Here's A List Of The Best Beer Brewed In Each State

Breweries cater to their local communities.
Breweries cater to their local communities.
  • Historically, beer was brewed by women, known as brewsters.
  • Octoberfest in Munich actually starts in September.
  • Zythology is the study of beer.

The history of beer dates back over 12,000 years, making the intoxicating beverage one of the oldest alcoholic concoctions worldwide. Beer is the most widely consumed drink in the world after water and tea. Brewing craft beer is one of the United State's most rapidly growing industries. These smaller breweries cater to their local communities, with each state putting their own personality into the process.

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How Many Breweries Exist in the US?

According to Brewer’s Association, there are approximately 7,600 breweries in the United States today. That number is forecasted to climb to approximately 9,200 by the year 2021. That growth is primarily seen within the smaller breweries that are popping up in communities around the nation. 

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Types of Beer Brewed

The majority of beers are split into two categories - lagers and ales. Categories are determined by the yeast used during the fermentation process. Ales are made with yeast fermented at the top, and lagers are produced with yeast fermented at the bottom. A less widely used fermentation process is spontaneously fermented yeast, which is used for wild or sour ales. 

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Once categorized as either a lager or ale, beer types are then broken down into categories of flavor, color, and aroma. There are several types of lagers that possess both similarities and differences within the same family and the same goes for ales. 

What Beers are Most Popular Among Americans?

While the popularity of craft beer and specialty breweries are on the rise, in terms of volume, the #1 selling beer brand among Americans is Bud Light. Bud Light alone shipped 27.2 million barrels of beer in 2019, with sales of the top three national brands toppling 53 million. 

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Data from Beer Maker’s Insight suggests Americans prefer domestic brands. The studies show only six of the nation’s top 25 brands were imported. The two main domestic beer companies dominating the market are Anheuser-Busch InBev and Molson Coors. 

What Constitutes a Craft Brewery?

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Craft breweries often referred to as Microbreweries, are defined as an independently owned brewery producing limited quantities of beer. In order to be recognized as a craft brewery, The Brewers Association has set forth the following specified criteria:

•Production must be limited to 6 million barrels of beer or less per year

•The brewery must be mostly independently owned with no more than 25% of the brewery ownership from alcohol beverage industry members. 

•The brewery must have a Brewer’s Notice from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, and beer must be produced. 

Best Beer In Each State

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Each of the fifty states is home to a variety of breweries, with many embodying the character and traits unique to that state. Read through our list of the best beer brewed in each state and get inspired to sample some for yourself.

Here's A List Of The Best Beer Brewed In Each State

StateBeer
AlabamaGood People Snake Handler
AlaskaAlaskan Smoked Porter
ArizonaWren House Spellbinder
ArkansasOzark BDCS
CaliforniaFirestone Walker Pivo Pils
ColoradoBierstadt Slow Pour
ConnecticutNew England Brewing Co. Fuzzy Baby Ducks
DelawareDogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
FloridaGreen Bench Sunshine City
GeorgiaCreature Comforts Tropicália
HawaiiBig Island Brewhaus White Mountain Porter
IdahoBarbarian Elixir Of The Gods
Illinois Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout
IndianaUpland Brewing Company Pawpaw
Iowa515 Brewing Company Passé
KansasDefiance Brewing Co. Awesomeness
KentuckyAgainst The Grain 35K
LouisianaDixie Lager
MaineAllagash Coolship Red
MarylandHeavy Seas Loose Cannon
MassachusettsTree House Brewing Julius
Michigan Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales Oro de Calabaza
MinnesotaBent Paddle Brewing Co. Cold Press Black Ale
MississippiSouthern Prohibition Devil’s Harvest Breakfast IPA
MissouriSide Project Brewing Fuzzy
MontanaBayern Pilsner
NebraskaZipline Brewing Co. DAAANG! IPA
NevadaBig Dog Tripel
New HampshireStoneface Brewing IPA
New Jersey Carton Boat Beer
New MexicoRowley Farmhouse Germophile
New YorkThrees Brewing Constant Disappointment
North CarolinaHighland Gaelic Ale
North DakotaDrekker Brewing Company Freak Parade
OhioJackie O's Pub & Brewery Bourbon Barrel Black Maple
OklahomaPrairie Artisan Ales Bomb!
OregonBreakside Brewery Wanderlust IPA
PennsylvaniaBrew Gentlemen General Braddock’s IPA
Rhode IslandTilted Barn The Chosen One
South CarolinaWestbrook Mexican Chocolate Cake
South DakotaLost Cabin Beer Co. Lord Grizzly
TennesseeBlackberry Farm Classic
TexasSaint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower
UtahShades Kveik Series
VermontHill Farmstead Anna
VirginiaHardywood Gingerbread Stout
WashingtonChuckanut Brewing Pilsner Lager
Washington D.CDC Brau Public
West VirginiaGreenbrier Valley Mothman
Wisconsin Funk Factory Geuzeria Frampaars
WyomingSnake River Zonker Stout
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