The craft brewing industry in the US is booming. New breweries are popping up all over the country every day. Not all breweries are created equal. Some are the best craft breweries in america, some are so-so and some should have stuck to home brewing for their friends and family.
Best Craft Breweries in America
Best Breweries: The Alchemist Brewery (Waterbury, Vermont)
Arguably the best beer in America comes from the tiny Alchemist Brewery in Waterbury, Vermont. The small, family owned brewery makes Heady Topper Pale Ale, one of the hardest-to-find, beloved craft beers in the US.
Best Breweries: Anchor Brewing Company (San Francisco, California)
One of the oldest breweries in the country, Anchor was founded in 1896. It’s one of the lone remaining breweries to produce steam beer. Because of the scarcity of this style, Anchor even owns the trademark to the style. The brewery is most known for: Anchor Steam, Liberty Ale and their annual Christmas Ale.
Best Breweries: Ballast Point Brewing Company (San Diego, California)
Founded in 1996, Ballast Point was started in the back room of a brewing supplies shop. Currently the 37th biggest craft brewery in the country, Ballast Point makes myriad beers including: Sculpin IPA, Ballast Point Pale Ale, Grapefruit Sculpin and Habanero Sculpin.
Best Breweries: Stone Brewing Company (Escondido, California)
One of the biggest innovators in craft brewing, Stone was founded in 1996 and is the ninth largest craft brewery in the US. The readers of Beer Advocate voted the brewery as the #1 “All Time Top Brewery on Planet Earth”. The brewery is well known for Arrogant Bastard Ale, Stone IPA and its Vertical Epic Ale Series.
Best Breweries: Rogue Ales (Newport, Oregon)
Originally founded in 1988 in Ashland, Oregon, Rogue began as a brewpub. The operation moved to Newport in 1989 and Rogue still operates brewpubs in the cities as well as in Washington State and California. They are known for their creative, envelope-pushing beers including: Dead Guy Ale, Beard Beer, Morimoto Soba Ale and Rogue Sriracha Hot Stout.
Best Breweries: Three Floyds Brewing (Muncie, Indiana)
Three Floyds is technically in Indiana, many people think of it as a Chicagoland brewery. I guess it’s a Chicago brewery the same way Notre Dame is a Chicago football team. The brewery is well known for its exciting, inventive brews including: Zombie Dust (Pale Ale), Jinx Proof (Pilsner) and Gumballhead (Hefeweizen)
Best Breweries: Russian River Brewing Company (Santa Rosa, California)
Founded in 1997 when the Korbel Champagne Cellars decided to throw their hats into the craft brewing ring, Russian River gained fame because of two very hard to find, highly regarded beers. People are willing to wait in long lines for hours to purchase Pliny the Elder (Double IPA) and Pliny the Younger (Triple IPA).
Best Breweries: New Belgium Brewing Company (Fort Collins, Colorado)
The iconic, Fort Collins, brewery was founded in 1991 after co-founder Jeff Lebesch decided to try to make a living selling his home brew. New Belgium is the eighth-largest brewery in the US and is well known for its flagship beer Fat Tire as well as Ranger IPA, Rampant Imperial IPA and its Lips of Faith Series.
Best Breweries: Founders Brewing Company (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
Originally known was Canal Street Brewing, the brewery was founded in 1996. The brewery was named for the street it was located on and the owners changed the name to Founders because the company’s first beer label had a black and white photo of Canal Street Breweries with the word “Founders” written above it. The brewery is well-known for many brews including: Kentucky Breakfast Stout, Canadian Breakfast Stout and All-Day IPA.
Best Breweries: Dogfish Head Brewing (Rehoboth Beach, Delaware)
Sam Calagione is one of the mad scientists of the craft brewing community. He founded Dogfish Head in 1995 and has continually crafted exciting and exotic beers using strange and sometimes historical ingredients. The brewery’s top selling beers include: 60 Minute IPA, 90 Minute IPA, 120 Minute IPA and Aprihop.
