digg

Join DiggAbout

Discover the best of the web!
Learn more about Digg by taking the tour.

The 25 Best Beers In America

mensjournal.com — It's been years since anyone doubted that microbrews were more gourmet and complicated than the Buds, Millers, and Coors of the world. But as varied and tasty as micros are, there was a time some got, well, a little too interesting for their own good, sending many guys back to the cooler for something simpler, cleaner -- a thirst-quencher, not a l

Bury
show profanity settings
expand all
  • punkeyfunky, on 10/12/2007, -53/+2"You are not authorized to view this resource.
    You need to login."
    • UGM2099, on 10/12/2007, -18/+29They forgot Brooklyn Lager on that list.
    • catalysis, on 10/12/2007, -15/+101"American beer is like having sex on a canoe."

      What are you talking about? There are tons of great american microbrews.

      It's cool that they have New Glarus on there but thier famous beer is Spotted Cow, not the Yokel
    • raskalz, on 10/12/2007, -38/+49Buds, Millers, and Coors - is not a beer. Especially Millers. It is carbonated water. Hopefully micro brews can come up with some Real beer, till then, i ll continue drinking european beer, or few Canadian ones, like Keiths and Ricards red..
    • kevin45, on 10/12/2007, -6/+40Dogfish?

      http://www.dogfish.com ?? strong *****
    • jcm267, on 10/12/2007, -18/+48"American beer is like having sex on a canoe.

      It's ***** close to water."

      I find funny that someone posted a "top 7 Canadien beers" list below and it included such masterpieces as Labatt and Molsen Canadien.

      Sam Adams is the best brewing company of its size in the world. Go to their brewery in Boston for short tour and free samples!
    • technogenius, on 10/12/2007, -10/+3Dogfish head world wide stout is very strong, tastes pretty nasty though
    • kingofthegreens, on 10/12/2007, -6/+66@over90:

      I disagree, American craft brewing has exploded over the past decade(+) providing the United States with some of the most diverse and best beers in the world. This list is good in that it lists craft brewers but it is 'Mens Journal', not exactly the leading authority on craft brewing. A more accurate list can be found here: http://beeradvocate.com/top_beers?c_id=US

      These beers are rated on by the largest online beer community which makes me think that there is a little bit more validity to it. But overall beer isn't about who says what is best, its about your own personal preference.

      Cheers and Respect Beer!
      -Ben
    • DJCult, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6I give a huge vote to the Nebraska Empyrean Ales Co. http://www.telesis-inc.com/empyrean/
    • z0l0pht, on 10/12/2007, -7/+14Google cache
      http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:MU1hOvIsCbgJ:mensjournal.com/feature/0610/bestbeer.html+http://www.mensjournal.com/feature/0610/bestbeer.html&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&client=firefox-a

      I can agree with Rogue and Dogfish

      Not so much on the Samuel Adams.
    • brstilson, on 10/12/2007, -20/+66"American beer is like having sex on a canoe.

      It's ***** close to water."

      ***** you. Don't lump all American Beer in with Anheiser-Busch, Coors, and Miller. Have a Bells, DFH, Sierra Nevada, Yuelglings (sp?), or even a Samuel Adams before you spread ignorance.
    • Zach978, on 10/12/2007, -12/+22@raskalz- American beer is like water, and there are no good microbrews in the states....yet you like Canadian brews? Most Canadian brews are just American pilsners with a big red leaf logo on it.
    • mattsidesinger, on 10/12/2007, -5/+35Call me Arrogant, but no Stone, no Digg.
    • Netmindstorm, on 10/12/2007, -3/+51"Pretty women make us buy beer. Ugly women makes us drink it" -- Al Bundy

    • z0l0pht, on 10/12/2007, -4/+27@brstilson
      Yuengling. My favorite American lager
    • Bradl3y, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1Mirror with working images: http://www.mensjournal.com.nyud.net:8080/feature/0610/bestbeer.html
    • PleaseJustDie, on 10/12/2007, -14/+44Fat Tire not on the list, marked as inaccurate.
    • Rsulliv1, on 10/12/2007, -13/+5Does anyone like michelob? Not that "Ultra" nonsense, but old school michelob, which they recently brought back with (close to) the original bottles. I actually like how the new commercial is all about the bottles being created.

      michelob is the only AB beer that can be called a real lager, i think.
    • kapsar, on 10/12/2007, -6/+11Actually if you just go to beeradvocate.com and look at the top beers listed on there some of the very top ones are American beers not European. I find it ironic that people say that European beer is so much better than American and American beers is basically water. Yes some of American beers are, but so are European. Ok, maybe they are closer to pop then water, more flavorful. But common Stella is thin beer it has flavor but some of that is the bite from the carbination. Harp is also a very very light lager. The big three are definitely much worse though. Not sure if any one noticed or not, but they definitely have taken notice to the change in drinking style. They still cater to the people with no beer taste but they are trying to branch out and make better beers. Bud has the amber bock, coors has blue moon and killian's, and miller has something i'm sure. I'm not saying they are fantastic, but i know a lot of people that like blue moon that like good beer. So they are paying attention, and it's a step in the right direction for american beer drinkers in general.
    • Charlotte_Web, on 10/12/2007, -6/+30Sam Adams seasonal brews FTW, especially the Summer Ale and the Octoberfest.
    • anguswalker2, on 10/12/2007, -52/+3Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness Guinness
    • autorock, on 10/12/2007, -11/+22Samuel Adams? Pssh, I'll have a Samuel Jackson. It'll getcha' drunk, mmm mmm!
    • grakker, on 10/12/2007, -5/+15,,,***** close to water

      How did so many people miss the Monty Python reference? Anyway, I thought it was funny then and here now.
    • mikepictor, on 10/12/2007, -2/+19@anguswalker

      I like guiness too, but
      a) they aren't talking about irish beers
      b) I heard you the first time
    • revolvingcur, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6"How did so many people miss the Monty Python reference? Anyway, I thought it was funny then and here now."

