101 Best Beers In America

Is there a finer beverage out there than beer? We're not so sure there is. Whether you're having a quiet homemade dinner with family, spending the day outside at the beach or the ballpark with friends, or just sitting on your couch and catching up on some binge-worthy television, there's no drink that pairs better with a good time than an ice-cold, delicious beer. It doesn't matter if you like a drink that's sweet, bitter, refreshing, challenging, cold, or room temperature, there's a beer out there for you. So in honor of the humble beer and all that it has become in the booming craft beer movement, we sought out the 101 best beers in America.

How did we do that? Glad you asked.

To determine the best beers in America, we cross-checked beer ratings on Untappd, BeerAdvocate, and RateBeer, looking for the beers that average beer drinkers and beer-tasting professionals alike have given the highest ratings and biggest praise. We also tapped in to our own extensive tasting experience and knowledge, giving nods to the best beers our editors have had over the last year. Additionally, because beer (and craft beer specifically) tends to be centered in a few big states like California, Michigan, Florida, Ohio, and Vermont, we gave special consideration to brews from less beer-heavy states like North Dakota and New Mexico. Thus, nearly every state in the union is represented on our list of the 101 best beers in America. We have also left the beers on this list unranked. Our list is diverse in beer styles, and it's frankly impossible to weigh the merits of, say, a witbier versus the merits of a Russian imperial stout.

Life is too short to spend it drinking bad beer, that's what we always say. So make sure you never waste your time sipping on swill by adding these 101 best beers in America to your must-try list.

Birmingham, Alabama
ABV: 10 percent
Good People Brewing Company's Snake Handler Double IPA is a celebration of all things hoppy, with five different varieties of hops and aromas of pine, citrus, and grass. But don't worry, it's still described as "dangerously drinkable." It's the Birmingham brewery's most requested beer for a reason.

Anchorage, Alaska
ABV: 17.3 percent
Barleywines aren't for everyone, but Anchorage Brewing Company's A Deal With The Devil packs a world of flavor in every single sip. Complex with flavors of caramels and malts, this smooth yet thick beer is a flawless example of its style.

Gilbert, Arizona
ABV: 6.6 percent
Gilbert, Arizona, brewery Arizona Wilderness uses seven pounds of locally-roasted coffee beans for every batch of its Superstition Coffee Stout. It pours jet black, but don't be intimated by the color. It's aged on Madagascar vanilla beans for a week, leading to a sweet aroma and flavor.

Rogers, Arkansas
ABV: 10.2 percent
Ozark's Bourbon Barrel Aged Double Cream Stout is aged for seven months in 12-year-old Kentucky bourbon barrels with real coffee from a local roaster. Apart from the obvious, this thick, dark imperial stout has notes of vanilla, chocolate, charred oak, and fruit. Some even say it tastes like a brownie.

Santa Rosa, California
ABV: 8 percent
Pliny the Elder — the senior of Pliny the Younger — is Russian River's near-perfect flagship brew. This double IPA is brewed with Amarillo, centennial, CTZ, and Simcoe hops, and has hints of floral, citrus, and pine. The highly regarded copper-colored beverage has a RateBeer score of 100 out of 100, so I guess what we're trying to say is: This beer is exceptional. Plus, it's vegan!

Santa Rosa, California
ABV: 10.25 percent
This true triple IPA is extremely difficult, expensive, and time-consuming to make. Thus, it's available in pub draft only and is released at the brewery on the first Friday in February for two weeks only. It has a lot of hype, but it's well deserved. There have been many imitators since Pliny the Younger first debuted in 2005, but no other triple IPA has bested the balanced, medium bitterness and a beautiful copper color of this brew.

Escondido, California
ABV: 8.1 percent
Is there anything more comforting in the winter than a Mexican hot chocolate? Well yeah, a beer modeled after this scrumptious beverage. Stone Xocoveza is a mocha stout that is every bit as delicious as the drink it's modeled after thanks to its blend of cocoa, coffee, pasilla peppers, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It's a holiday tradition to drink this beer, just like decking the halls and baking cookies for Santa.

San Diego, California
ABV: 12 percent
Alesmith's Speedway stout earns its name with its opaque black color. The intensity follows with waves of chocolate and licorice aroma with a smoky roasted coffee flavor. Creamy and lush, this beer ages extremely well, and received a perfect score of 100 from RateBeer and a solid 4.21 on Untappd.

Paso Robles, California
ABV: 14 percent
Firestone Walker's Parabola is the imperial stout that's talked about like a fine wine. Don't be surprised to hear someone mention hints of tobacco and oak, or dark coffee and vanilla. A truly complex Russian imperial stout, it's both sweet and bitter, and often incredibly difficult to find.

San Marcos, California
ABV: 7 percent
Sourish in aroma and flavor, with notes of apples and citrus, a crisp, tart finish, and just enough sweetness for balance, this ale has been one of The Lost Abbey's most sought-after beers since it was first released in 2009. It's extremely difficult to come by, as it is only produced once every three years in limited quantities.

