Companies and Brands

California Dominates States for Best Craft Beers in America

Douglas A. McIntyre

Published: July 1, 2017 8:10 am

Last Updated: January 12, 2020 10:31 am

The 15th annual Best Beers in America survey conducted by Zymurgy magazine was released earlier this month.

Pliny the Elder double IPA from Santa Clara, California’s Russian River Brewing had been ranked the best beer in America ever since it dethroned Dogfish Head’s 90 Minute IPA in the 2009 ranking. However, in this latest survey, Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, a Michigan-born brew made by Bell’s Brewery, was selected as the best beer, leaving Pliny the Elder in the number two spot.

This poll was conducted of readers of Zymurgy, a publication of Boulder, Colorado-based American Homebrewers Association. The resulting list includes 50 of the best beers sold in America. They include extremely rare and more commercially available beers, as well as brews with a drinkable, low alcohol content and beers with such a high alcohol by volume (ABV) they might as well be liquor.

Besides Russian River, two other California breweries also captured places in the top 10: Sierra Nevada Brewing of Chico and Ballast Point Brewing of San Diego. Of the top 50 beers in America, California snagged 14 spots in this latest ranking. Given that California’s estimated population of about 39.1 million in 2015 would be about 12% of the total U.S. population, that gave the state 28% of the top 50 beers representation.

Below is a look at the 14 California beers that made this list, but be sure to check out the full list of the top 50 beers in America.

Source: firestonebeer.com

Firestone Walker Union Jack
> Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing Company
> Rank: Tied for 47th
> Type: West coast style IPA
> ABV: 7.0%

Union Jack is a brew that punches your taste buds with flavors of grapefruit and tangerine with each sip. The ale gets its name from the British gentleman who co-founded the brewery and refers to the colonial origins of the IPA style.

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/adambarhan/

Russian River Consecration
> Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company
> Rank: Tied for 43rd
> Type: Dark ale
> ABV: 10%

The Homebrewers Association survey shows that beer fanatics go crazy for Russian River Consecration, but wine aficionados might just love it, too. Why? It’s nearly a hybrid of the two. Dark ale is aged in barrels that used to house gallons of Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged between four to eight months with black currants, this ale reveals notes of the berry as well as chocolate truffle and spice.

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/adambarhan/

Stone Enjoy By IPA
> Brewery: Stone Brewing
> Rank: Tied for 38th
> Type: IPA
> ABV: 9.4%

More than a dozen hops go into this double IPA, and Stone Brewery wants you to enjoy it fresh. That’s why the enjoy-by date is clearly printed on the label so that you’ll drink it at its prime hour.

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bewareofdog/

Arrogant Bastard Ale
> Brewery: Arrogant Brewing
> Rank: Tied for 38th
> Type: American Strong Ale
> ABV: 7.2%

So what makes this ale an Arrogant Bastard? Whatever it is, Arrogant Brewing certainly doesn’t try to hide its reputation with claims like “It is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to be able to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth,” and “Arrogant Bastard Ale openly challenged the tyrannical overlords who were brazenly attempting to keep Americans chained in the shackles of poor taste.” Enough said.

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/brostad/

North Coast Old Rasputin
> Brewery: North Coast Brewing Co.
> Rank: Tied for 38th
> Type: Russian Imperial Stout
> ABV: 9.0%

This 18th century English-inspired brew scored the gold with a total of 94 points at the World Beer Championships in 2014. On brew review website Beer Advocate, the imperial stout scores a 95 overall and a 97 from the site’s founding brothers. The brothers say Old Rasputin is “very complex, and true to its style.” With such accolades, this brew is undoubtedly worth a taste test.

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cogocogo/

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA
> Brewery: Sierra Nevada
> Rank: Tied for 27th
> Type: IPA
> ABV: 7.2%

The Torpedo Extra IPA, an aggressive ale, is the first of its kind to be brewed with the help of a dry-hopping device called the Hop Torpedo. The Hop Torpedo controls how much aroma from the hops is imparted into the beer, so that the beer is not too bitter.

