The Best Brewery In Every State

Breweries have been handed a mixed bag in this country. After Prohibition, craft beer in the mid-1990s set the stage for the survival of the fittest and another crash, according to First We Feast. Those beers that survived led the way for the current beer renaissance in the states. Then, restaurants and taprooms shuttered during the pandemic, though most places deemed liquor and beer stores to be essential. Despite these and other major shifts in the industry, the appetite for quality craft beers doesn't show any sign of slowing down. 

Determining the best brewery in each state is subjective. Tastes shift according to the platform, year, performance on the awards circuit, and marketing reach. Our list gives bonus points to sustainability, B Corp Status, and innovation. And no, despite its wide appeal and jaunty orange slice, Blue Moon isn't in the running. Blue Moon Belgian White might call itself the nation's "number one" craft beer, but it's owned by MillerCoors and not Belgian.

If you've overlooked Alabama as a maker of fine craft beer in the past, then you'd be sorely mistaken. Alabama is a creative state overflowing with great craft beers, says Paste. Some of the state's finest craft beer comes from Good People in Birmingham, which tops our list as a crowd favorite brewery with craft selections available in restaurants and outlets across the state. 

Good People's mainstay beers include the Snake Handler Double IPA and Bearded Lady wheat ale. Perfect for summer is its Muchacho Mexican-style lager that pairs with just about anything.

Our top honors for best brewery in Alaska go to the Alaskan Brewing Co. in Juneau. The brewery became the first beer producer in Juneau since Prohibition and only the 67th independent maker in the country. The slow-fermented Alaskan Amber and Alaskan White Belgian unfiltered witbier are award-winning classic styles with a decidedly Alaskan influence. Bonus points are given for its sustainability focus that aims to get the brewery to a net-zero emission impact.

Warm days often leave even the most self-possessed reaching for a cold brew to stave off the heat. It might be surprising then to learn Phoenix is a bit late to the game when it comes to embracing craft breweries on a large scale. Arizona is now making up for the lost time. Four Peaks Brewing Co. is a Tempe-based brewery since 1996 best known for its Scottish beers. Arizona's early adopter of the U.S. craft renaissance offers a flagship brew called Kilt Lifter. 

Seeing as the official state beverage of Arkansas is milk, perhaps it's not a surprise that the state's brewery scene didn't take off until the 2000s. Diamond Bear Brewing Co. is one producer that started the trend, opening in Little Rock in 2000.

Diamond Bear has won gold medals for its pale ale at the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup. Culture Trip called Diamond Bear one of the best breweries in Arkansas, citing the craft producer's European method of combining two row malted barley, hops, and yeast.

Near Los Angeles, The Bruery is all about balance and experimentation. Patrick Rue started the process in his kitchen before opening The Bruery taproom and becoming a Master Cicerone, the equivalent of a sommelier for beer. Visiting the taproom is a bit off the beaten path in Orange County, but members receive quarterly shipments around California and to select states. The Los Angeles Times found The Bruery to elevate the standard hops experience with 750ml barrel-aged varietals, including Imperial Cabinet aged in gin barrels and Black Tuesday aged in red wine barrels. 

Colorado beer has thankfully come a long way from its Coors Banquet roots, now featuring a wide array of craft breweries statewide that make this a particularly hard state in which to find just one great craft beer maker. But if you're in Fort Collins, be sure to check out Odell Brewing Co. Odell's balanced 90 Shilling Ale, juicy Drumroll Hazy IPA, and bright Rupture Fresh Grind IPA are all locally beloved options. Odell also offers a range of seasonal ales, sours, lagers, stouts, and standard year-round styles.