San Francisco, California
ABV: 4.9 percent
First brewed in 1896, Anchor Steam has most certainly established rapport with West Coast beer lovers everywhere. This medium-bodied beverage tastes like caramel, malt, and grass. It also has a lot of carbonation — similar to a fountain soda. Anchor Steam gets its name from the Gold Rush when "steam" was a nickname for West Coast beer fermented without any means of refrigeration. Open-top bins of lager were placed atop the brewery's roof at night, creating a cloud of steam as it cooled. Anchor Brewing Company still uses this technique today, just with modernized equipment.

Placentia, California
ABV: 19.5 percent
Black Tuesday — a nod to the stock market crash of 1929 — is an imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels for just over a year. As the name suggests, it's dark in color — strikingly similar to cola. Vanilla, caramel, dark chocolate, and singed oak exist in this drink, and many have found root beer, chocolate syrup, marshmallow, and coconut in the aftertaste. 

Anaheim, California
ABV: 14.2 percent
The name says "fiction," but it's all facts with this easy-to-drink dessert beer. Although the ABV rate is high, this bourbon barrel-aged brew barely tastes like booze. It starts strong with caramel and finishes with bold flavors of silky coconut and bitter coffee. It's sticky, sweet, and smells just as if you've taken a handful of espresso beans right to the face.

Longmont, Colorado
ABV: 10.5 percent
Not every hyped beer lives up to its reputation, but not every hyped beer is Ten FIDY from Oskar Blues. This rich, creamy imperial stout pours pitch black but has a dynamic flavor of dark chocolate, roasted malts, caramel, chocolate, and even a little bit of piney hops. At 10.5 percent, it's a big beer, but it's the perfect beer for winter.

Boulder, Colorado
ABV: 10.2 percent
It takes a lot to stand out in the double IPA marketplace, and for Avery Brewing Co., it takes a king. The Maharaja is made with a combination of Columbus, centennial, Simcoe, and Chinook hops along with malted barley. Despite its massive 10.2 percent ABV, this beer is sweet and dangerously drinkable.

Glenwood Springs, Colorado
ABV: 5.5 percent
Casey Brewing & Blending's Saison is a dry farmhouse ale fermented and aged in neutral oak wine barrels for a short three to five months. This year's blend features New Zealand Nelson Sauvin hops, creating tart notes of lime and Brett, crisp carbonation, and a creamy mouthfeel. Saison, which is uses ingredients from Colorado only, has a 98 overall rating on RateBeer.

Woodbridge, Connecticut
ABV: 6.2 percent
Brewed with Citra hops, New England Brewing Co.'s Fuzzy Baby Ducks pours with a hazy orange color and tastes like big, juicy citrus fruits. Think of mango, orange, and pineapple. But just because it's hazy doesn't mean it's bitter; the flavor is wonderfully restrained.

Milton, Delaware
ABV: 9 percent
Dogfish Head has a wide array of beers that could be considered top of their class, but it's still hard to beat their 90 Minute IPA. Brewed continuously with hops for, you guessed it, 90 minutes, this amber imperial IPA tastes vaguely of brandy and caramel, but it's beautifully balanced with a ton of hops. There's a flavor here for everyone.

Milton, Delaware
ABV: 12 percent
Palo Santo Marron is an unfiltered brown ale aged in giant, handmade brewing tanks built with wood from the Paraguayan Palo Santo tree. These 10,000 gallon barrels are the largest wooden brewing vessels in the U.S. since the prohibition. Also known as "holy tree," the exotic wood gives this Dogfish Head brew a natural caramel and vanilla flavor, and it is also used in South America to make wine.

Tampa, Florida
ABV: 11 percent
Tickets for $200 to $370 go on sale every December for Hunahpu's Day, Cigar City Brewing's craft beer festival in March that gives fans first access to taste the newest incarnation of this perennial favorite. If you're lucky enough to score a ticket, you'll be able to procure this rich imperial stout that's aged 50 percent in rum barrels, 50 percent in apple brandy barrels.

Tampa, Florida
ABV: 7.5 percent
The sweet milk stout is oftentimes dismissed by beer enthusiasts, but Angry Chair's German Chocolate Cupcake Stout proves this is one of beer's most fun and customizable styles. With coconut, Madagascar vanilla beans, and cacao nibs, this beer truly tastes like its namesake dessert.

Oakland Park, Florida
ABV: 12 percent
Most breakfast stouts leave out tasting notes of one of the most important breakfast foods: bacon. But not Morning Wood. Along with expected flavors such as maple syrup and freshly roasted coffee, this beer has a surprising element of smoke that makes it stand out in the crowded breakfast stout market.

