A list of America’s top beers reveals a clear trend among the palate pleasers: hops, and lots of them.
Readers of a journal from the American Homebrewers Association ranked the best commercial beers available in the U.S. For the fifth straight year, Russian River Brewing Company’s Pliny the Elder set the standard.
But hopheads were still thirsty for more. Eight of the top 11 beers are IPAs or double IPAs. (IPA stands for “India Pale Ale.”)
Members voted Stone Brewing Company in California the best brewery. The Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams) won the Best Portfolio of Beers category.
See the top 11 beers in the gallery above and to the right.