The Best Beer In Every State 2017 Slideshow

Some states are better known for their craft beers than others. Michigan, California, Vermont, and Maine seem to contain all of the world's best beers at times and oftentimes dominate the beer conversation in America. But hop heads, stout devotees, and pilsner people all across the United States know that each and every state has its shining beacons of beer.

So, we decided to give Alabama, South Dakota, and even Utah some love by finding out what beer reigns supreme in the less talked about areas of the country.

We combed through Beer Advocate, RateBeer, Untappd, and winners from the Great American Beer Festival to determine that beer everyone orders and seeks out in your state. Some of these beers are ultra-rare and much-coveted. But others are everyday flagship IPAs and lagers that are just really, really well done.

Alabama

Good People Brewing Company's Snake Handler Double IPA is a celebration of all things hoppy, with five different varieties of hops and aromas of pine, citrus, and grass. But don't worry, it's still described as "dangerously drinkable." It's the Birmingham brewery's most requested beer for a reason.

Alaska

Barleywines aren't for everyone, but Anchorage Brewing Company's A Deal With The Devil packs a world of flavor in every single sip. Complex with flavors of caramels and malts, this smooth yet thick beer is a flawless example of its style.

Arizona

Gilbert, Arizona, brewery Arizona Wilderness uses seven pounds of locally-roasted coffee beans for every batch of its Superstition Coffee Stout. It pours jet black, but don't be intimated by the color. It's aged on Madagascar vanilla beans for a week, leading to a sweet aroma and flavor.

Arkansas

Don't sleep on Nighty Night from Little Rock brewery Lost Forty. This velvety smooth imperial stout is aged in rye whiskey barrels, bourbon barrels, and cabernet barrels, resulting in a bold chocolate coffee flavor.

California

Released at Russian River Brewing Company on the first Friday in February and available for only two weeks at the pub, Pliny the Younger is The Daily Meal's third best beer in the world. So obviously it's the best brew in California. Those lucky enough to get a glass of this understand how beautiful the blend of hops in this triple IPA truly is.

Colorado

Colorado is home to many, many beautiful beers, but WeldWerks Brewing Company's Medianoche takes the cake for 2017. Brewed to celebrate the brewery's first anniversary, this full-bodied imperial stout has deep notes of vanilla, bourbon, oak, and cocoa.

Connecticut

Brewed with Citra hops, New England Brewing Co.'s Fuzzy Baby Ducks pours with a hazy orange color and tastes like big, juicy citrus fruits. Think of mango, orange, and pineapple. But just because it's hazy doesn't mean it's bitter; the flavor is wonderfully restrained.

Delaware

Dogfish Head has a wide array of beers that could be considered top of their class, but it's still hard to beat their 90 Minute IPA. Brewed continuously with hops for, you guessed it, 90 minutes, this amber imperial IPA tastes vaguely of brandy and caramel, but it's beautifully balanced with a ton of hops. There's a flavor here for everyone.

Florida

It should be no surprise that Tampa's Cigar City has the best beer in Florida. And while they have many wonderful offerings, their Double Barrel Hunahpu's Imperial Stout is the best of the best. Aged 50 percent in rum barrels, 50 percent in apple brandy barrels, this sought-after imperial stout is spicy yet rich and the 14th best beer in the world.

Georgia

Balance is an important part of any IPA, and Creature Comforts Brewing Co.'s Tropicália has all the balance. This fruit-forward beer tastes of passionfruit and citrus, but don't worry about bitterness. This beer is as refreshing as they come.

Hawaii

Maui Brewing Company's Imperial Coconut Porter won the gold medal at the 2016 Great American Beer Festival for Field Beer thanks to its malted toasted coconut flavor and creamy, silky mouthfeel. We wouldn't expect any less from this tropical state!

Idaho

Malts get all of the love in Jagged Shard, a red ale from Boise Brewing. Against its strong malted backbone, hints of citrus and hops come through at the back of your tongue, resulting in a balanced drinking experience.

Illinois

Goose Island's limited edition Bourbon County Brand Stout makes waves in beer circles every time it's released. With strong aromas of bourbon, vanilla, and fig, this brew is considered one of the best barrel-aged stouts around and is the sixth best beer in the world.

Indiana

3 Floyds Brewing Company releases its Dark Lord every year at the April Dark Lord Day festival. Those lucky enough to procure a bottle will embrace the dark side with a dense, velvety mouthfeel and dark fruit and chocolate flavors. It's our 18th best beer in the world.

Iowa

Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout may be hard to track down, but when you find a bottle of this Toppling Goliath Brewing Company brew, hold it tight. Seriously. Riots have broken out over this stuff. And one taste of this smooth maple syrup- and coffee-flavored stout, and you'll know why it's the best beer in the world.