Athletic Brewing Company based in Stratford, Connecticut is changing the way people perceive non-alcoholic beer. Hop Culture says the varieties don't lack compared to a regular brew. The outlet reports how Athletic Brewing Company partnered this spring with Beer Kulture, an organization striving for more diversity in the brewing industry. As such, the brewery's Soul Sour incorporates blueberry, lemon, and mango to celebrate the "history and cuisine of black culture." The Free Way Hazy IPA is also a supreme champion in the International Beer Challenge for its use of amarillo, citra, and mosaic hops. 

Dogfish Head Brewery is one of the best-known brands out of the state of Delaware, but Delaware Online says it's Dewey Beer Co. that wins as a favorite for locals and out-of-state visitors alike. Despite the friendly competition, Dewey and Dogfish Head partnered on an apple cider doughnut beer in 2018. Dewey Beer Co. produces a wide range of IPAs and sours, including its fruit-forward Thrills series using blackberry or watermelon, peach, and mango.

The Florida Travel Girl notes that Cigar City Brewing is one of the most famous breweries in the state, thanks to its range of Florida-themed varietals. Fifth-generation Floridian Joey Redner started the alehouse in 2007, starting with the brewery's Maduro Brown Ale. Today, its other signature brews are Jai Alai IPA and Florida Cracker Belgian-style White Ale. BeerAdvocate also ranks Cigar City's Hunahpu Imperial Stout as the top craft beer in Florida and the fifth-best in the country.

Although the state's brewery origins started before Prohibition eliminated legal sales of alcohol in Georgia, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the '90s brought a brewery boom to the state that eventually fizzled out by the aughts thanks to national buyouts. 

Things are looking great today thanks to Atlanta's Monday Night Brewing. The brewer started as a side project between three friends before going official in 2011. Signature beers include Lay Low IPA, full-bodied Lundi IPA, and Dr. Robot, a lemon blackberry sour.

Opening in 2015, Maui Brewing Co. is one of the major breweries on the Hawaiian Islands, known for its Bikini Blonde Lager and Big Swell IPA . Hawaii Travel with Kids says the Bikini Blonde is especially ideal for the summer sun. 

TimeOut reports the brewery began as a small brewpub before transforming into a multi-million dollar operation. It also named the lilikoi seasonal as a particular favorite with its fruity undertones.

The best beer and brewery is entirely subjective. One person's Champagne of beers is another's worst hangover. Ultimately, not everyone is going to agree. The Idaho Statesman, for instance, questioned Thrillist for naming the Crooked Fence Brewing as one of the top craft breweries in the state. But this brewery is more than its logo, thanks to delicious year-round varieties Hop Nation IPA, Idaho Amber, and Train Wreck Red Ale.

MarketWatch reports that Chicago-based Revolution Brewing founder Josh Deth started at Illinois powerhouse Goose Island Brewery. Yet, it's Chicago-based Revolution Brewing that's managed to tip the scales in its favor.

The Chicago Tribune reports that Revolution is the best-selling in the state as of 2019. Seasonal favorites include the Sunchaser summer ale and Oktoberfest. The brewery also offers a small-batch, barrel-aged beer, and a fruit-forward session sour series. Although Revolution is hardly the last independent brewer standing, its variety might be one of the many reasons it's so popular.

The Munster-based 3 Floyds Brewing Co. is one operation that has built a name for itself in the hops community. Operating since 1996, the brewery is known for its barrel-aged sour series, a Barbarian hazy IPA, and cool packaging graphics. 

Good Beer Hunting reports 3 Floyds closed its taproom in Munster to focus on distribution to retailers. The brewery is now sold in seven states and is looking to expand further. Good news for out-of-state drinkers hoping to imbibe as the brand expands its reach.

Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. in Decorah, Iowa is not only considered one of the best breweries in the state. Beer Advocate named Toppling Goliath number seven in the country's top 10 breweries in 2020. The brewery is known for its barrel-aged stouts such as the award-winning Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout and IPAs, like its Pompeii. The same stout is also considered one of the best beers in the world since 2015. The beers are distributed to 30 states with more than 40 beers on rotation throughout the year.

