Food / drink 🍗 The Highest-Rated Beer in Every State (2025)

[JNA]

The Highest-Rated Beer in Every State (2025) [MAP]

2024 wasn’t a great year for the craft brewing industry. In the U.S., craft beer production was down to just 23.1 million barrels, a 3.9 percent decrease year-over-year. Moreover, the number of brewery closures outpaced the number of new brewery openings for the first time since 2005. But while...

vinepair.com

Do you agree with what is rated for your state ?

 

[DVD]

For Arizona, I'm sure some russian imperial stout from one of our local brewers meets the top ratings, but I'm not a stout person so I've never tried it. If put to a vote around here I think Bud Light would be your winner.

 

[Maister]

The Highest-Rated Beer in Every State (2025) [MAP]

2024 wasn’t a great year for the craft brewing industry. In the U.S., craft beer production was down to just 23.1 million barrels, a 3.9 percent decrease year-over-year. Moreover, the number of brewery closures outpaced the number of new brewery openings for the first time since 2005. But while...

vinepair.com

Do you agree with what is rated for your state ?

Founder's Canadian Breakfast Stout is a great beer. Don't get me wrong. But of ALL the locally produced brews, to call that particular one the best of the best? I don't know. I guess something has to occupy the spot.

 

[MD Planner]

The number of IPAs on that list . . .

 

[SlaveToTheGrind]

 

[Planit]

I've had the ones selected for California, Florida, Georgia, Maine, NC & Utah.

I can't say for sure if they're the best in the state, but I can say that each of these are rather good beers - very enjoyable / drinkable.

Pliney - Tropocalia - Dinner are extremely good & yes I'm partial to ipas.

 

[michaelskis]

The Highest-Rated Beer in Every State (2025) [MAP]

2024 wasn’t a great year for the craft brewing industry. In the U.S., craft beer production was down to just 23.1 million barrels, a 3.9 percent decrease year-over-year. Moreover, the number of brewery closures outpaced the number of new brewery openings for the first time since 2005. But while...

vinepair.com

Do you agree with what is rated for your state ?

When I try to open the link, our system flags it and won't let me go there.

Can you post an image or the list?

 

[Planit]

^^^too long to post since each has a paragraph explaining it.
Try it at home with no city gateway

 

[WSU MUP Student]

The number of IPAs on that list . . .

I still enjoy a lot of the IPAs but never got the obsession with the stouts with the 11.0%+ ABV. The article is using rankings from the website Beer Advocate and based on my brief time using that site years ago, it seemed like the beer snobs who actively post, rate, and review over there would probably count just about anything with an ABV <8% as "near beer".

If I had to pick a great beer from Michigan, it would probably be just about anything from Austin Brothers up in @mendelman's old stompin' grounds in Alpena.

Griffin Claw is a tiny brewery here in my happy little town that seems to have an outsized distribution deal with somebody as their stuff is EVERYWHERE in Metro Detroit. They have a lot of highly rated stouts that people line up for when they bring back certain ones. I've sampled a few and... no thanks. Most of their beers are pretty terrible IMO actually but their food is good, so I keep going back. They do however have an outstanding sour that they only seem to brew (ferment?) once every couple years. That's also one of my favorite Michigan beers but it's so inconsistently offered that I don't think I can really count that.

 

[Maister]

I've come to the conclusion that there are two types of beer that independent craft brewers are required to make:
1. [fill in something special] IPA. It's got hops in it. Yes, lots of hops. You'll be in awe at the amount of hops in it; both boiling and finishing. Yeah yeah, we get it you think you're special. Newsflash* EVERYBODY brews at least three different varieties of IPA's. You ain't special!!!
2. a serious stout. That is, because they've brewed this stout (and here let's include porters) - that must inevitably measure at least 40 on the IBU (international bitterness units) scale - this brewery must now be taken seriously. It's like a rite of passage, I guess.

 

[mendelman]

I still enjoy a lot of the IPAs but never got the obsession with the stouts with the 11.0%+ ABV. The article is using rankings from the website Beer Advocate and based on my brief time using that site years ago, it seemed like the beer snobs who actively post, rate, and review over there would probably count just about anything with an ABV <8% as "near beer".

If I had to pick a great beer from Michigan, it would probably be just about anything from Austin Brothers up in @mendelman's old stompin' grounds in Alpena.

Griffin Claw is a tiny brewery here in my happy little town that seems to have an outsized distribution deal with somebody as their stuff is EVERYWHERE in Metro Detroit. They have a lot of highly rated stouts that people line up for when they bring back certain ones. I've sampled a few and... no thanks. Most of their beers are pretty terrible IMO actually but their food is good, so I keep going back. They do however have an outstanding sour that they only seem to brew (ferment?) once every couple years. That's also one of my favorite Michigan beers but it's so inconsistently offered that I don't think I can really count that.

I don't drink beer, but happy that Austin Bros is getting airtime in SE MI.

Their restaurant in Alpena is really good and my brother and SIL are good friends with the owners/operators.