Oakland Park, Florida
ABV: 10 percent
Wakey, wakey, maple syrup and bakey. No, seriously — Wide Awake It's Morning embodies the perfect lazy Sunday breakfast in the form of an imperial porter. This umami of a beer is smoky, salty, and sweet with a rich combination of maple syrup, freshly roasted coffee, and crispy bacon flavors. While we don't suggest actually drinking this with breakfast, it technically is five o'clock somewhere.

Miami, Florida
ABV: 4 percent
Dragon Fruit Passion Fruit is a next-level sour. In fact, it's rated the world's No. 1 Berliner weisse by RateBeer and No. 2 by BeerAdvocate. The strikingly bright fuchsia pour is super fruity and aggressively tart, comparable to the extremity of pucker-worthy Warheads hard candy. A semi-dry mouthfeel brings this fruity beverage down to earth, where drinkers are dreaming of tropical Hawaii.
 

Athens, Georgia
ABV: 6.5 percent
Balance is an important part of any IPA, and Creature Comforts Brewing Co.'s Tropicália has all the balance. This fruit-forward beer tastes of passionfruit and citrus, but don't worry about bitterness. This beer is as refreshing as they come.

Kihei, Hawaii
ABV: 9.4 percent
Maui Brewing Company's Imperial Coconut Porter won the gold medal at the 2016 Great American Beer Festival for Field Beer thanks to its malted toasted coconut flavor and creamy, silky mouthfeel. We wouldn't expect any less from this tropical state!

Boise, Idaho
ABV: 8.4 percent
Malts get all of the love in Jagged Shard, a red ale from Boise Brewing. Against its strong malted backbone, hints of citrus and hops come through at the back of your tongue, resulting in a balanced drinking experience.

Chicago, Illinois
ABV: 14.1 percent
One of the OGs of limited-release bourbon barrel-aged beers, Goose Island's signature Bourbon County Brand Stout still holds up after all these years. This 14 percent beer pours a thick, oily black. Despite the intimidating color, this stout is insanely balanced with rich notes of dark chocolates, raisins, and dates. Just a little finish of smoky flavor makes this beer one of the true best in the world.

Munster, Indiana
ABV: 15 percent
One of the most sought-after beers in America, those lucky enough to try Dark Lord will find a bold, caramel-y imperial stout, with suggestions of chocolate and coffee in the nose, and dried fruit and brown sugar on the palate. It's available at the brewery only one day a year, Dark Lord Day, which will take place on May 19, 2018.

Munster, Indiana
ABV: 6.2 percent
Consider Zombie Dust the juggernaut that powers you through the apocalypse, because this pale ale is anything but undead. The intensely hopped brew is floral on the nose and citrusy on the tongue with hints of cracker to finish. It's very dry, clean, and crisp, earning a rightful overall rating of 100 on RateBeer. As an added bonus, the comic-style bottle label is dope — but not for the faint of heart.

Decorah, Iowa
ABV: 12 percent
If you can get your hands on this beer, you're one lucky person. A barrel-aged imperial stout brewed with coffee, this beer is only released once a year, 300 to 400 bottles at a time, and only at the brewery. If you manage to nab a beer, you will taste a massive maple aroma, followed by hints of chocolate and hazelnut. This iconic beer is not just hype; it's been consistently rated the top beer in the world by Beer Advocate, RateBeer, and of course, The Daily Meal.

Decorah, Iowa
ABV: 12.8 percent
Sky rockets in flight, Mornin' Delight. Isn't that how that goes? Toppling Goliath — whose Kentucky Brunch Stout landed a spot on our best beer in every state ranking — is the king of breakfast beers. An enormous espresso aroma escapes the bottle at the crack of this highly sought-after stout, followed by the ever-enchanting smells of maple syrup and coffee. Rise and shine!

Manhattan, Kansas
ABV: 5.2 percent
If you think this name is off-putting, you're not alone. But we can promise you that no buffalo were harmed in the making of this beer. The creamy oatmeal stout is infused with whole vanilla beans and is best paired with crème brulee, cheesecake, or chocolate-covered cream puffs stuffed with vanilla pastry crème. It even took home a bronze medal during the World Beer Cup in 2016 for the competition's herb and spice category.

Louisville, Kentucky
ABV: 13 percent
Against the Grain Brewing Company took its popular 35K stout and doubled it. The result was — you guessed it — the 70k. Double the roasted deliciousness, double the creaminess, this imperial milk stout has scored the elusive 100 on RateBeer.

Broussard, Louisiana
ABV: 8 percent
Parish's Ghost in the Machine pours a hazy yellow-orange hue, and while it's full of juicy, big hop flavors, it still goes down with ease. Lightly sweet with notes of mango, tangerine, and peach, this beer is perfect for the hop lover in your life.

Freeport, Maine
ABV: 8.2 percent
Maine is known for its hazy, New England-style IPAs. But few newcomers can top the iconic Maine Dinner. Dry-hopped twice, with more than six pounds of hops per barrel, this double IPA has a hazy golden color and a dry, refreshing character that is pure perfection in a bottle.