      For the marginally less (or more, depending on your measure) sophisticated among us, the same joke appears in David Sedaris' "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim."
    • anguswalker2, on 10/12/2007, -8/+1@mikepictor
      I have drunk Guinness in America. Hence it must have been in America for me to drink it?
    • colinmhayes, on 10/12/2007, -19/+12Drinking Guinness is like having sex in a canoe on the ohio river.

      It's ***** close to dark water.
    • bobcrotch, on 10/12/2007, -1/+20http://www.rogue.com/

      http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/

      These are real American breweries.
    • LogicBomB, on 10/12/2007, -6/+9Just because I know SOMEONE will bring it up:

      American's measure their alcohol % by weight
      Canadian's measure their alcohol % by volume

      Canadian beer != Stronger beer

      I'm Canadian but I'm kind of tired of that myth since it always comes up.
    • MrKite, on 10/12/2007, -8/+5I remember when one of my friends was housing a couple German foreign exchange students for a year. The were both men who loved to drink beer. Everyone knows that Germany has some amazing beers, and I you're allowed to drink it pretty much anywhere (e.g. the office, the theater, etc). So the point I'm making is that Germany is serious about beer.

      Can anyone guess what their favorite American beer was?
      .
      .
      .
      .
      .
      .
      Budweiser!!

      I'm not kidding. Btw, Yuengling is my favorite.
    • queenstarsha, on 10/12/2007, -4/+11i love beer, but the sex in a canoe joke is pretty clever. obviously it refers to bud and coors -- i don't understand why everyone's so sensitive.
    • laplacian, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2more great American beers: http://www.ratebeer.com/Ratings/TopBeersByCountry.asp?CountryID=213

      Also they really should have had some barley wines on that list since it is an amazing American style.
    • tkstock, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1@logicbomb

      Not all american beers measure by ABW, most measure Alcohol By Volume, including my personal favorite which happens to be #2 on the list!
    • LogicBomB, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1@tkstock - Actually I didn't know that. It is however how the myth came about a long while ago. Figured I'd arm people with the knowledge to debunk it in casual conversation :)
    • VaporBro, on 10/26/2007, -1/+7No Rogue Dead Guy Ale, no Alaskan Winter Ale, no New Belgium Brew, no Fat Tire...not the best list.
    • tkstock, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Given a value in ABW (alcohol by weight) you can convert it easily to ABV using the following formula:
      ABV = 1.25 × ABW
      or, inversely,
      ABW = 0.8 × ABV
      These quotients are a fair approximation to the real values; since the ingredients change from beverage to beverage, it is impossible to have a universal formula, as the density of the beverage minus alcohol varies.
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_by_volume
    • catmistake, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0List is suspect... merely following pop trends, which has little to do with taste. Why they'd list Penn Weizen instead of Penn Pilsner proves it. Nobody ***** drinks wheat beer except at beer tastings; they just get it to 'color' parties. Can you imagine... get home from a long hard days work at the factory, crack open a wheat beer... mmm... not so much... OR... Superbowl... bunch of meatheaded guys... sucking on wheat beer... I don't think so
    • burke, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1This one's not American by any stretch (Scottish), but everyone needs to go out and try an Innis & Gunn if you can find one. It'll be the best $4 you've ever spent.
    • adrenaline33, on 10/12/2007, -6/+4I'm only bringing it up because I live there, but Portland, OR is considered home of the microbrewery revolution and has been considered the "beer capital of the world"

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland%2C_Oregon#Beer
    • stan205, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1@adrenaline33
      You F&%^*($ comment hijacker! I'm sure reading below would allow you to see that link has already been posted by me. The comment system on digg frustrates me the most.

      Daaaaaa
    • inv1c7u5, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3WHERE THE HELL IS KEYSTONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111



      /sarcasm
    • Jagdwulfe, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Best Beers yet I have only heard of two. What about Yeungling, Arrogant Bastard Ale or Double Bastard Ale?
    • Jo9100, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1you claptrap! us arent america
    • stev31h, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@raskalz

      this will most likely never get answered, but amen to Rickard's red, that ***** is absolutely delicious.

      Anyone know if you can get this in USA? Any1 who travels to Canada, i highly recommend Rickard's.
    • haastyle, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1thanks but i will stick to my Rolling Rock
  • diggleague, on 10/12/2007, -20/+5Same story as http://digg.com/health/MJ_FEATURE_25_Best_Beers_In_America
  • drjonboyg, on 10/12/2007, -34/+5What the ***** is this doing in Science?
    • Hentez, on 10/12/2007, -3/+65Have you every made Beer? You would be amazed by the amount of science that goes into a good brew.
  • diabolicdiablo, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1Looks tasty.
  • Caruthers, on 10/12/2007, -8/+51Where's Fat Tire?
    • meltingrobot, on 10/12/2007, -10/+3Where is effing Sweetwater 420? I was so happy when I moved to Nashville and found that several bars around here carry it.
    • imacashew, on 10/12/2007, -8/+0it's a uh....good beer...just as stated. Check your liqour store....and not the tiny one on the corner with the burgler bars...I mean the real stores like Spec's
    • Aaronichi, on 10/12/2007, -1/+19Fat Tire is not distributed east of the Mississippi
      Shame though.
      Bigger shame is Sunshine Wheat.
    • sigsegfalt, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5@Aaronichi

      Fat Tire is all over the place here in Chicago. I am not a big fan of it, but to each his/her own.

