The 100 Best Beers in the World

Uerige Sticke

Brewer: Uerige Hausbrauerei

Style: German Altbier

Altbiers are all too often misunderstood. Like the kölsch style, the German altbier ("alt" means "old") is fermented with ale yeast at warmer temperatures, before finishing with cold conditioning. The result is an amber refresher that's bitter and richly malty, a marvel with roasted and grilled meats. The classic example is Uerige Sticke, which is "easily the best made altbier on the planet," says Patrick Donagher, co-owner of New York City's Alewife and Fools Gold. "It's sweet with dark fruit flavors and bread, balanced by hoppy bitterness."

Serenity

Brewer: Wicked Weed Brewing

Style: American Sour Ale

Taking its name from King Henry VIII’s claim that hops were a "pernicious and wicked weed," the Asheville, North Carolina, brewery has become one of the South’s buzziest breweries, since its 2012 inception. While the IPAs are excellent, we favor Serenity, a fully Brettanomyces-fermented farmhouse ale with a hazy golden hue and an aroma of mango and pineapple.

Achel Extra Bruin

Brewer: Achelse Kluis

Style: Belgian Quadrupel

The Trappist monks at Achel run a small operation, but mercifully ships their top-notch Belgian ales stateside. The Extra Bruin can rival Westvleteren 12 for depth of flavor, and that may be because the Achel enlisted a brewmaster from the Flemish abbey. Expect an initially subtle beer that expands as it warms, branching into dried fruit notes as well as candy-like cocoa and toffee.

Arthur

Brewer: Hill Farmstead

Style: Belgian Saison

When it comes to authentic farmhouse-style saisons Hill Farmstead both looks and tastes the part. Shaun Hill brews this stunningly tart and complex beer on a brewing system just steps from his house on his family's farmstead in rural Vermont. Great saisons are marked by crisp drinkability, complex yeast flavor, and a bone dry finish, and Arthur can't be beaten on any of those measures. What truly elevates Arthur is a bright tartness that brings every flavor into dazzling relief.

Dancing Man Wheat

Brewer: New Glarus Brewing

Style: German Hefeweizen

This amplified version of a German wheat beer stands on par with a great Belgian tripel for the depth of flavor and richness of spicy yeast character. The Wisconsin brewers behind Dancing Man at New Glarus follow traditional German brewing methods, but crank up the malt for a 7.2-percent wheat beer packed with flavor.

The Substance

Brewer: Bissell Brothers

Style: American IPA

Since the Portland, Maine, brewery debuted the Substance, the dankly aromatic pale ale has become one of the Northeast's most sought-after beers. Here's why: There's precious little bitterness, just a smooth sleigh ride across a field of citrus, pine, and tropical fruit.

Blind Pig IPA

Brewer: Russian River Brewing

Style: American IPA

Sometimes even the masters stumble out of the gate. Vinnie Cilurzo's first brewing endeavor was at Blind Pig Brewing where he worked on this killer IPA. The brewery didn't survive, but Cilurzo took the name and the recipe with him when he moved to Russian River Brewing Company. Blind Pig is often overshadowed by Russian River's Pliny the Elder, but when it comes to everyday drinking we prefer the Blind Pig. Captain Lawrence Brewing owner and brewmaster Scott Vaccaro explains the appeal: "It's dry as a bone and bursting with hop flavor and aroma, a truly amazing example of how to use hops. Keeping the ABV close to 6 percent really lets the hops take center stage."

Left Hand Milk Stout

Brewer: Left Hand Brewing

Style: Milk Stout

Milk stouts, also called cream stouts, up the ante on the traditional dry stout by adding a touch of lactose sugar for a bit of sweetness to go with the coffee-like roasted flavors. No one pulls one off like Lefthand, which sells its Milk Stout both Co2-carbonated and with nitrogen (think Guinness). Both are delicious, but we prefer the Nitro version. "This beer is just a treat to drink," says Captain Lawrence Brewing's owner and brewmaster Scott Vaccaro of the Colorado classic. "Rich, creamy, and full of depth. It can be enjoyed on a hot summer day and a cold winter night — a truly versatile beer."

Everett

Brewer: Hill Farmstead

Style: American Porter

Hill Farmstead is so well regarded for its saisons and hoppy pale ales that it's easy to overlook that they brew one of world's great porters. Everett pours an opaque black with a tan head that leaves a delicate lacing down the side of the glass as you drink. It carries its 7.5-percent alcohol with grace, but there's no mistaking the depth of flavor and complexity in this beer as impossibly deep chocolate roast flavor blends into a subtle underlying sweetness.