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wavingatyou/

Russian River Pliny the Younger
> Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company
> Rank: Tied for 27th
> Type: Triple IPA
> ABV: 10.3%

The year 2005 marked the first year Russian River Brewing Company brewed Pliny the Younger. From then on out, it is only made once a year and for just under two weeks in February. Why? It’s evidently very expensive to make. However, the brew must be unlike any other on the shelf, seeing as it received a perfect overall score of 100 on BeerAdvocate.

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/adambarhan/

Russian River Blind Pig IPA
> Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company
> Rank: Tied for 22nd
> Type: IPA
> ABV: 6.25%

Blind Pig is a limited distribution brew from Russian River, the brewer that makes Pliny the Elder. This full-bodied, hoppy brew has a dry, bitter finish. The beer scores a 96 out of 100 on BeerAdvocate, making it one of the higher reviewed brews on the site.

Source: Courtesy of Stone Brewing Co.

Stone IPA
> Brewery: Stone Brewing
> Rank: Tied for 19th
> Type: IPA
> ABV: 6.9%

Stone Brewing was founded in 1996 and has breweries in Richmond, Virginia, and Berlin, Germany. The company produces many different IPAs, several of which make this list. The brewery’s standard IPA is both crisp and loaded with hops, making it a go-to brew for a hot summer day.

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/omoon/

Lagunitas IPA
> Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Company
> Rank: Tied for 19th
> Type: IPA
> ABV: 6.2%

With a nod to pin-up models of the 1940s in some of its signage, Lagunitas Brewing Company was founded in 1993 in Petaluma, California, in the early 1990s. Made with 43 different hops and 65 various malts, Lagunitas advertises the beer as “a well-rounded, highly drinkable IPA.”

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cogocogo/

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
> Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
> Rank: Tied for 11th
> Type: Pale Ale
> ABV: 5.6%

According to the Sierra Nevada brewery’s site, founder Ken Grossman used the last of his money to try and produce the taste of the Pale Ale, going through 10 batches until he was able to recreate the classic flavor.

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fourbrewers/

Ballast Point Sculpin IPA
> Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Company
> Rank: 10th
> Type: IPA
> ABV: 7%

Ballast Point Brewing foundations date back to 1996 after founder Jack White was tired of commonplace beers that line the shelves of stores and that were provided at keg parties in college. Driven by his intrinsic desire to create something legendary, Jack and his roommate Pete began home brewing in their apartment at UCLA. Today, one of their many creations, the Sculpin IPA, clocks in the top 10 on America’s best brews. The brewers say it’s, “A trophy beer that’s a testament to our homebrew roots.”

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cogocogo/

Sierra Nevada Celebration
> Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
> Rank: Tied for eighth
> Type: IPA
> ABV: 6.8%

Come one, come all to the celebration! Celebration Ale was first brewed in 1981, which makes it one of the first American-style IPAs. The brew received a score of 97 from the founding brothers of BeerAdvocate. One remarks: “Dreamy. So smooth. So rich. So fortified with malt goodness.”

Source: Adam Barhan / Flickr

Russian River Pliny the Elder
> Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company
> Rank: Second
> Type: IPA
> ABV: 8.0%

The top beer for eight years running, Russian River’s own Pliny the Elder is a brew that the founding brothers at BeerAdvocate award a perfect score of 100. They say a, “Hint of nutty yeast and a big handful of biscuity malt are thrown at the palate and actually shows that this beer has balance.” Aside from the ale’s epic flavor, the beer’s name also holds richness — specifically, historical significance. Pliny, the man, lived in the first century: 23 to 79 A.D. According to our brewing references, he and his contemporaries either created the botanical name or at least wrote about Lupus Salictarius, or hops, currently known as Humulus Lupulus.

To identify the best beers in America, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the results of the American Homebrewers Association’s annual poll of Zymurgy magazine readers. The poll results reflect the most popular beers over 2,185 survey responses (each person only allotted one vote) collected over a three-week period. 24/7 Wall St. then retrieved the state of origin, the type of brew and the ABV content of each beer from the website of each brewery.

Be sure to see the full list of America’s 50 best beers, as well as whether your state is one of the nine that drink the most beer.