    • jbarnes1234, on 10/12/2007, -6/+2"Fat Tire is not distributed east of the Mississippi"

      *****. You can find it in supermarkets in the nations capital today.
    • Caruthers, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Where in DC? I will drive up there today and buy some.
    • stan205, on 10/12/2007, -4/+4Not to bash, but Fat Tire is a good beer not a great beer. I'd drink it if it was on sale for a 12, but it's not my first choice. There's just so much more to choose from in the NW: Bridgeport, rogue, Anderson valley, Mcmenamins, lucky lab, almedia, etc...
    • bdurkin, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7I love the Fat Tire and even more they came out with a seasonal that I like even more called Springboard. http://www.newbelgium.com/beers_springboard.php
    • chromie, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Abbey and Mothership Wit are great NB beers.

      Odell's brewery is still my favorite of the area. Easy Street is sooooooo gooooood. So is 90 Shilling.
    • cwbrandsma, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3"Fat Tire is not distributed east of the Mississippi
      Shame though.
      Bigger shame is Sunshine Wheat."

      Then over half of those beers should be disqualified because you can't find them WEST of the Mississippi. Or west of the Rockies where I live.

      Elitist east coast swine. :)
    • omnithought, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5Fat Tire is decent, but certainly not in the top 25. Hell, up here in the northwest there are 25 better beers brewed locally.
    • e808, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2Where it belongs... not on the list. It's a good beer, but nothing outstanding.
    • bronstad, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4i miss fat tire. can't get it in massachusetts
    • queenstarsha, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1fat tire's on the shelf of every grocery store that thinks it ought to offer a microbrew or two. luckily for people who think it's boring, so's sam adams.
    • tkstock, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1I'm in Richmond, VA, and I've seen Fat Tire in Kroger (grocery store).

      I've had it once - don't remember it having a particular impact like the Dogfish 60 min IPA did...
    • defythereds, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2@Aaronichi
      I'm not sure if that is true anymore. I can think of several places here in Columbus, Ohio (well east of the Mississippi) where they have Fat Tire on tap.
    • Caruthers, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2@ tkstock

      Which Kroger? I will stop by after work to pick up a case or sixer for that matter.
    • tkstock, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1@caruthers

      Are you from Richmond?

      The Kroger on Huguenot Road has a pretty good selection of beer. I think I've also seen it at Total Beverage on Midlothian Turnpike. A local distributor must carry it...
    • Caruthers, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1@ tkstock

      Yeah, I'm on the outskirts of the city. The Kroger on Broad Street doesn't have ***** for selection. Looks like I am taking a trip to Southside. Thanks for the heads up.
    • tkstock, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1There's a Total Beverage up there too... I'd try them first.
    • tkstock, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2@caruthers

      You're going to shoot me - I think I was confusing the Flying Dog Brewery Tire Bite with Fat Tire - my bad, sorry about that.
      Looking at the distribution for Fat Tire, it isn't available on the East Coast (legally):
      http://www.newbelgium.com/faq.php

      That being said, Flying Dog produces some great beers too!
      Too many beers, too little time!
    • locotx, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Why do I get the suddent urge to hum . . " . .east bound and down . . "

    • OsiVert, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4The makers of Fat Tire, New Belgium, also have a kickass newer beer called 1554. If you like Fat Tire you will probably like this too...I think it's better.
    • proxybot767, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I would choose Springboard its a great seasonal beer from the New Belgium Brewery
    • BrewBeau, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Fat Tire is OK, but New Belgium's other beers are much better. If you're into sour beers, their La Folie is one of the best. Do yourself a favor and visit their brewery in Ft. Collins, CO. Amazing. And very green.
    • RyanNumberOne, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1First off this isn't the greatest list. Second off most of these brewers make better beers than are listed here ie: Avery "The Beast" is much better than "Mephestopheles" and is 18 PERCENT ALCOHOL BITCHES!!! Who says American beers are weak? Dogfish Head "120 IPA" is better than the 60 min and weighs in around the 20 percent range (wine is around 12 percent people). Rogue "Brutal Bitter" OK but Rogue "Dead Guy" is one of the finest beers brewed in America today. And if you buy an Allagash brew, go with "Four". All big name beers (Bud, Miller, Coors, etc) are Pilsner style Lagers, ALL of them, and they are good beers if that is what you like. But most microbrews don't go that route, they brew Ales, Stouts, Bitters, etc. It's apples and oranges.
    • Caruthers, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@ tkstock

      don't sweat it, I just have to wait until the next time I am in AZ and just mail 12-pack to myself again.
  • meshman, on 10/12/2007, -20/+23I prefer beers with alcohol in them.
    • ArmyOfFun, on 10/12/2007, -2/+14They specifically mention that Avery Mephistopheles' Stout contains 15.1 percent alcohol and Bell's Expedition Stout contains 11.5 percent. I have no idea on the others.