Portland, Maine
ABV: 8 percent
When people talk about the Northeast Style IPA, that so-hazy and so-juicy new crop of beers popping up across New England, they're talking about Swish from Bissell Brothers. Available only from October through April, this double IPA is as smooth as smooth can be. And even though it's loaded with hops and hits you with intense juicy flavors immediately, the beer balances out. Swish isn't the only reason Portland, Maine, is one of the best cities for craft beer lovers, but it's a pretty good reason.

Portland, Maine
ABV: 5.2 percent
It's easy to take Allagash White for granted. This Belgian-style wheat beer is available year-round and in markets across the country. But, there's an easy reason not to take this brew for granted: It's really, really refreshing and dynamic. The witbier base is smooth and drinkable, but essences of coriander and orange zest help to give this beer just a little bite.

Portland, Maine
ABV: 8 percent
If Bissell is leading the way with Northeast style IPAs (which is now recognized by the Brewer's Association Style Guideline), then Foundation is helping to perfect them. Epiphany is pretty boozy, with an 8 percent ABV, but its tropical fruit taste (with hints of mango, tangerines, and orange) and smooth body make for easy drinking. This is a dangerously delicious style of beer we can't wait to see more of.

Baltimore, Maryland
ABV: 4.3 percent
Nomadic brewers Stillwater Artisanal Ales' Gose Gone Wild is funky with "massive" amounts of Citra and Amarillo hops, but don't worry. It's still a crisp and sour gose with noticeable notes of yeast. At just 4.3 percent ABV, it's insanely drinkable.

Frederick, Maryland
ABV: 9.2 percent
This beer was named for a style of journalism famously practiced by Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, who used first-person narratives and satirical devices in his reporting. His close friend, Ralph Steadman, actually illustrated this imperial porter's label. The brew itself features roasted chocolate, coffee, and vanilla malt flavors with a unique burst of floral hops that earned an overall rating of 99 on RateBeer.

Boston, Massachusetts
ABV: 7.2 percent
You can't go wrong with any IPA from Boston's Trillium Brewing Company, but the Double Dry Hopped Congress Street takes the cake. With a milky, yellow-orange appearance, this brew is the perfect example of what Galaxy hops can turn into. Each glass simply explodes with flavors of grass, tropical fruits, and the slightest creamy malt (for balance) helps to make this one of the best food and drink items in Massachusetts.

Boston, Massachusetts
ABV: 8 percent
When we said you can't go wrong with any IPA from Trillium, we meant it. And Headroom proves it. This particular beer is only brewed once a year, but it's a beer worth seeking out during the summer. It is packed to the brim with bold hoppiness. It's stuffed with galaxy, mosaic, and Columbus hops, after all. The result is pure power that will blow your head.

Charlton, Massachusetts
ABV: 8.2 percent
Tropical fruits such as pineapple, mango, and papaya are at the front of this insanely juicy IPA from the highly-regarded brewery Tree House. King Julius is thick and hazy and filled with hoppy flavors. However, it goes down so smooth, barely hinting at its 8.2 percent ABV.

Charlton, Massachusetts
ABV: 8.6 percent
This limited-batch beer takes Tree House's rotational Haze and packs an extra punch. Very Hazy is crazy citrusy on the nose with the same intense tastes to follow: pulpy orange, peach, and a grab bag of tropical fruits. The precise amount of bitterness balances this brew to make it nice and juicy, not too sweet, and incredibly drinkable.

Grand Rapids, Michigan
ABV: 11.8 percent
Founders KBS is by no means a rare beer, but its release every spring still gets beer geeks excited. And for good reason. With hints of coffee and vanilla, this bourbon barrel-aged stout is smooth, silky, and effortless to drink. It's scored the elusive 100 on RateBeer.

Grand Rapids, Michigan
ABV: 11.7 percent
Founders KBS tends to get all the love on "best beers" list because it's released annually, but in late 2017, beer geeks were blessed with a surprise release of a more elusive Founders breakfast stout: Canadian Breakfast Stout, better known as CBS. Made with the same base and aging process as KBS but with the addition of maple syrup as a nod to their neighbors up north, this brew is rich and velvety, and the hint of syrup adds the most astounding sweet flavor.

Kalamazoo, Michigan
ABV: 7 percent
Named after the Two Hearted River in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, this IPA is jam-packed with Centennial hops from the Pacific Northwest that waft pine and grapefruit aromas. With that being said, it's not painstakingly bitter on the tongue and actually goes down quite smooth. Expect slightly syrupy, pungent grapefruit flavors with little to no alcohol taste — impressive for a 7 percent brew.

Kalamazoo, Michigan
ABV: 11.2 percent
A mix of their Expedition Stout and Double Cream Stout, Bell's highly sought-after Black Note Stout is complex, with notes of coffee, bourbon, and plums. The smooth, velvety texture and flavor is everything you want your bourbon barrel-aged stout to be.

