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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.