      I have a pretty low tolerance, so I'd probably be drunk after a single bottle of the avery.
    • kapsar, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10You should look into Dogfish head 120 min, it's 21% when they bottle and up to 25% by the time you buy it. Also the Weyerbacher, PA beer, has a big beer pack that all the beer is at least 9% alc. Also a high content style is the barley wine ale, only called that in the US, they are typically somewhere between 9-12% alc. There are a lot of beers with high alc content if you look at the right beer distributors.
    • Bokista, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Weyerbacher Heresy is like a strong alcoholic chocolate milkshake. It's a must have.
    • umfskibum, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Pretty much all these beers have > 1.5 times more alcohol than anything from the BMC camps.
  • elcidcannon, on 10/12/2007, -5/+7They're almost all IPA's and ambers. Where is the beer I can chew?
    • aposter, on 10/12/2007, -8/+3What defines beer you can chew? The Hennepin has a good amount of body and mouthfeel if that is what you are talking about.
    • Noctem, on 10/12/2007, -5/+19I, personally, can't _stand_ IPA's. Far too 'hoppy' for my tastes. Brown ales are usually my favorites, but I can be swayed pretty easily by just about any stout.
    • Thrashtastic27, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Seriously. Not that I don't like IPAs (mmmm... Hop Devil...), but sometimes a gigantic porter is just what thed doctor ordered (heh, that kind of rhymed). Then again, a lot of people bitch over the Beer Advocate list because it's "biased towards stouts."
    • mobislink, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5I love the Red Hook Indian Pale Ale. It is the kind of beer when you initially take a sip your like' "OMG what the hell is this." By the time I'm done I'm ready for another.
    • Urusai, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I'm down with the brown ales myself. I'm disappointed they put Sam Adams Black Lager instead of Sam Adams Brown Ale. I wish I could find it by the case instead of in their variety six-pack (which has the Black Lager, too).
    • gregdlewis, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1@mobislink

      I tried my first IPA last week, I rather enjoyed it, and had a Red Hook IPA last night. Good stuff.
    • RyanNumberOne, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Avery's "The Beast", the specific gravity is out of this world.
  • Solardog, on 10/12/2007, -6/+5Why oh Why are there two Great Lakes beers on this list. Neither of them are that good at all. My top 5 in no order: Abita Turbodog, Magic Hat HI.P.A, Ithaca Nut Brown, Cooperstown Pride of Milford, and favorite cheapo beer Yuengling.
    • jorach, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8Abita Turbodog rules hard.
    • debtman7, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I somewhat agree. Burning River is a great beer, no doubt, but I have a hard time seeing it in a top 25 list... For a pale ale bordering on IPA type beer, I think Bell's Two Hearted Ale and Three Floyd's Alpha King are easily better than burning river.

      Still, they make great beers and it's nice to see them getting some attention :)
    • nickisgod1, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2bells 2 hearted ftw, although it seems in recent years as their production has gone up their quality has gone down, especially with oberon used to be one of my favorites, now it just seems watered down. on a side note michigan brewing company makes a great ipa
    • muppetspanker, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0@debtman - I totally agree. Burning River is middling at best. The IPAs on this list are slightly half assed, and I would definitely pick Alpha King and Two-Hearted as a better beer. And the sophistication of Two-Hearted's flavour? Its an IPA, with the aftertaste of toast (thats the fish oil). Amazing indeed.
    • wacka, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Abita Turbodog is wonderful. It was ranked by Stuff mag as the #1 beer in America, and it didn't make the MJ list:
      http://www.abita.com/news/turbodog.html
    • Chode2235, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I love GLBC you insensitive clod.....
  • RationalAntaxia, on 10/12/2007, -12/+7How did the Sam Adams Black Lager get in there???? Compared to the rest of the Sam beers, the black lager is *****. Is this a serious list or just what a person thinks are the best beers?
    • kingofthegreens, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1I disagree w/ your comment about the Sam Adams beer on here but I do think this list is crap...
    • holzp, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Its the most widely available example of the schwarzbier style. While not to your tastes the style is very pleasant to most, a porter feel with a lighter ale drinkability. The credit should really go to the style in this case rather than the brewer. Although kudos to Sam's for producing it.
    • TheKingInYellow, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3i personally think black lager is an incredible beer. out of all the sam adams brews i have had, the black lager is the best and deserves to be at the top of any beer list no matter what.
    • sketchydave, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Black Lager is good stuff, but not my favorite of the Sam Adams brews. I like all the Seasonals, and the Boston Ale and Boston Lager are my standard purchase at the package store.

      I'm also disappointed in this list. It sounded like they were going to rattle off some flavorful "normal" beers. Normal being defined as post mowing lawn, cookout, watching baseball, etc. 4 of the beers on the list had corks and many look to be pricey. Not quite what comes to mind. I'm sure they're all good and I've had a few on the list, but where's the Yuengling, Sierra Nevada, Red Hook, and so on? Give me flavorful and affordable!
  • BobMysterioso, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0Rahr is the best beer.

    If you've ever been to Fort Worth take the Rahr beer "tour". Its just a 1pm - 3pm drinkathon.

    oh, and the free beer? its 9.3%

    good times.
  • Wonkanobi, on 10/12/2007, -24/+37No Schlitz and no PBR?