Marshall, Michigan
ABV: 11 percent
You have the right to remain silent. Plead the 5th has aromas of dark fruits, chocolate, and caramel. Similarly, roasted coffee and fruity chocolate takes over the palate. This imperial stout is thick — even a strong flashlight can't penetrate the pitch-black brew. It's slippery, oily, and sweet like a diner milkshake that doesn't give drinkers that too-full feeling.

Minneapolis, Minnesota
ABV: 12 percent
Darkness is a complex, massive Russian imperial stout. With aromas of dark chocolate, fruit, and toffee, it has medium carbonation and is finished with non-traditional aroma hops. Surly is most easily available during Surly's annual Darkness Day and has limited availability after the event at bottle shops around Minnesota.

St. Louis, Missouri
ABV: 8 percent
Few wild ales truly feel wild, but Side Project's Fuzzy does. This blonde American wild is aged in chardonnay barrels and on locally-grown white peaches, giving this limited edition beer an addictively tart taste.

St. Louis, Missouri
ABV: 10 percent
It's not often that a beer is branded as "challenging," but with ingredients like ancho chile peppers, cacao nibs, vanilla beans, and cinnamon sticks, Perennial's imperial stout Abraxas really makes you think. The spice is the most thrilling tasting note here.

Springfield, Missouri
ABV: 11 percent
Get your mind out of the gutter! This imperial stout has depth, complexity, and flavors of rich dark chocolate, nougat, malt, and raisin. But this isn't your average beer. Bourbon barrels? That's funny. This brew was aged in rye, brandy, and rum barrels, too. MILF pairs best with the finer things in life: smoked goose, gouda cheese, dark chocolate truffles, chocolate raspberry mousse cake, and your mom.

Missoula, Montana
ABV: 9.5 percent
Big Sky Brewing Company's Ivan the Terrible is a thick, dense Russian imperial stout, but don't think that means it's difficult to drink. It's surprisingly easy sipping. Brewed in the traditional style using English hops and American malts, this brew tastes of dried fruit, roasted cocoa, and bourbon.

Papillion, Nebraska
ABV: 11.3 percent
With numerous awards, Nebraska Brewing Company's Black Betty Imperial Stout is what puts Nebraska beer on the map. True to its name, it pours pure black and has notes of rich chocolate, oak, and coffee.

Henderson, Nevada
ABV: 9.5 percent
Joseph James' Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout is the most popular beer in Nevada, and we get why. With notes of bourbon, oak, vanilla, and chocolate, this rich Russian imperial stout is perfect for any special occasion. Cheers!

Newington, New Hampshire
ABV: 8.9 percent
With an 8.9 percent ABV, Stoneface's double-dry hopped beer Hopulization is a certifiable juice bomb. Galaxy and Calypso hops give this medium-bodied beer notes of citrus and pineapple perfect for any IPA fan.

Ocean, New Jersey
ABV: 9.2 percent
Kane Brewing Company's Sunday Brunch earns its name and status as New Jersey's best beer well. With tasting notes of cinnamon, maple, coffee, and lactose, this rich, dark-pouring porter is like a decadent sweet brunch in bottle form.

Albuquerque, New Mexico
ABV: 7.2 percent
La Cumbre is well known for its IPAs, but none top flagship Elevated IPA. Though it clocks in at just 7.2 percent ABV, this beer is full of hops. With a perfect 100 score on RateBeer, you know this beer is the perfect example of its style.

Brooklyn, New York
ABV: 8.5 percent
Brooklyn's Other Half brews up some of the most sought-after IPAs on the East Coast, and many of them could have made this list. But their Double Dry Hopped Mylar Bags is their most well-balanced IPA. With five kinds of hops, DDH Mylar Bags is hazy, grassy, citrusy, and pure perfection.

Middletown, New York
ABV: 8 percent
To create this double IPA, Equilibrium Brewery took their pale ale Photon and just squared the amount of hops in it, in an act fit for a mad scientist. The result is MC², a dark orange and hazy Northeast style IPA. Like all good Northeast IPAs, this beer is a complete and total juice bomb, with intense flavors of tangerine, mango, apricot, and pineapple.

Brooklyn, New York
ABV: 12 percent
This imperial stout is opaque black with bourbon and vanilla notes and a fudge-like body. With a name that says this beer is godly, expectations are high. And Evil Twin delivers. This brew has a 4.49/5 on Untappd, a perfect 100 on RateBeer and a world-class distinction on Beer Advocate.

Brooklyn, New York
ABV: 8 percent
Double IPAs can sometimes be pure hop bombs that are frankly hard to drink, but nomadic brewers Grimm Artisinal Ales got this tricky brew style right with Lambo Door. The colorful can is only a hint at the dynamic flavors that lie within this hazy light orange beer. The floral characteristics of the many hops blend into fruity flavors like strawberry, peach, and orange, making for a smooth and sweet drinking experience you wouldn't expect from something so alcoholic.