When you're next in Kansas, start with 23rd Street Brewery, which opened in 2006 and is housed in a dome structure that still manages to convey a barnlike appearance. This place is especially great if you find yourself wanting a break from classic beery styles like blondes, wheat beers, and the ever-present and ultra-popular IPAs. 

Kentucky is well known for its barrel-aged bourbons, bluegrass, and now, craft breweries. And while Against the Grain brewery might benefit from name recognition, it is much more serious than it looks. Absurdist artwork graces tongue-in-cheek labels for A Beer lager and Kentucky Ryed Chiquen barrel-aged rye amber. Is this brand for everyone? Probably not, but Against the Grain is also highly rated among beer lovers. After all, it's what inside that counts.

Louisiana is known for its nightlife and excellent dining scene — why not breweries, too? NOLA Brewing opened in 2008 as the first brewery established following Hurricane Katrina. Today, NOLA's taproom and production house is located on Tchoupitoulas Street. The brewery is an acronym for New Orleans Lager and Ale, by the way. Staple varieties include the 7th Street Wheat with lemon and basil, a crisp LA Lager, and the NOLA Blonde Ale.

Allagash Brewing Company is more than just a Portland, Maine brewery, though you've likely tasted the Allagash White that built the brewery's reputation. Allagash is also a certified B Corp, which means the brewery balances social and environmental purpose with profit. New England Made With Love recommends the brewery tour complete with historical background and craft brew samples.

Paste went as far as to name Allagash as the fourth-best beer of the decade in 2019 for releases that are "refined, sanded until smooth and inspected for perfection" before serving.

Maryland is surrounded by lauded New England breweries and hosts plenty of its own. The state even allows farmers to open breweries on their properties, reports The Washington Post, where many grow the wheat, barley, or hops on site.

DuClaw Brewing Co. emerged in 1996 and now crafts beers that are available in 21 states. The Sour Me series, Sweet Baby Jesus peanut butter porter, Dad Bod Double IPA, and Regular Beer American lager are all beloved standards here.

Massachusetts is another state with heavy-weight beer producers. The brewers in the Bay State regularly top "best of" lists and take home top honors in beer competitions. Trillium Brewing leads among Massachusetts brewers every year on sites such as RateBeer and BeerAdvocate. Founded in 2013, Trillium Brewing Company has expanded to multiple locations in less than a decade, speaking to just how much people love their beers across the state and beyond.

Michigan is a pioneer when it comes to the craft beer resurgence. The weather is often cold, wet, and grey, so you can assume that staying indoors to perfect your brewing skills seems like better than shoveling snow. Thrillist Detroit used science to name Founders Brewing Co. in the first place. Indeed, Founders Brewing, based in Grand Rapids tops many national "best brewery" lists. It's also 90 percent owned by the leading Spanish beer company, Mahou San Miguel, according to BrewBound.

The Daily Gopher looks to Saint Paul for its top place brewery, Barrel Theory Beer Company, which secured the spot thanks to its offerings such as rotational Purple Lamborghini and Shooter McGavin Double IPA. That really means something, given how much Minnesota is known for its beer culture, thanks to industry behemoths and a wide variety of other craft brews that, should Barrel Theory not take up all your time, you may also want to check out, according to The Growler.

Mississippi once focused on big companies in the beer industry, Mississippi Today says. This is, before 2017 legislation allowed on-site sales of beer at a taproom, without having to commit to bottling, distribution, and marketing costs. 

Lazy Magnolia opened in 2005 in Kiln as the first craft brewery in the state since Prohibition. Its Porch Series is designed for easy drinking including the Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale, Good Bug Golden Ale, and Grapefruit Radler, a German-style beer blending grapefruit and light golden ale.

TimeOut singles out the established Kansas City brewery Boulevard Brewing Company as a must-visit operation, not to mention one of the largest craft brewers in the Midwest. 