    Buried as inaccurate.
    • tcpik, on 10/12/2007, -17/+12I'm sorry...but PBR is NASTY!
    • kingofthegreens, on 10/12/2007, -11/+8Schlitz is crap...but PBR is actually okay if you enjoy american style light lagers like bud, miller, coors...Last year @ GABF it actually won gold in that category...
    • bovilexia, on 10/12/2007, -10/+3more like no beast or natty light?
    • dfsiii, on 10/12/2007, -16/+3--bury--
    • mookiemookie, on 10/12/2007, -4/+20It's a list of the BEST beers. Not a list of "beers that you really don't like but drink anyways to impress your stupid hipster friends"
    • betobeto, on 10/12/2007, -6/+2No Busch Light? Ditto.

      /sarcasm
    • colinmhayes, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1also lacks Falls City.
    • nickdngr, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1oh, excuse me. i just vomited in my mouth a little bit.
    • TheKingInYellow, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2i agree with mookiemookie on the list being of great beers, however, pbr is a nice cheap beer to sit back and relax with your friends.
    • omnithought, on 10/12/2007, -5/+5***** hipster *****
    • umfskibum, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2PBR is a great example of the style, but would be a lot easier to drink if it weren't tragically ***** hip.
    • aaronm67, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1No Natty Light or Keystone? What kind of list is this?
  • professorChaos, on 10/12/2007, -7/+6Spotted Cow
    Bavarian Lager (capitol brewery)
    Potosi Light
    Wisconsin Amber(capitol brewery)
    leinenkugel Honey Weiss
    • H0mez, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1Potosi Light, that stuff is disgusting and cheap?!?!?! I do use to boil my brats in though!
    • professorChaos, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1potosi is a good cheap beer that will get better in september of this year when they actually start micro brewing it at the brewery that will be finished
    • chris_k, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3+1 for Spotted Cow
  • Manhigh, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9Nice to see Great Lakes Brewing with two entries on there. If you're ever in Cleveland, I highly recommend you stop there. The food is fantastic too.

    I prefer their Blackout Stout and Edmund Fitzgerald porter, but I'm a fan of dark beers.
    • kiwijt, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Right on! Great beer, but not as good as their seasonal brews. Blackout is an incredible beer.
    • Sparkster185, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Blackout Stout most certainly lives up to it's name. Try drinking eight of those, you'll see what I mean.
    • bwjacket, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Great Lake Christmas Ale is my favorite
    • Manhigh, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I do love the Christmas ale. Somehow it just tastes like...Christmas.
    • Gorifice, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1great lakes is a liquid encyclopedia of everything thats wrong with american craft beer
    • JackyTreehorn, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Great Lakes Eliot Ness is a beer that seems to be overshadowed by its Burning River and Dortmunder Gold siblings, but it's a pretty good beer in my book. It's my favorite Great Lakes offering (not including seasonals).
    • TheWeez, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Yeah I stopped there while in Cleveland. Good stuff. There was nothing else in that city. How depressing. We were there for a cyber crime conference. Middle of the day in the middle of downtown you could go outside and see about 4 cars driving around and 1 person walking down the street. Why in the world is that city so dead?!
    • Manhigh, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Downtown Cleveland is pretty empty. Theres some other good places right by Great Lakes brewing (Bier Markt), but the nicest things in Cleveland are very decentralized.
  • thesink, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0What? No Longboard Lager from Kona Brewing Company????
    • geneullerysmith, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0right on -- i'm headed there in a week -- i'll tip one for you too!
  • FyreGoddess, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I'm so glad that Anderson Valley is on this list. I first found their Winter Solstice Ale, but then I moved on to the Boont Amber, which is really excellent, but sadly little known. Maybe a list like this will prompt more East Coast distributors to carry it...
    • stan205, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I haven't see the list but Anderson Valley is my current favorite brewery. You are right, the Winter solstice is one of the best beers let alone one of the best I've ever tasted.
    • colinmhayes, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1ah but their stout is so much better...

      either way, avbc is one of the best in the country.
  • Ret0x, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4over90:
    I can tell you're Canadian. Don't generalize American Beer. I'm Canadian too, and of course I agree that all major US brands of beer are horrible. But this appears to be a list of Micro-breweries, which pride themselves on quality rather than quantity. I find that the local micro-brewery usually has some of the best beer (regardless of Country) around. Fort Garry (www.fortgarry.com/) is a a damn good beer, brewed just 5 minutes from my house :D
  • jerrygofixit, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11Sierra Nevada and Saranac.
    • jcm267, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7I looove Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.. makes me want to go to the packy right now.
    • holzp, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Dugg for the Matts Brewing Company!
    • neuroplasma, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9@dfick

      Shiner is from Shiner, TX.
    • mlvassallo, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3Shiner Bock is not from Austin.

      But it is the best domestic beer period.

      The article is flawed.
  • Jla30, on 10/12/2007, -27/+1Is there such a thing as GOOD American beer??
    • kalpol, on 10/12/2007, -3/+18Yes. There's lots. There's just not too many American good beer drinkers.
    • jcm267, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Does Canada make any beers that compare to Sam Adams Boston Lager? I haven't had any
    • dawheelo, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Yeah, like that moose piss Molson is something to be proud of. . .douche
    • MrTinker, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10Your comment comes from a misconception that demands clarification. Some assume that the American Light Lager, which presently is the most popular beer in America, is representative of all American beers. That is definitely not the case - American Craft Ales are a completely different beverage than commercial (read: AB, Coors, Miller, Pabst) American light lagers.

