Sundae Sour (Mango and Marshmallow)
Ohio: Appervation
Oklahoma: Bourbon Paradise
Oregon: Nectarine Premiere
Pennsylvania: Albatross
Rhode Island: The Chosen One
South Carolina: Mexican Coffee Cake
South Dakota: SoDank IPA
Tennessee: Astronaut Status
Texas: Atrial Rubicite
Utah: Big Bad Baptista
Vermont: Heady Topper
Virginia: Double Orange Starfish
Washington: Coffee Cinnamon B-Bomb
West Virginia: Halleck Pale Ale
Wisconsin: Black Gold
Wyoming: 2×4 DIPA

Beer Lover’s Delight: A Guide to the Best Craft Brews in Every State

For those of us who live and breathe beer, the American scene hasn't always been the hop-filled paradise we enjoy today. Sure, beer's been around for centuries in the U.S., but for the longest time, it was a game run by just a few corporate giants. Prohibition hit like a bad batch, bringing everything to a screeching halt, and even when the taps flowed again, variety was nowhere near what a true craft lover would crave. By the early '80s, if you were looking for bold flavors, local ingredients, and creative brewing, well, good luck. Craft beer made up a measly 0.1% of the market. It was a dark age for those of us chasing the perfect pint.

But oh, how times have changed. Back in 1985, there were only 110 breweries across the entire country, barely enough to fill a taproom menu. Fast-forward to now, and the craft beer renaissance is in full swing. As of 2023, there are 9,683 breweries in the U.S. alone. That includes 2,071 microbreweries, 3,467 brewpubs, 3,900 taprooms, and 245 regional craft hubs, all pouring everything from juicy IPAs to crisp saisons and barrel-aged stouts.

Even better, craft beer isn't just a niche anymore, it's a major force. According to the Brewers Association, craft now makes up nearly a quarter of the entire U.S. beer market, ringing in at 24.7% of a $117 billion industry. That's not just growth, that's a revolution in taste, community, and creativity. If you're a beer lover, these are the golden days. Cheers to that.

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:

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