Asheville, North Carolina
ABV: 7 percent
Aged in red wine barrels and soaked in raspberries, Wicked Weed's sour beer Red Angel earns its name well. With a bold dried fruit flavor that matches its vibrant color, this beer is perfect for the hesitant beer drinker.

Hickory, North Carolina
ABV: 8.5 percent
The Event Horizon is brewed with honey and aged in oak bourbon barrels. The imperial stout — released each year during the late fall or early winter — has an outstanding flavor profile of honey, fudge, and particularly strong bourbon. But don't expect to chug this one because it's incredibly thick. This brew will coat your mouth with every sip and leave a pleasant sweet vanilla aftertaste dancing on your tongue.

Farmville, North Carolina
ABV: 9 percent
Duck-Rabbit's Baltic Porter smells like roasted malt with a touch of fruit. It tastes just the same, but slightly sweeter with nutty undertones and a surprise short-lived burst of cocoa. It's creamy, softly carbonated, and roasty without tasting burnt. While we don't encourage smoking, some say this medium-bodied beer complements the occasional cigar, but it's special enough to enjoy without the tobacco.

Fargo, North Dakota
ABV: 8.9 percent
Fargo Brewing Company makes plenty of wonderful beers, but 1.21 Gigahops is perhaps their finest brew. With a dark, hazy orange color, it may look like this beer has an overwhelming amount of hops, but its balance of bitterness and sweet malts is beyond pleasing.

Columbus, Ohio
ABV: 8.3 percent
Ohio is the home to many stellar breweries that make incredible beers, but Columbus Brewing Company's Bodhi just may take the cake. This golden IPA highlights Citra hops but is truly balanced in every sense of the word.

Marengo, Ohio
ABV: 8 percent
Any number of beers from Ohio's Hoof Hearted Brewing could have landed a spot on the 101 best beers in America, but Konkey Dong is perhaps their most famous offering. And we see why it has such notoriety. Beyond the fun name and money-in-a-barrel label, Konkey Dong is a smooth, creamy, and lightly bubbly Double IPA that's somehow both dry and full of fruity, juicy hop flavor. It's insanely drinkable and as good a flagship beer as any out there.

Cleveland, Ohio
ABV: 9 percent
There's no shortage of great breweries in Cleveland, but the mother of them all is Great Lakes. The brewery, which has been around for over 25 years, is a city institution. While their core IPA Commodore Perry is a beautiful, drinkable brew, GLBC really perfected their hoppy brews with the springtime Chillwave Double IPA. Named for surfers who brave the waters of Lake Erie, this beer is so hoppy yet balanced, leading to easy drinking for snowy Ohio winters and warm summer nights.

North Olmsted, Ohio
ABV: 9 percent
Fat Head's often wins awards for its beers, but few of their beers have won more that their Imperial IPA, Hop JuJu. It won the gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 2013 and 2015 and took home the bronze in 2016. It also won gold at the 2016 World Beer Cup. So, yeah, it's good. What wins so many awards? A powerhouse, powerfully hoppy beer with Chinook, Centennial, Simcoe, Cascade, and Citra hops. This February release has a cult-like following, so be sure to hunt this down when you have the chance.

Akron, Ohio
ABV: 9.4 percent
Akron, Ohio's Hoppin' Frog gets plenty of accolades and love, and while they have a variety of amazing beers for every kind of beer fan, nothing beats. B.O.R.I.S. What does B.O.R.I.S. stand for, you ask? Bodacious Oatmeal Russian Imperial Stout. And this big, bold, full-bodied beer certainly is bodacious to say the least. Thick, creamy, and pitch black, this beer has a dark, fruity taste with just a bit of coffee and roasted malts on the tongue. It's not for the faint of heart; you'll taste every bit of that 9.4 percent ABV, so sip this slowly and enjoy.

Tulsa, Oklahoma
ABV: 13 percent
No brewery is more popular or well regarded in the state of Oklahoma than Prairie Artisan Ales. Its Bomb! beer is aptly named. With a 13 percent ABV and dynamic notes of espresso, chocolate, vanilla, and ancho chile pepper, this beer is a true explosion of flavor.

Tulsa, Oklahoma
ABV: 15.9 percent
Among the highest ABV beers on our list, this offering from Prairie earns its bourbon-loving name. This imperial stout has virtually no carbonation and pours a deep, thick black with a light tan head. The flavor is pure bourbon and oak. Sip this one slowly and savor the intensity.

Bend, Oregon
ABV: 11.4 percent
With hints of licorice on the nose, this brew from Deschutes is dry-hopped with cherry bark and vanilla beans and aged in oak barrels. After you're lucky enough to procure a bottle, you can drink it immediately for a fresh, molasses-infused taste or let it age and meld over time. The choice is yours alone.