Year-round selections include the Easy Sport rally ale with tangerine and sea salt and the Kansas City Pilsner. The taproom is two stories complete with a 10,000-square-foot Beer Hall on the second floor, where shuffleboard and foosball are highlights of the brewery's "rec dec."

One of Montana's most celebrated beer makers is the family-owned Lewis & Clark Brewing Co., located in the state capital of Helena. Bottle Makes Three reports the brand won "small brewing company brewer of the year" at the Great American Beer Festival in 2018. That year, their Miner's Gold Hefeweizen won three gold medals at the same festival. Many are partial to its Prickly Pear Pale Ale, but Lewis & Clark also makes a scotch ale, hazy IPA, and much more.

Nebraska's award-winning craft brewer Nebraska Brewing Company, based in La Vista, started as an at-home operation in 1992. Beers include cheeky monikers such as Afternoon Delight Gose and Gimme S'More Brown Ale. Visitors will find more than 20 seasonal rotations and reserve series options. Oh My Omaha recommends the Brunette Brown Ale for a mild hopped English Ale from the brand's core series. Nebraska Brewing's beers are also distributed to 12 states and can even be found internationally.

The Las Vegas, Nevada-based craft brewery Big Dog's Brewing Company sticks pretty closely to its theme with its Red Hydrant Ale, an English brown, and a delicious Black Lab Stout. This craft brewery in Sin City features seven core beers and four to 10 seasonal rotating taps. This microbrewery started in 1993 in the early days of the craft beer revival, when it was initially named "Holy Cow!", according to Big Dog's itself. It also happens to be Las Vegas' first craft beer operation.

New Hampshire Magazine readers agreed that 603 Brewery in Londonderry is the state's best all-around choice. Three friends opened the brewery in 2012, initially hawking the beer to local accounts and beer stores in order to get the word out. Only 20 brewers were in the state at the time, 603 notes. The 603 Brewery started with the Winni Amber Ale and expanded into around 20 seasonal beers, ciders, and seltzers on tap. Core selections include the Scenic New England Session IPA and 603 IPA.

The Garden State is no stranger to quality craft beers. New Jersey Monthly reports the state is home to around 100 breweries and 18 brewpubs as of 2019.The competition is also fierce thanks to a boom in one fateful year. New Jersey producers Kane Brewing Company in Ocean, Cape May Brewing in Cape May, and Carton Brewing in Atlantic Highlands all opened in 2011. Kane Brewing stands out as an editor's choice for its core varieties of Head High IPA, Overhead DIPA, and Sneak Box pale ale.

New Mexico Magazine found the camaraderie of the New Mexico beer makers as one of the reasons breweries found in the state doubled to 88 with 111 taprooms in recent years.

La Cumbre Brewing Company is rising to the occasion with its Elevated IPA, a gold medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival that also took bronze at the World Beer Cup. Seasonal brews include the Sun Fade Hazy IPA and the juicy Electro City.

Thrillist reports New York brewers started fermenting back in 1632 when North America's first commercial brewery opened in Manhattan. Today, you can find craft breweries in all of New York's five boroughs. 

Big aLICe Brewing Co. in Long Island City wins big thanks to ingredients such as jalapeno, lemongrass, and coffee. Big aLICe also claims to be a "farm brewery" partnering with local farmers to make their craft creations. 

If you want a true local beer, Burial Beer Co. is producing some of the best farmhouse ales, IPAs, and German pilsners in North Carolina. Located in Asheville, Burial produces classics like lagers and stouts, along with more daring styles like sours and funky saisons. The psychedelic art adds to the existential names for its beer, including Philosophical Ideologies Of Moralistic Indignation (a Double IPA) and a Lair of Perpetual Flourishing (a barrel-aged sour). 

North Dakota is one of the youngest craft brewery scenes in the country. Thrillist pointed out the oldest brewery in Fargo is the same age as a fourth-grader thanks to state laws prohibiting the craft beer revival from reaching the state. Yet, the beer here is just plain delicious.