Kansas

Big RICC, a Russian Imperial Stout from Tallgrass Brewing Company, is a robust brew with flavors of rich milk chocolate. But that's balanced nicely with a coffee bitterness. Though Big RICC clocks in at 10.55 percent ABV, it's still surprisingly drinkable.

Kentucky

Against the Grain Brewing Company took its popular 35K stout and doubled it. The result was — you guessed it — the 70k. Double the roasted deliciousness, double the creaminess, this imperial milk stout has scored the elusive 100 on RateBeer.

Louisiana

Parish's Ghost in the Machine pours a hazy yellow-orange hue, and while it's full of juicy, big hop flavors, it still goes down with ease. Lightly sweet with notes of mango, tangerine, and peach, this beer is perfect for the hop lover in your life.

Maine

With over six pounds of Citra, Falconer's Flight, Mosaic, and Simcoe hops per barrel, Maine Beer Company's Dinner is la crème de la crème of double IPAs and the 25th best beer in the world.

Maryland

Stillwater Artisanal Ales' Gose Gone Wile is funky with "massive" amounts of Citra and Amarillo hops, but don't worry. It's still a crisp and sour gose with noticeable notes of yeast. At just 4.3 percent ABV, it's insanely drinkable.

Massachusetts

You can't go wrong with any IPA from Boston's Trillium Brewing Company, but the Double Dry Hopped Congress Street takes the cake. With a milky, yellow-orange appearance, this brew is the perfect example of what Galaxy hops can turn in to. Each glass simply explodes with flavors of grass, tropical fruits, and the slightest creamy malt (for balance).

Michigan

Founders KBS is by no means a rare beer, but its release every spring still gets beer geeks excited. And for good reason. With hints of coffee and vanilla, this bourbon barrel-aged stout is smooth, silky, and effortless to drink. It's scored the elusive 100 on RateBeer.

Minnesota

Surly Brewing Company knows how to make a beer, and that's never been more evident than with its Russian imperial stout, Darkness. It's bold, and its flavors of chocolate, cherries, dried fruit, and toffee come in waves. Every sip offers a new layer of deliciousness.

Mississippi

Southern Prohibition Brewing's Hex Clouds pours cloudy and hazy. It has a malty taste up front, but then the hops really hit you with flavors of pine and tropical fruits. This beer is dank, perfect for serious hop lovers.

Missouri

Side Project's Fuzzy is a blonde American wild ale that's almost as much of a wine as it is a beer. Aged in chardonnay barrels and on locally-grown white peaches, the resulting taste of this limited edition brew is perfectly tart.

Montana

Big Sky Brewing Company's Ivan the Terrible is a thick, dense Russian imperial stout, but don't think that means it's difficult to drink. It's surprisingly easy sipping. Brewed in the traditional style using English hops and American malts, this brew tastes of dried fruit, roasted cocoa, and bourbon.

Nebraska

With numerous awards, Nebraska Brewing Company's Black Betty Imperial Stout is what puts Nebraska beer on the map. True to its name, it pours pure black and has notes of rich chocolate, oak, and coffee.

Nevada

Joseph James' Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout is the most popular beer in Nevada, and we get why. With notes of bourbon, oak, vanilla, and chocolate, this rich Russian imperial stout is perfect for any special occasion. Cheers!

New Hampshire

With an 8.9 percent ABV, Stoneface's double-dry hopped beer Hopulization is a certifiable juice bomb. Galaxy and Calypso hops give this medium-bodied beer notes of citrus and pineapple perfect for any IPA fan.

New Jersey

Kane Brewing Company's Sunday Brunch earns its name and status as New Jersey's best beer well. With tasting notes of cinnamon, maple, coffee, and lactose, this rich, dark-pouring porter is like a decadent sweet brunch in bottle form.

New Mexico

Albuquerque's La Cumbre is well known for its IPAs, but none top flagship Elevated IPA. Though it clocks in at just 7.2 percent ABV, this beer is full of hops. With a perfect 100 score on RateBeer, you know this beer is the perfect example of its style.

New York

Brooklyn's Other Half brews up some of the best IPAs on the East Coast, and many of them could have made this list. But their Double Dry Hopped Mylar Bags is their most well-balanced IPA. With five kinds of hops, DDH Mylar Bags is hazy, grassy, citrusy, and pure perfection.

North Carolina

Aged in red wine barrels and soaked in raspberries, Wicked Weed's sour beer Red Angel earns its name well. With a bold dried fruit flavor that matches its vibrant color, this beer is perfect for the hesitant beer drinker.

North Dakota

Fargo Brewing Company makes plenty of wonderful beers, but 1.21 Gigahops is perhaps their finest brew. With a dark, hazy orange color, it may look like this beer has an overwhelming amount of hops, but its balance of bitterness and sweet malts is beyond pleasing.