      American craft brews, particularly the west coast ales in, have quickly become the most complex beers on the planet, even in my opinion compared to Belgian beers. Compare an English IPA with an American IPA.

      Also if note is that the large manufacturers of American Light Lagers have seen stagnant sales in the past several years while micro and craft breweries are selling like crazy. It is the Renaissance of American beer.
    • jorach, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1It's funny, because the craft brewery scene in Canada is severely lacking. Aside from C'est What's stuff brewed in Toronto and Unibroue in Chambly, it's hard to think of good canadian beer.

      ps. Habs suck.
  • dylan420, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3so many great micro-brews out there... Sweetwater (Athens, GA) & New Belgium (Fort Collins, CO) 420 & Fat tire are the *****
    • cjustice, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Very disappointed to not see any of the Sweetwater Beers out of Georgia. Some of the best beers I've ever had. I particularly like the 420, Hummer and Blue varieties.
    • jasz, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2same here... Sweetwater is great... should be on that list...

      Also missing in the list.. Blue Moon... man I like that one!

      Then again, this could be taken as a good sign that America is making better beer: there's so many good beers out there that not all of our favorites made it to the top 25 :)
    • Gromit, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I thought Sweetwater was brewed in Atlanta? I think Terrapin is an Athens beer.
    • jaym104, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0blue moon is made by coors ehh but its the best they got

      and glad to see someone mention terrapin its an amazing beer
  • wonkavsn, on 10/12/2007, -11/+5Top 7 Canadian beers (sorry I just had to):

    http://blog.tooreal.net/articles/topcanadianbeer/
    • CBTF, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4How the hell is Moosehead #1? I don't agree at all.
    • profOblivion, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Top 7 mass-produced Canadian beers. I can't tell the difference between Labatt Blue and Perrier.
    • Antitheft, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3That list is incomplete. Where are the Unibroue selections?
    • colincattral, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Those are by no means the 7 best Canadian beers. Your list is primarily limited to the biggest Canadian brands, which are only marginally better than the big brands of the United States. If you're going to compile a list of the top 7 brands and post it on digg you should make a note that they are only your top 7 brands. Blogspam isn't cool, especially if the author has poor taste. If one were to compile a list of the top Canadian beers, it would look like the the list of top American beers and would be dominated by microbrews.
    • RadC, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Top Canadian beers? Maybe the top selling beers, but by no means the best. Most of those beers (Blue, Canadian, Keith's, Kokanee) are nothing more then horse-piss swill.

      Here's my list of the top 7 Canadian Beers:
      1) Mill St - Tankhouse Pale Ale
      2) Steam Whistle
      3) Wellington Special Pale
      4) Walkerville Classic Amber
      5) Niagara Falls Brewing Eisbock
      6) Creemore Springs
      7) Nickel Brook Lager

      (These are all available in Southern Ontario...not sure where else in Canada)
    • Aaronichi, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Where's the Elsanore beer, eh?
    • trc0, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6@wonkavsn:

      You should be ashamed to post such a brutal list. A disservice to all Canadians
    • Jonsey, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I still don't understand how people can drink Kokanee... it tastes horrible. I'm a fan of Rickards/Sleemans Honey Brown or Big Rock's Grasshopper. Mmmmm good beer.
    • laterallateral, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Oh... Sweet Labatt 50.
      Before you all go ***** with elitist microbrewey hype, give it a try.
      See if you can't detect the faint jasmine taste of that first sip.
      Then stab yourself in the eye.
      Sweet, sweet Labatt 50.
    • MysticSavage, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0No Club? No OV? This list is *****, sir.
    • laterallateral, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1This is not to put in question the actual QUALITY of some beers listed in this thread but
      What's up with the bad Stephen Seagal action summer blckbuster flick names of these
      alleged Great American Beers? Blackout, Dead Guy? And what's to say about the
      DND zit party beers? Rogue, Darklord? I'm finding it really hard to take these beers
      seriously. As I said, this is nothing about the actual quality, they might in fact, actually
      be quite good it's just too bad that they come off like such gimickery.
    • Astravian, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1Canada has more than 7 beers??
    • ElectricGrandpa, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2"Most of those beers (Blue, Canadian, Keith's, Kokanee) are nothing more then horse-piss swill."

      I'll agree with you on everything except for Keith's... Keith's is awesome, and my personal favourite.
    • grieks, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Pilsner deserves to be up there.
    • curbcheck, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Keith's is the best beer ever made!
    • mhill110, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@RadC

      Ah, finally, a constructive Canadian. I dug it.
  • Troopy, on 10/12/2007, -4/+10I'm from London and have never been to America to try your beer. But I have tried Bud and Coors and a few others you can purchase in UK bars and supermarkets.

    I mean this in the nicest possible way, I wasn't impressed. They were watery and I found that I needed a lot to get a decent kick out of them.

    Can you guys recommend beers that a guy like me could try when I go visit end of this year?
    • jcm267, on 10/12/2007, -5/+12Sam Adams Boston Lager ... on tap. Best beer in the world.