Portland, Oregon
ABV: 10 percent
The very first batch of Adam was brewed in Dortmund, Germany, and was the very first beer ever produced at Hair of the Dog when it opened stateside in 1994. Nearly a quarter of a century later, Adam is still going strong. This historic old ale is best served as a dessert beer. It tastes like chocolate, smoke, leather, and figs, but has also been compared to a medley of raisins, cherries, caramel, toffee, spice, and citrus. Adam has the top spot on RateBeer's best traditional ales.

Meadville, Pennsylvania
ABV: 14.1 percent
Voodoo Brewing Company's ManBearPig can be quite elusive, but it's worth tracking down a bottle. With local honey and syrup in its recipe, this beer is beautifully sweet. But don't think that's all there is to ManBearPig. It's aged in bourbon barrels and brewed with smoked malts, adding layers of flavor to every bottle.

Ardmore, Pennsylvania
ABV: 7 percent
Aliens need Jesus, too. This intergalactic IPA is brewed with oats and hopped with mosaic, citra, Chinook, centennial, and Columbus hops. Drinkers can expect out-of-this-world bitter and tart tastes of blueberry, orange, pine, and honeydew melon, but others have found guava, papaya, pineapple, passionfruit, and grapefruit. This fruity brew is the perfect summertime refresher.

Enola, Pennsylvania
ABV: 9.5 percent
You wouldn't necessarily think that pizza and coffee go together, but at Pennsylvania brewery Pizza Boy, they sure do. The brewery itself serves up hot and delicious pies, but the beer is the real reason to show up. Sunny Side Up, a double coffee stout, will jazz you up just as much as a pot of fresh java. It's full, rich, and filled with coffee and cocoa flavors. If you want to shake things up, Sunny Side Up also comes in coconut, cacao, and seasonal varietals, so there's always new dynamics to discover at Pizza Boy.

Warwick, Rhode Island
ABV: 6 percent
Proclamation Ale Company's Derivative: Galaxy pale ale is milky and hazy — it isn't just another IPA. With scents of peaches and oranges and a distinctive creaminess, this beer is like a hopped up creamsicle. Lightly sweet, lightly bitter, and plenty juicy, this beer is all you could ever want.

Mt Pleasant, South Carolina
ABV: 10.5 percent
South Carolina's Westbrook Brewing cooked up their Mexican Cake as a first anniversary celebration for themselves, but beer fans are really the ones who have something to celebrate with this imperial stout. Cocoa nibs and vanilla beans give this beer a rich, sweet flavor and the Mexican influence comes into play perfectly with hints of cinnamon and habanero pepper. Happy birthday, indeed!

Spearfish, South Dakota
ABV: 6 percent
Don't worry, this beer doesn't taste like a pile of dirt, it was just named after one. The only earthiness you'll get from this brew is the herbal bitterness. Expect robust espresso aromas and dark malt, chocolate, roasted coffee, mild smoke, and brown sugar flavors. This medium-bodied brew is lightly carbonated, smooth on the intake, and easy-peasy to drink down.

Memphis, Tennessee
ABV: 10.5 percent
Wiseacre Brewing's Astronaut Status is a limited-edition beer, but you need to hunt it down whenever you can. With an inky black color and a big chocolate taste, this thick, creamy beer is almost like dessert.

Nashville, Tennessee
ABV: 9.2 percent
Sue has a number of big Southern tastes all packed into one brew. She's rich, bitter, hoppy, and heavily smoked with burnt barley malts and cherry wood. This one's so special that it even has its own flavor of ice cream. Jeni's, an artisanal ice cream company based in Columbus, Ohio, features Yazoo's Sue, grass-grazed Ohio milk, almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, rosemary, brown sugar, and cayenne.

Austin, Texas
ABV: 5.8 percent
Unfiltered, unpasteurized, and 100 percent bottle-conditioned, Jester King's Atrial Rubicite is a sour brew that won't make you pucker your lips despite having literally hundreds of pounds of fresh raspberries in its mix. A subtle dryness makes this beer far more complex than the juice bomb it sounds like.

Salt Lake City, Utah
ABV: 11.8 percent
Epic Brewing Company's Big Bad Baptist defies everything you might think about Utah and its relationship to alcohol. With an 11.8 percent ABV and big, bold coffee and chocolate flavors, this imperial stout is bold in all its bourbon barrel-aged glory.

Stowe, Vermont
ABV: 8 percent
The double IPA is a divisive beer type; oftentimes, the battle for getting the dankest, hoppiest brew overrides any hint of complementary flavors. This is not the case for The Alchemist's flagship brew, Heady Topper. Incredibly difficult to procure (unless you live within 20 miles of the brewery), this Vermont double IPA is beloved by beer enthusiasts around the world thanks to its intoxicating aroma and pure hop flavor that comes in waves of oranges, pine, and spice.