Ohio

Ohio is the home to many stellar breweries that make incredible beers, but Columbus Brewing Company's Bodhi just may take the cake. This golden IPA highlights Citra hops but is truly balanced in every sense of the word.

Oklahoma

No brewery is more popular or well regarded in the state of Oklahoma than Prairie Artisan Ales. Its Bomb! beer is aptly named. With a 13 percent ABV and dynamic notes of espresso, chocolate, vanilla, and ancho chile pepper, this beer is a true explosion of flavor.

Oregon

As the 2016 winner of America's Best Imperial Stout by the World Beer Awards, there's clearly no better beer of its style than Deschutes' The Abyss. With hints of licorice and molasses, this syrupy beer is rich and complex but not intimidating.

Pennsylvania

Voodoo Brewing Company's ManBearPig can be quite elusive, but it's worth tracking down a bottle. With local honey and syrup in its recipe, this beer is beautifully sweet. But don't think that's all there is to ManBearPig. It's aged in bourbon barrels and brewed with smoked malts, adding layers of flavor to every bottle.

Rhode Island

Proclamation Ale Company's Derivative: Galaxy pale ale is milky and hazy — it isn't just another IPA. With scents of peaches and oranges and a distinctive creaminess, this beer is like a hopped up creamsicle. Lightly sweet, lightly bitter, and plenty juicy, this beer is all you could ever want.

South Carolina

South Carolina's Westbrook Brewing cooked up their Mexican Cake as a first anniversary celebration for themselves, but beer fans are really the ones who have something to celebrate with this imperial stout. Cocoa nibs and vanilla beans give this beer a rich, sweet flavor and the Mexican influence comes into play perfectly with hints of cinnamon and habanero pepper. Happy birthday, indeed!

South Dakota

South Dakota isn't necessarily known for its stellar beers, but The Knuckle Brewing Company's flagship beer Knuckle Head Red is a fine beer. Amber ales are often underrated, but this coppery beer has nice caramel notes with a slight grassy, floral taste that's worth appreciating.

Tennessee

Wiseacre Brewing's Astronaut Status is a limited-edition beer, but you need to hunt it down whenever you can. With an inky black color and a big chocolate taste, this thick, creamy beer is almost like dessert.

Texas

Unfiltered, unpasteurized and 100 percent bottle conditioned, Jester King's Atrial Rubicite is a sour brew that won't make you pucker your lips. Raspberry undertones shine to give this beer a beautiful balanced taste.

Utah

Epic Brewing Company's Big Bad Baptist defies everything you might think about Utah and its relationship to alcohol. With an 11.8 percent ABV and big, bold coffee and chocolate flavors, this imperial stout is bold in all its bourbon barrel-aged glory.

Vermont

Between the brewery juggernauts of Hill Farmstead and The Alchemist, picking the best beer in Vermont is quite the task. But we had to go with a classic: The Alchemist's Heady Topper. This flagship IPA is not overrated. It's perfectly floral yet complex, and every drinker has his or her own experience of flavors, making this a simply glorious brew.

Virginia

Hardywood Park's Gingerbread Stout is aged in bourbon barrels to make the brewery's finest beer: Kentucky Christmas Morning. Notes of vanilla, coconut, and coffee come through to this beautiful ginger-spiced beer for a drink that's perfect for the most wonderful time of year.

Washington

Fremont Brewing Company'S The First Nail is already an epic oatmeal stout, but it takes on a whole new life when aged in bourbon barrels. Then, it's christened as The Rusty Nail, Washington's best beer. Spicy, full-bodied, and warming with notes of chocolate, licorice, and cinnamon, this beer is best savored slowly.

Washington, D.C.

DC Brau Brewing Co.'s On the Wings of Armageddon is a world-class imperial IPA. Though many imperial IPAs are held in high regard, this single-hopped beer has a marvelous mellow bitterness that does not give way to its weighty 9.2 percent ABV.

West Virginia

Smooth, creamy, and perfectly bittersweet, Bridge Brew Works' winter seasonal Moxxee Coffee Stout blends together chocolate and coffee flavors so flawlessly, you'd swear you were drinking a beautiful mocha on Christmas morning.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin's New Glarus may be most well-known for its Spotted Cow, but its Belgian Red is truly the brewery's best beer. At just 4 percent alcohol, this fruit beer has over one pound of cherries in every bottle, giving you perfect fruit flavor.

Wyoming

With a "stupid amount of hops," Melvin Brewing's 2x4 DIPA is dank as heck. Clean and crisp yet intensely floral and citrusy, this 9.9 percent ABV beer has everything you could ever want from its style.

Now that you've discovered the best beer in every state, it's time to conquer the best beers in the world, isn't it?