      The beers you mentioned above are generally consumed by two crowds. 1) People who are drinking to get wasted as quick as possible and 2) retards who think it's good beer.
    • Noctem, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Where ever you end up going, just try any local (or non local) micro brews on tap (including any of sam adam's stuff). They're usually the way to go.
    • wyrdness, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Try Alaskan Smoked Porter. It's strong (over 7% iirc) but tastes wonderful. Safeway in the UK used to sell it, but stopped when they were taken over by Morrisons. There's currently no British importer, so I can't get any more :(
    • ArmyOfFun, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Bud and coors (and miller) are basically McBeers. They're available everywhere you go and they're usually pretty cheap, just like McDonalds. If you want something that's actually good though, you don't go to McDonalds and you don't drink bud. That said, the companies behind the McBeers can brew a decent beer when they want to, the folks that sell coors also sell an excellent white beer called Blue Moon for example.

      Sam Adams is probably the best beer that's widely available in the US but any decent bar in any mid size or larger town will have plenty of microbrews to serve. Most college towns and good sized cities have at least one bar/restaurant that brew their own beer as well.
    • DJCult, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I like Dark Side Vanilla Porter, Burning Skye Scottish Style Ale, and Collapsar Oatmeal Stout, all from Empyrean Ales in Lincoln, NE.
    • Thrashtastic27, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7I'd try to track down a place with stuff by Anchor Brewing. They're generally credited as having kicked off the microbrew movement, all their stuff that I've had is fantastic and they should have national distribution (they're based in California and I live in Pennsylvania).
    • dn11, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2For good American beer that is easy to find look for anything from Sierra Nevada (at least on the west coast). I'm not partial to the Pale Ale which is the most common - but it is OK. Sam Adams is probably the most widely available descent beer in America.
    • Chunken, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Bud and Coors are some of the worst beers you can get in America, along with a few others that are almost exactly the same as them. Don't judge our beers on those.
    • umfskibum, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Tell us what part of the country you'll be in, and we can give you a ton of options.
  • washingtonydc, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4any top American beers list without New Belgium beers should not be considered seriously.

    what I wouldn't give for New Belgium to be sold nation-wide.
  • duck99, on 10/12/2007, -17/+3The 25 Best Beers In America are the ones they import from Canada.
  • H0mez, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5At least they got 1 New Glarus, WI beer on there. That stuff is delicious - Spotted Cow FTW
    • professorChaos, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3woot spotted cow rocks
    • muppetspanker, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1Meh, Spotted Cow is weak and wonky at best. Many other better wheat beers across the country. In a wisconsin mood - go for New Glarus' IPA, Stone Soup Abbey Ale or their gorgeous Raspberry Tart.
    • svartgotik, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1I drink Spotted Cow mainly because it's "the" New Glarus beer that most bars around here have, but if i had a choice, there are a lot better beers that they make. Enigma, Sour Brown Ale, and the godly Belgian Red and Raspberry Tart blow Spotted Cow out of the water. It's not the same ballpark, it's not even the same sport.
  • swifty383, on 10/12/2007, -18/+3Rogue tastes like 3 day old moldy diarrhea.
    • Noctem, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10I've had Rogue's 'Dead Guy Ale' and their Chocolate Stout. Both were pretty ***** good.
    • Caruthers, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5You eat diarrhea?
    • roxya, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15Not many people can say they know what 3 day old moldy diarrhea tastes like. Congratulations, I guess.
    • manbear, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5he doesn't just eat diarrhea, it is 3 day old moldy diarrhea. Must have a strong stomach to eat that.
    • omnithought, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Which Rogue? They make several quite delicious beers. Try their Chocolate Stout. Mix it with their Hazelnut Ale and you get liquid Nutella!
    • whutwhut, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Rogue Hazelnut ale mixed with frambouis... mmmmm.
  • scottieire, on 10/12/2007, -10/+3american beer noo well millar is ok as long as its not lite!!
    german beer yess

    trust me im irish

  • MalaysianMafia, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Spotted Cow is fantastic, why isn't that on there?
    • professorChaos, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1agreed i think its not on there because its not really a lager or dark


      they look for dark beers not light colored ones
    • tkstock, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1You mean it's a racist list? Was it compiled by Al Sharpton?
  • stan205, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15If anyone is serious about beer in the states they will come to Portland, Oregon as we are known for this:

    "Today, with 28 breweries within the city, Portland is home to more breweries than any other city in the country, and possibly the world."

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland,_Oregon#Beer
    • sundancekid503, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7I second that statement....
    • purecheese, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7I grew up in Oregon and it totally turned me into a "beer snob" as my lesser informed friends call me now. At one time the Portland area had the 2nd most breweries per capita in the world (Munich being #1). I'm not sure if they still are but it is a great place to be a beer tourist.
    • craftyguy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3word
    • DocBoss, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7More beers on that list came from Oregon than any other state.
      Oregon beer FTW.
    • kaplanfx, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4yeah Deschutes rocks! There are tons of good beers from portland.

      -kap
  • GunbladeVIII, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1http://www.duggmirror.com

    ?
  • I-Train, on 10/12/2007, -4/+7Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is #1 in my book
    Harpoon IPA #2
    • MrTinker, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Hey if you like that, you should try SN's Celebration, if you can still get a hold of it.
    • Kev585, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I enjoy Harpoon and they present an awesome tasting at their brewery in Boston.
    • jorach, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2You should really try Dogfish Head's 60 minute, 90 minute, and 120 minute IPAs. You'd love them.
    • MarkJ, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Harpoon IPA #1
  • kbull, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2"Best Of" lists are usually a total waste of time since they're basically just based on opinion. However, I'm always up for finding new beers to try. I've had a few on that list and definitely recommend the Hennepin.

