The Highest-Rated Beer in Every State (2026) [MAP]

The American craft beer industry continued to struggle in 2025. The net number of craft breweries contracted for the second year in a row, and the sector’s total production dipped by 4 percent year-over-year. But some reports suggest that hope for recovery is on the horizon: The sector’s market share by volume inched upward — albeit by 0.2 percent — from the previous year’s figures.

Despite these challenges, the roughly 9,700 breweries around the country continue to churn out fan-favorite brews. To see which beer is the most beloved in each state and Washington, D.C., we consulted Beer Advocate’s list of the top-rated beers around the country. As a baseline, only beers with over 100 ratings on the platform were considered for this list.

India Pale Ales and stouts tied for the most-favored beer styles, claiming 20 states each. The two categories maintained their strongholds, as they were the two top performing styles on last year’s list. And within each, there were some clear favorite sub-categories, from the juicy, quaffable hazy IPAs to the rich, dessert-like pastry stouts. Beyond IPAs and stouts, the styles with the most showings were barleywine — both English and American — and porter.

To see which beer is rated highest in your home state, check out our map and table below.

Ed. Note: The ratings cutoff was based on data from each state’s Top-Rated Beer page and not the beer’s profile page, which may be lower, in some cases.

State
Beer

Alabama
El Gordo
Good People Brewing Company
Stout – Russian Imperial | 13.9%

Alaska
Blessed
Anchorage Brewing Company
Pastry Stout – Imperial | 15.5%

Arizona
White Russian Imperial Stout
Sun Up Brewing Co.
Stout – American Imperial | 9.2%

Arkansas
BDCS
Ozark Beer Co.
Stout – Sweet / Milk | 10.2%

California
Pliny the Younger
Russian River Brewing Company
IPA – Imperial | 10.25%

Colorado
Medianoche – Coconut
WeldWerks Brewing Co.
Pastry Stout – Imperial | 14.10%

Connecticut
Locust Reign
New England Brewing Company
IPA – New England Imperial | 8.2%

Delaware
World Wide Stout – Utopias Barrel-Aged
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Stout – American Imperial | 17.3%

District of Columbia
On the Wings of Armageddon
DC Brau Brewing Co.
IPA – Imperial | 9.2%

Florida
Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout – Double Barrel Aged
Cigar City Brewing
Pastry Stout – Imperial | 11%

Georgia
Tropicália
Creature Comforts
IPA – American | 6.6%

Hawaii
Imperial Coconut Porter
Maui Brewing Co.
Porter – Imperial | 9.4%

Idaho
Double Vision Doppelbock
Grand Teton Brewing Co.
Doppelbock | 8%

Illinois
Double Barrel V.S.O.J.
Revolution Brewing
Barleywine – English | 16.8%

Indiana
Marshmallow Handjee
3 Floyds Brewing Co.
Pastry Stout – Russian | 15%

Iowa
Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout
Toppling Goliath Brewing Company
Pastry Stout – American | 12%

Kansas
Old Backus Barleywine
Free State Brewing Co.
Barleywine – American | 10.5%

Kentucky
70K
Against the Grain Brewery
Stout – Sweet / Milk | 13%

Louisiana
Ghost in the Machine – Double Dry-Hopped
Parish Brewing Company
IPA – New England Imperial | 8.5%

Maine
Dinner
Maine Beer Company
IPA – Imperial | 8.2%

Maryland
Hyde
Real Ale Revival Brewing
IPA – New England | 6.4%

Massachusetts
King JJJuliusss
Tree House Brewing Company
IPA – Hazy Imperial | 8.4%

Michigan
CBS (Canadian Breakfast Stout)
Founders Brewing Company
Pastry Stout – Imperial | 11.7%

Minnesota
Nillerzzzzz
Forager Brewing Company
Pastry Stout – Imperial | 14%

Mississippi
Crowd Control
Southern Prohibition Brewing
IPA – Imperial | 8.1%

Missouri
M.J.K.
Side Project Brewing
Barleywine – English | 20%

Montana
Ivan the Terrible Imperial Stout – Barrel-Aged
Big Sky Brewing Company
Stout – Russian Imperial | 11.6%

Nebraska
Oatmeal Porter
Zipline Brewing Co.
Porter – American | 6%

Nevada
Disco Ninja
Revision Brewing Company
IPA – New England | 7.00%

New Hampshire
RIS
Stoneface Brewing Co.
IPA – Russian Imperial | 9.5%

New Jersey
Sunday Brunch
Kane Brewing Company
Porter – Imperial | 9.2%

New Mexico
Project Dank
La Cumbre Brewing Co.
IPA – American | 7.5%

New York
4th Anniversary 
Other Half Brewing Company
IPA – New England Imperial | 10%

North Carolina
CitraQuench’l
Heist Brewery
IPA – New England | 7.1%

North Dakota
Freak Parade
Drekker Brewing Company
IPA – New England Imperial | 8.2%

Ohio
Dragonsaddle
Hoof Hearted Brewing
IPA – New England Imperial | 11.5%

Oklahoma
Bourbon Paradise
Prairie Artisan Ales
Pastry Stout – Imperial | 13.7%

Oregon
Nectarine Premiere
de Garde Brewing
Saison – Specialty | 8.1%

Pennsylvania
Black Magick – Pappy Van Winkle
Voodoo Brewing Co.
Stout – American Imperial | 13%

Rhode Island
The Chosen One
Tilted Barn Brewery
IPA – New England Imperial | 8.5%

South Carolina
Mexican Coffee Cake
Westbrook Brewing Co.
Pastry Stout – Imperial | 10.5%

South Dakota
Pile O’ Dirt Porter 
Crow Peak Brewing
Porter – Robust | 6%

Tennessee
Astronaut Status
Wiseacre Brewing – Broad Ave OG
Stout – American Imperial | 12.2%

Texas
Atrial Rubicite
Jester King Brewery
Wild Ale | 5%

Utah
Big Bad Baptist
Epic Brewing Company
Pastry Stout – Imperial | 11.7%

Vermont
Heady Topper
The Alchemist
IPA – Imperial | 8%

Virginia
Double Orange Starfish
Aslin Beer Company
IPA – New England Imperial | 8.3%

Washington
Coffee Cinnamon B-Bomb
Fremont Brewing Company
Strong Ale – American | 13%

West Virginia
Devil Anse IPA
Greenbrier Valley Brewing Company
IPA – American | 6.9%

Wisconsin
Black Gold
Central Waters Brewing Co.
Stout – American Imperial | 13%

Wyoming
Asterisk IIPA
Melvin Brewing
IPA – Imperial | 9.%

Image retrieved from Mateusz Feliksik via unsplash.com

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