The best American craft beers
The top 3 according to 31 votes from people: Russian River Pliny the Elder · Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA · Samuel Adams Boston Lager. (Updated Apr 7, 2026.)
The American craft beers that top the American Homebrewers Association's Best Beers in America poll (Zymurgy) and lists of the most important US craft beers ever.
Top 15
-
1
Russian River Pliny the Elder
Double IPA from Santa Rosa, California; voted best beer in America by homebrewers eight years running.
-
2
Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
Continually hopped imperial IPA from Delaware.
-
3
Samuel Adams Boston Lager
The Vienna lager that launched Boston Beer Co. in 1984.
-
4
Firestone Walker Union Jack
Award-winning West Coast IPA from Paso Robles.
-
5
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
The Chico pale ale (1980) that put Cascade hops on the map; often called the most important US craft beer.
-
6
Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout
The original bourbon barrel-aged stout (1992), released every Black Friday.
-
7
Founders KBS
Imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels in old gypsum mines, from Grand Rapids.
-
8
Anchor Steam Beer
San Francisco's California common, the original American craft beer (1971 revival); the brewery closed in 2023.
-
9
Bell's Hopslam
Seasonal double IPA brewed with honey, released every January.
-
10
Bell's Two Hearted Ale
Michigan IPA hopped only with Centennial, which knocked Pliny off the Zymurgy top spot in 2017.
-
11
Three Floyds Zombie Dust
Citra pale ale from Indiana with a cult following.
-
12
Stone IPA
San Diego's West Coast IPA (1997), bitter and piney.
-
13
The Alchemist Heady Topper
Vermont's canned hazy double IPA that started the New England IPA craze.
-
14
Allagash White
Belgian-style wheat beer brewed in Portland, Maine, since 1995, spiced with coriander and orange peel.
-
15
Brooklyn Lager
Amber lager from Brooklyn Brewery (1988), with Milton Glaser's logo.
Candidates
They don't make it into the top 15… yet. Vote for them to move them up.
-
16
Tree House Julius
Juicy New England IPA from Massachusetts that people queue hours to buy.
-
17
New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red
Cherry ale sold only in Wisconsin, a gold-medal favourite.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
Is something missing?
Comments (3)
Had a fresh Heady Topper in Vermont this month, worth the trip.
Pliny the Elder still holding #1 after all these years. Deserved.
Allagash White deserves a spot, best witbier made in America.