    @over90: Not all American beer is *****, just the majority of the mass-market pseudo-beer that most people consume. Even a few of them are passable. At my band's practices we usually consume mass quantities of Utica Club.

    mmmmmmmmmm beer!
  • sparky1013, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0no utica club? what about peils?
  • fugularity, on 10/12/2007, -7/+2Miller Lite and Natural Light are the best, I called it.
    • fugularity, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1To those two people who just dugg me down, you are letting the terrorists win.
  • hawleyjr, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4No Sierra Nevada Big Foot??? 9.6%
  • Sparkiebuffi, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2I now believe I need to broaden my alcoholic beverage knowledge...
  • Szat, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5One name says it all, Samuel Adams.
  • sparky1013, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1[URL="http://www.explosm.net/comics/794/"]
  • kablam, on 10/12/2007, -5/+3Heineken? ***** that *****, Pabst Blue Ribbon!
  • superhombre, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5google cache:

    http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:MU1hOvIsCbgJ:mensjournal.com/feature/0610/bestbeer.html+25+best+beers&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us
  • Vic333, on 10/12/2007, -7/+0If the have any beer by Rogue on there, it invalidates the entire list.
    • Zach978, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Well, to me a list without Rogue invalidates the list.
  • Crazymaniacc, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1Belgian beer > American or any other beer!
  • SnapETom, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2No Widmer Brothers beer. Marked as inaccurate.
    • Petrarch1603, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Widmer is good but not top 25 good. Deschutes is a superior brewery
    • omnithought, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1Widmer's pretty average.
    • ohsotired, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0While I'm not crazy about all their beers, the kgb imperial stout when it was aged in bourbon barrels, was hands down my favorite beer.
  • BlinderBomber, on 10/12/2007, -0/+17I love generalizations about American beer, which most likely come from a bunch of teenagers who have no idea there is world beyond Coors, Miller, and Bud. For those that rail on American beer, shame on you. Sure, our major breweries suck, but there are literally hundreds of micros that produce amazing beer. Don't let your supposed beer snobbery (which is such a silly fad in this country) get in the way of enjoying some of the best beer in the world. I'm not saying this list is even accurate (how could it be? Beer is so subjective), but stop with the silly generalizations, go to your local liquor store and try some domestic micros, you'll be surprised.
    • manbear, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4amen.
    • fugularity, on 10/12/2007, -10/+1how about we stop dressing up the process of getting drunk by acting like we like the taste of gross overalcoholic hipster beers?
    • petoria, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Judging our beer based on whats popular is like judging our music on whats popular. Boy are those both embarrassing.
    • TomorrowLand, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Of course. Our industrial lager just happens to be SLIGHTLY ***** than industrial fizzy yellow lagers in some other countries. So what. American microbrewers are today right up there with Germany, England and even Belgium... the heavyweights.

      And Canada and Japan are holding it down, too. Lots of good microbrews in those countries.
    • Thrashtastic27, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8You inspired me to make a new joke:
      What do American microbrews and sex in a canoe have in common?
      They both kick ass.
    • muppetspanker, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10I must say, after coming over from England to Wisconsin, I might even prefer the American beer market. England has great beer, but the availability of microbrews on tap is laughable compared to Wisconsin.
    • csnoke, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6A ***** men.
  • ridinlow, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Flying Dog makes some pretty damn good beer IMO...It's too bad I can't get it most places I go.
    • Solardog, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Yeah, Doggystyle rules. It gets props just for the name, nevermind the fact that it's mad good.
  • manbear, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Yeah Empyrean (if you like dark beer I recommend their Vanilla Porter) is one of the best microbreweries in the US, good thing I live in the same city it is located in. Also the Dam Brewery in Dillon, CO has got some great beer as well.
    • DJCult, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Indeed. I recently moved here, but their beer has become my favorite.
  • sinnuendo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Abita Andygator. Hard to find but worth the search.
    • Solardog, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I can't find any Abita beers since I moved. So sad...
  • ghetbent, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2has anyone tried sweetwater....i think it is out of atlanta ga?
  • stan205, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Full Sail Sessions at #8, yeah right?! That beer was made for hipsters in the greater Portland area to have something hip to drink that would compete with the mickey grenades. what a joke!
  • antifreze, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3No Dark Lord - ranked +1 at beer advocate

    http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/26/7520

    The best beer you will ever taste from my hometown brewery three floyds.

    marked as inaccurate... no lagers should be on that list.
    • MrTinker, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3God, I wish I could get some Three Floyds or Dogfish head distribution where I live. I paid $25 online for a 4-pack of dogfish 90-minute DIPA for my buddy's birthday.
    • antifreze, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I live in AZ, and I can get dogfish head (not all of there stuff, but some)

      I miss three floyds so much... good thing my girlfriend's family are stockholders and maybe they will get me a bottle of dark lord on the 28th for the release party =)
  • antifreze, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1BTW, Hopsqautch is now on tap at Four Peaks in Tempe AZ. Excellent Barley wine
  • Fetching more discussions...
    Show 51 - 100 of 178 discussions
  •  

    Login or register to add a comment

    Create a new account or login to join in the conversation on Digg. You'll also be able to Digg stories to help promote things you like.


© Digg Inc. 2008 — Content posted by Digg users is dedicated to the public domain.
DIGG, DIGG IT, DUGG, DIGG THIS, Digg graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, scripts, and other service names are the trademarks of Digg Inc.