Laughing Sun Brewing Co., located in Bismark, stands out for its namesake Golden Ale, Strawberry Wheat, and collection of sours. Its latest Pandemic Dreams imperial lager is fermented with peaches, just in time for summer.

In a state known for good beer, Cleveland is reviving its maker heritage with innovative fermenters. Columbus Navigator ranked Columbus Brewing Company as a top brand thanks to its Bodhi Double IPA and Columbus Creeper. The Daily Meal also ranked this brewery's Bodhi IPA as one of the 101 best beers in the U.S. in 2018, too. The brewery also makes a Grasshoppa Session IPA, Go-Kart Ghost Super Pale Ale, and signature IPA combining grapefruit and pine.

Former Prairie Artisan Ales founder Chase Healy started American Solera in 2016, after selling Prairie Artisan Ales to Krebs Brewing (via Tulsa World).

The Manual named the brewery's fruited sours, hazy IPAs, and roasted maple stouts as stand-out beers. American Solera's American Pete is a collaboration effort lager brewed with yuzu juice, butterfly pea flower and tea. Hoewver, the brewery's distribution is still limited, so travel to this Tulsa location is a must if you want to try.

Breakside is one operation that almost all the critics can agree on for its barrel releases and core offerings. Eater reports Breakside's IPA won a gold medal at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival, while the brewery took home 12 awards at the 2020 Oregon Beer Awards. 

Oregon Live calls Breakside the "best Portland has to offer" thanks to its IPAs, sours, and lagers, among other styles. Breakside Brewing might not have the distribution of other brands, but it's earned its top honors as one of the best in the region.

The 2SP Brewing Company in Ashton focuses on drinkable session beers in a range of styles. The fine-tuned brews aren't by coincidence. Food & Wine says that founder Bob Barrar won 19 times at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) while still brewing at Iron Hill Brewery, an established producer found at multiple locations throughout the state. This new operation is up to some of the same delicious tricks. 2SP took home a gold medal at the 2019 GABF for The Russian, an imperial stout with chocolate and espresso in a heavy roast.

The Boston Globe says Tilted Barn Brewery is the rural option known for its beer dubbed The Chosen One, a double-dry-hopped, New England-style double IPA. Say that without spilling your beer. 

Matt and Kara Richardson founded Tilted Barn, starting with Rhode Island's first commercial hop farm in 2007. The operation still produces on the couple's family farm in Exeter. If you want more rural breweries, the Rhode Island Brewers Guild provides an interactive map charting all 30 breweries in the state. Think Google, but strictly for delicious, local beer.

The Post and Courier cites Revelry Brewing as a serious contender for its award-winning Gullah Cream Ale and hype-worthy Pass the Lemongrass IPA infused with CBD. 

Revelry has won medals every year since 2015 in the U.S. Open Beer Championship. In 2020, the brewery took home a silver medal for its German Wheat. Its tasting room and roof deck bar are enough to secure placement in our hearts for years to come.

The Argus Leader is here to push back on that assumption that South Dakota doesn't produce great craft beer. Sioux Falls is ripe with a young brewer scene. The Argus Leader names naming Fernson Brewing Company as the largest brewery in Sioux Falls but recommends grabbing a seasonal sour from WoodGrain Brewing Co. The brewers here source local ingredients such as hops, barley, and regional strains of yeast developed and propagated through a Sioux Falls microbiology company. Year-round IPAs and a wide range of rotating seasonals are what make this brewer stand out.   

Big World, Small Girl says that Bearded Iris Brewing's 1,500-square-foot taproom blends industrial practicality with speakeasy vibes, thanks in part to an eye-catching bar embossed with velvet fabric. The iris is the state flower of Tennessee, according to the state government, meaning this brewery's name is an homage to its home and less of an indicator of its style. The brewery is experimental and a fan of citra hops with brews such as the Mood Ring, Wavelength, and Double Scatterbrain.