Stowe, Vermont
ABV: 7 percent
Heady Topper may get all the hype at Vermont's The Alchemist, but Focal Banger is increasingly making its case for being this esteemed brewery's flagship beer. Citra and Mosaic hops combine to make an insanely well-balanced IPA that is everything you could ever want in this particular. Is it juicy? Yep. Is it piney? Yep. Is it a little bitter? Yes. But it's also a little sweet. There's no such thing as a perfect IPA, but Focal Banger is pretty dang close.

Greensboro, Vermont
ABV: Unlisted
Named after Hill Farmstead owner Shaun Hill's great-great-great-grandfather Aaron Hill, this barleywine-style aged ale was patiently aged in bourbon barrels for over two years. Dark fruits like plum, cherry, and raisin take over both smell and taste, followed by lighter notes of toffee, chocolate, sherry, oak, and bourbon. Every gulp will leave you with a lasting sweetness — you'll be sad when it's gone.

Greensboro, Vermont
ABV: 6.5 percent
Hill Farmstead was recently named the "Best Brewery in the World" by RateBeer.com, and everything they make is masterful. However, Ann, the barrel-aged version of their brewery's honey saison, Anna, is their finest creation yet. Anna is aged in French oak wine barrels over many months in the presence of microflora to become Ann. Naturally carbonated, Ann showcases a complex, lemony tartness with hints of green apple.

Warren, Vermont
ABV: 8 percent
The Double Sunshine IPA is made by Lawson's Finest Liquids, and boy this beer sure is fine. This double IPA is packed with hoppy flavor alongside bright herbal and juicy tropical fruit notes. Both sweet and bitter, this beer proves that the East Coast really does make the finest IPAs.

Warren, Vermont
ABV: 8 percent
Lawson's Finest Liquids sure does make some fine liquids, and their most popular beer Sip of Sunshine proves it. While many imperial IPAs overdo it on dankness and hoppiness, this particular beer is fruity and hoppy, with lots of grapefruit and tropical fruit notes. But the malts help to balance it out, making this one of the best easy-drinking experiences in Vermont — and that says a lot.

Richmond, Virginia
ABV: 10.6 percent
Hardywood Park's Gingerbread Stout is aged in bourbon barrels to make the brewery's finest beer: Kentucky Christmas Morning. Notes of vanilla, coconut, and coffee come through to this beautiful ginger-spiced beer for a drink that's perfect for the most wonderful time of year.

Richmond, Virginia
ABV: 5.1 percent
Never Never Again Again double raspberry gose is the older, cooler, leather jacket-wearing brother to Veil's original Never Again. We kid you not; it's described as being "literally insane." Brewers used more than half a ton of raspberry purée in this recipe, giving it a smoothie-esque texture. That makes it healthy, right? Unlike most goses, this pretty pink drink won't make you pucker your lips. It's all smooth sailing with this one, fellers.

Williamsburg, Virginia
ABV: 8.3 percent
Though Alewerks Brewing Company is based in Virginia, it's Double IPA Bitter Valentine is full of flavor from the Pacific Northwest. Not only are the hops farmed from there, but this beer also has a nice pine flavor, recalling the great and fragrant trees of the West Coast. Though the name is all bitter, this beer has a light sweetness making it a fine, balanced beer. There's nothing not to love here.

Seattle, Washington
ABV: 13 percent
Fremont Brewing Company's The First Nail is already an epic oatmeal stout, but it takes on a whole new life when aged in bourbon barrels. Then, it's christened as The Rusty Nail, Washington's best beer. Spicy, full-bodied, and warming with notes of chocolate, licorice, and cinnamon, this beer is best savored slowly.

Washington, D.C.
ABV: 9.2 percent
DC Brau Brewing Co.'s On the Wings of Armageddon is a world-class imperial IPA. Though many imperial IPAs are held in high regard, this single-hopped beer has a marvelous mellow bitterness that does not give way to its weighty 9.2 percent ABV.

New Glarus, Wisconsin
ABV: 4 percent
Wisconsin's New Glarus may be most well-known for its Spotted Cow, but its Belgian Red is truly the brewery's best beer. At just 4 percent alcohol, this fruit beer has over one pound of cherries in every bottle, giving you perfect fruit flavor.

New Glarus, Wisconsin
ABV: 4.8 percent
If you live in Wisconsin, you know that New Glarus' Spotted Cow is the perfect beer for practically anything. This mellow, slightly sweet, slightly creamy yet smooth cream ale goes with Friday night ragers, daytime barbecues with coworkers, and Christmas dinner with the family. A slight taste of corn, and of course this beer's name and spotted packaging, recall Wisconsin's rich history of farming. But if you live outside of Wisconsin, well, good luck getting your hands on a can. New Glarus doesn't really export outside of the state.

Alpine, Wyoming
ABV: 9.9 percent
With a "stupid amount of hops," Melvin Brewing's 2x4 DIPA is dank as heck. Clean and crisp yet intensely floral and citrusy, this 9.9 percent ABV beer has everything you could ever want from its style. So here we are, at the end of the best beers in America. Now let's expand our horizons and see the 50 best beers in the world.

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