Pivo

Brewer: Firestone Walker Brewing

Style: German Pilsner

"This is such a perfectly executed expression of a hoppy pilsner," Magnolia Brewing Company owner Dave McLean says of the floral and herbal California lager — which just grabbed gold at the Great American Beer Festival. "It's a great example of the recent burst of lagers and other German-influenced beers now dotting the craft beer landscape."

Heady Topper

Brewer: The Alchemist Brewery

Style: Imperial IPA

We feel a twinge of guilt every time we profess our love for the Alchemist's Heady Topper because the level of hype and hoopla that follows this beer has long since reached the point of absurdity. The crowds have closed the tasting room, long midweek lines attend each weekly release of the tallboy cans, and arrests have been made over illegal out-of-state sales. Frankly, it's getting a bit silly. Still we love this ridiculously robust beer and we're not going to shortchange it just because a circus follows everywhere it goes.

What inspired the circus? Heady Topper is a righteously hoppy imperial IPA. The Alchemist recommends drinking it straight from the can, but we like it better in the glass. While the cloudy appearance won't win any beauty pageants, this beer can't be beaten when it comes to flavor and aroma. Tropical fruit, citrus, and pine wafts out of the glass in glorious waves. The beer drinks easily, and while the bitterness is prominent, it's not over the top or face-numbing. The only thing we don't like about this beer is that its demand so far outstrips supply.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Brewer: Sierra Nevada Brewing

Style: American Pale Ale

"The iconic pale ale is, and will always be, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale," Hopleaf owner Michael Roper says of the piney, grapefruity California beer, which was first brewed in November, 1980. "It is oft overlooked because it has been a standard for 30 years, but I challenge any comer in a blind taste test to best it."