Texas is another big state with a large appetite for beer. Texas Monthly confirmed the state's consumption of beer is 2nd in the nation at 605 million gallons by volume, only outpaced by California.

Saint Arnold Brewing Company is taking it old school, being the oldest craft producer in the state. Sant Arnold maintains 12 year-round selections such as the H-Town Pils, Headliner Blonde Ale, and Raspberry AF Fruited Berliner Weiss. Texas Monthly calls Saint Arnold Brewing Company one of the core breweries in the state, too.

As of 2020, The Salt Lake City Tribune reported that Utah's liquor laws allow one bar for every 10,200 residents, resulting in around 300 bars for 3.1 million Utahns. Demand for licenses outpace the current restrictions.

Still, some great breweries exist in Utah, including Uinta Brewing, which borrows its name from the Uinta National Forest in north-central Utah. The brand started with its Cutthroat Pale Ale, a nod to Utah's native trout. Bonus points for running on 100% renewable energy since 2001. We'll drink to that.

Vermont is known for its skiing, farm-to-table culture, and a range of makers, growers, and food producers in this agriculture state. Then there's Hill Farmstead Brewery. This destination brewery in North Greensboro is located on a 220-year-old farm that looks like the set from "White Christmas". Founder, owner, and brewer Shaun E. Hill apprenticed in Denmark before opening Hill Farmstead Brewery in 2010 on family land. Boston Magazine reports that Hill Farmstead has ranked amongst the breweries in the world since 2013.

Oozlefinch Beers & Blending is not only fun to say, but a destination brewery for someone who wants to sip fruited sours on the patio lawn while potentially sitting next to a spooky ghost, according to Spook Eats. The coastal location on the Fort-Monroe Monument on the Chesapeake Bay only adds to the appeal. The beer's delicious, too. Head brewer Rachel Howard is busy concocting unexpected flavors like the Smashmallow IPA with blue peppers and cara cara orange.

Thrillist pulled together a panel of judges to rank in the best Washington breweries in 2015, and Fremont Brewing came out on top as the best all-around in an industry full of heavyweight. Fremont Brewing opened 10 years ago on flagship brews including the Summer Ale, Lush IPA, and Interurban IPA. The Sky Kraken Hazy IPA is both fun to say and drink. Fremont also sources local hops for one of its series and conserves energy alongside a zero-waste production process. 

Forbes reports around 90 percent of beer consumed in West Virginia in 2019 was produced out of state, but breweries are cropping up fast. Now, governor Jim Justice wants to raise the state tax on beer by 431 percent.

In preparation for the potential demise of the 28 breweries in West Virginia, you might as well drink as much of the craft beer while you're able. Mountain State Brewing Co. is one of the oldest distributors in the state with core varieties such as Cold Trail Blonde Ale and Miner's Daughter Stout.

Milwaukee's Eagle Park Brewing Company is somewhat of an influencer, according to Hop Culture, thanks to its Instagram-worthy milkshake IPA and fruit-forward sours. The psychedelic labels with colorful motifs are begging for a selfie, too. 

This brewery offers a second location in Muskego to enjoy its Stone Fruit Puree and Double Blackberry Lemon Gose. Two brothers founded the operation after they realized their habit of brewing beer together might take them further than their band. Seems like they made the right choice.

For a state that ranks 13th in the amount of ethanol consumed per adult, according to VinePair, it's about time the people of Wyoming started making their own beer.

Black Tooth Brewing Co. in Sheridan stands out for its Hot Streak IPA boasting a floral aroma and Saddle Bronc Brown Ale's sweet malt. The brewery opened in 2010 and, within five years, made an expansion to an exponentially larger facility. Black Tooth also produces a range of seasonal beers that can be found in South Dakota, Montana, and Nebraska.