2018 Zymurgy’s Best Beers in America Results

Once again the readers of Zymurgy magazine have spoken and have voted for its Top Ranked Beers, Top Breweries, Best Portfolio and Top Imports. And taking top honors as the Top Beer for the second consecutive year is Two Hearted Ale from Bell’s Brewery.

Now in its 16th year, Zymurgy asks its readers, mainly homebrewers that are members of the American Homebrewers Association (AHA), which publishes Zymurgy, to choose up to five of their favorite commercial beers available for purchase within the United States.

“Zymurgy’s Best Beers in America survey showcases which commercial beers are truly the best of the best out there, and all the breweries who made the list should be proud,” said Gary Glass, director, American Homebrewers Association in a statement.

For eight consecutive years from 2009 to 2016, Russian River took top honors with its Pliny the Elder. But two years ago Bell’s took over the top spot with its Two Hearted Ale.

“When I think about the elements that Bell’s shares with the passionate homebrewing community, the values that rise to the top include creativity, a meticulous attention to detail, and the joy of sharing thoughtfully crafted beers with friends,” said John Mallett, director of operations, Bell’s in a statement. “To be recognized for excellence by people who truly understand all that goes into creating and delivering quality beers and experiences to our communities is a huge honor. These values are true drivers for us all.”

When the July issue of Zymurgy is published, the Best Beers in America results will be broken down by individual state. Click on the hyperlinked beers for a clone recipe that you can brew at home.

Top-Ranked Beers
1. Bell’s Two Hearted Ale*
2. Russian River Pliny the Elder*
3. The Alchemist Heady Topper*
4. Bell’s Hopslam*
T5. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale*
T5. Founders CBS (Canadian Breakfast Stout)
T5. Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout)
8. Three Floyds Zombie Dust*
9. Founders Breakfast Stout
T10. WeldWerks Juicy Bits*
T10. Founders All Day IPA
T12. Cigar City Jai Alai IPA*
T12. Tree House Julius*
T12 Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA*
15. Boulevard Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale*
16. The Alchemist Focal Banger*
17. Toppling Goliath Pseudo Sue*
T18. Lawson’s Finest Liquids Sip of Sunshine*
T18. Sierra Nevada Celebration*
T18. Russian River Blind Pig I.P.A.*
21. Melvin 2×4 DIPA*
22. Deschutes Black Butte Porter*
T23. Surly Todd The Axe Man*
T23. Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout
T25. Ballast Point Sculpin IPA
T25. Odell IPA*
T27. Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro*
T27. Old Nation M-43 N.E. IPA*
29. North Coast Old Rasputin*
T30. Russian River Pliny the Younger*
T30. Surly Furious*
T30. New Holland Dragon’s Milk*
33. Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA*
T34. Arrogant Bastard Ale*
T34. Ommegang Three Philosophers*
T36. Firestone Walker Parabola*
T36. Allagash White*
T36. Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA*
T36. Fat Head’s Hop JuJu Imperial IPA*
T36. Prairie Artisan Ales Bomb!*
T43. Summit Extra Pale Ale*
T43. Founders Dirty Bastard
T43. Bell’s Oberon Ale*
T43. Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale*
T43. Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter*
T43. Lagunitas Little Sumpin Sumpin
T49. Odd13 Codename: Superfan*
T49. Tree House Green*
T49. Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA*
T49. Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin
T49. Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA*
T49. Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA*
T49. New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red*
T49. Odell Rupture*
T49. Creature Comforts Tropicália*
T49. Orval

Top Breweries
1. Bell’s Brewery, Inc. (Comstock, MI)*
2. Founders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, MI)
3. Russian River Brewing Co. (Santa Rosa, CA)*
4. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (Chico, CA & Mills River, NC)*
5. Firestone Walker Brewing Company (Paso Robles, CA)*
T6. Deschutes Brewery (Bend, OR)*
T6. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, DE)*
8. Stone Brewing (Escondido, CA)*
9. The Alchemist (Stowe, VT)*
10. Three Floyds Brewing Company (Munster, IN)*
11. Tree House Brewing Company (Charlton, MA)*
T12. New Belgium Brewing (Fort Collins, CO & Asheville, NC)*
T12 Odell Brewing Company (Fort Collins, CO)*
14. Surly Brewing Company (Minneapolis, MN)*
15. Boulevard Brewing Company (Kansas City, MO)*
16. Oskar Blues Brewery (Longmont, CO, Brevard, NC, & Austin, TX)*
17. WeldWerks Brewing Co. (Greeley, CO)*
18. Ballast Point Brewing Company (San Diego, CA)
19. Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, CA & Chicago, IL)
T20. Cigar City Brewing (Tampa, FL)*
T20. Toppling Goliath Brewing (Decorah, IA)*
22. Avery Brewing Company (Boulder, CO)
23. New Glarus Brewing Company (New Glarus, WI)*
T24. Melvin Brewing (Alpine, WY)*
T24. Victory Brewing Company (Downingtown, PA)*

Best Portfolio
1. Stone Brewing (33 beers)*
2. Firestone Walker Brewing Company (29 beers)*
T3. New Belgium Brewing (24 beers)*
T3. Founders Brewing Co. (24 beers)
5. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (23 beers)*
T6. Avery Brewing Co. (22 beers)
T6. Hill Farmstead Brewery (22 beers)*
T7. Boulevard Brewing Company (20 beers)*
T7. Trillium Brewing Co. (20 beers)*
T9. Bell’s Brewery, Inc. (19 beers)*
T9. Deschutes Brewery (19 beers)*
T9. Odell Brewing Company (19 beers)*
T9. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (19 beers)*
T9. The Bruery (19 beers)*
T9. Three Floyds Brewing Company (19 beers)

Top Imports
1. Orval (Belgium)
2. Unibroue La Fin du Monde (Canada)
3. Duvel (Belgium)
T4. Westvleteren XII (Belgium)
T4. St. Bernardus Abt 12 (Belgium)
T4. Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock (Germany)
T4. Guinness Draught (Ireland)

All breweries marked with an asterisk (*) are small and independent craft brewers as defined by today’s standards set forth by the Brewers Association.