Our Picks from 2015

1. Brasserie Cantillon’s Classic Gueuze

2. Tivoli’s Helles, German Helles Lager

3. Avery Brewing’s Tweak, an Imperial Stout

4. Port Brewing’s Older Viscosity, an Imperial Stout

5. Peticolas’ Brewing Velvet Hammer, a Strong Ale

6. Oskar Blues Brewery’s Old Chub Nitro, a Scotch Ale

7. Hill Farmstead Brewery’s Harlan, an American IPA

8. To ØI’s Black Malts & Body Salts, a Black IPA

9. Samuel Smith Old Brewery’s Taddy Porter, an English Porter

10. Barley Brown’s Beer Turmoil, a Black IPA

11. Harviestoun Brewery’s Old Engine Oil, an English Porter

12. Brauerei Aying’s Celebrator, a German Doppelbock

13. Anchorage Brewing’s A Deal With The Devil, an American Barleywine

14. Hair of the Dog’s Adam, an Old Ale

15. Fat Head’s Brewery’s Hop JuJu, an Imperial IPA

16. Sierra Nevada’s Nooner, a German Pilsner

17. Victory Brewing’s Helles Lager

18. Birrificio Italiano’s Tipopils, a German Pilsner

19. Pretty Things Beer & Ale’s American Darling, a German Pilsner

20. Surly Brewing’s Abrasive Ale, an Imperial IPA

21. Ballast Point Brewing’s Grapefruit Sculpin, an American IPA

22. Columbus Brewing’s Bodhi, an Imperial IPA

23. Firestone Walker Brewing’s Easy Jack, a Session IPA

24. Lawson’s Finest Liquids’ Double Sunshine, an Imperial IPA

25. Other Half Brewing’s Other Half Nelson, an American IPA

26. Rogue Ales’ Farms Dirtoir, a German Schwarzbier

27. Jack’s Abby Brewing’s Smoke & Dagger, a German Rauchbier

28. Russian River Brewing’s Supplication, an American Sour Ale

29. Gisebrauerei Bayerischer Banhof’s Leipziger Gose

30. Brasserie Cantillon’s Rose de Gambrinus, a Fruit Lambic

31. Jester King Brewery’s Commercial Suicide, an American Sour Ale

32. Logsdon Farmhouse Ales’ Peche ‘n Brett, an American Sour Ale

33. Brouwerij St. Bernardus’ Abt 12, a Belgian Quadrupel

34. Brasserie Saint James’ Daily Wages, a Belgian Saison

35. Brouwerij De Ranke’s XX Bitter, a Belgian Pale Ale

36. Brasserie Fantôme’s Saison, Belgian Saison

37. Brewery Ommegang’s Hennepin, a Belgian Saison

38. The Rare Barrel’s Ensorcelled, an American Sour Ale

39. Allagash Brewing’s Coolship Resurgam, an American Sour Ale

40. New Glarus Brewing’s Thumbprint Berliner Weiss

41. Westbrooks Brewing’s Mexican Cake, an Imperial Stout

42. Kiuchi Brewery’s Hitachino Nest Espresso Sout

43. Prairie Artisan Ales’ Prairie Bomb!, an Imperial Stout

44. Rogue Ales’ Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout

45. Mikkeller’s Beer Geek Brunch Weasel, an Imperial Stout

46. Perennial Artisan Ales Abraxas, an Imperial Stout

47. Deschutes Brewery’s The Abyss, an Imperial Stout

48. Klosterbrauerei Andechss’ Andechser Weissbier Hell, a German Hefeweizen

49. Hopworks Urban Brewery’s Nonstop Hef Hop, an American Wheat Beer

50. Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen’s Oude Gueuz

51. Brouwerij Westvleteren’s Westvleteren 6, a Belgian Pale Age

52. Pivovar Kout na Šumave’s Koutsky 12, a Czech Pilsner

53. Aecht Schlenkerla’s Helles Lagerbier, a German Rauchbier

54. Three Floyds’ Zombie Dust, an American Pale Ale

55. Founders Brewing’s All Day IPA, Session IPA

56. Kulmbacher Brauerei’s Monchshof Schwarzbier

57. Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout, an Imperial Stout

58. Allagash Brewing’s Allagash White, a Belgian Witbier

59. Weissbierbrauerei G. Schneider & Sohn’s Aventinus, a German Weizenbock

60. Brasserie de Rochefort’s Rochefort 8, a Belgian Dark Strong Ale

61. Brauhaus Hartmannsdorf’s Ritterguts Gose

62. Stone Brewing’s Go To IPA, a Session IPA

63. Brooklyn Brewery’s ½ Ale, a Belgian Saison

64. Revolution’s Fist City, an American Pale Ale

65. Ca l’Arenys’ Guineu Riner, a Session IPA

66. Brauerei lm Füchschen’s Alt, a German Altbier

67. Pelican Pub & Brewery’s Kiwanda Cream Ale

68. Brasserie de la Senne’s Taras Boulba, a Belgian Pale Ale

69. Brasserie Du Mont Salève’s Sorachi Ace Bitter, a Session IPA

70. Wiseacre Brewing’s Tiny Bomb, a Czech Pilsener

71. Uerige Hausbrauerei’s Uerige Sticke, a German Altbier

72. Deschutes Brewery’s Black Butte Porter, an American Porter

73. Achelse Kluis Achel Extra Bruin, a Belgian Quadrupel

74. Brasserie Dupont’s Saison Dupont, a Belgian Saison

75. Hill Farmstead’s Arthur, a Belgian Saison

76. New Glarus Brewing’s Dancing Man Wheat, a German Hefeweizen

77. Brouwerij Westvleteren’s Westvleteren 12, a Belgian Quadrupel

78. Boulevard Brewing’s Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale, a Belgian Saison

79. Brasserie d’Orval’s Orval, a Belgian Pale Ale

80. Crooked Stave Brewery’s Surette Provision Saison

81. Wicked Weed Brewing’s Serenity, an American Sour Ale

82. Anchor Brewing’s Anchor Porter

83. Upslope Brewing’s Brown Ale

84. Firestone Walker Brewing’s Wookey Jack, a Black IPA

85. Bissell Brother’s The Substance, an American IPA

86. Bell’s Brewery’s Two Hearted Ale, an American IPA

87. Russian River Brewing’s Blind Pig IPA

88. Rhinegeist Brewery’s Truth, an American IPA

89. Left Hand Brewing’s Milk Stout

90. Founders Brewing’s Kentucky Breakfast Stout, an Imperial Stout

91. AleSmith Brewing’s Old Numbskull, an American Barleywine

92. Hill Farmstead’s Everett, an American Porter

93. Devils Backbone Brewing’s Vienna Lager

94. Firestone Walker Brewing’s Pivo, a German Pilsner

95. The Alchemist Brewery’s Heady Topper, an Imperial IPA

96. Carton Brewing’s Boat Beer, an American Pale Ale

97. Fuller’s Brewery’s ESP, an Extra Special Bitter

98. Maine Beer Company’s MO, an American Pale Ale

99. Half Acre Beer Company’s Daisy Cutter, an American Pale Ale

100. Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale 

Allagash White

Brewer: Allagash Brewing

Style: Belgian Witbier

Allagash Brewing, just outside Portland, Maine, was one of the first to usher in the Belgian brewing craze with its traditional witbier (or white beer). With subtle hints of spices like coriander and curaçao orange peel, it's remarkably smooth and among the best wits you'll find on either side of the Atlantic.