If you followed along with my Best Craft Beer page from last year then you know I enjoyed some amazing brews. And I have no doubt that this year will be the same so I had to commit to creating a list of The Best Craft Beer of 2020.
Just like in the past, you can expect to see this list updated monthly with the top beers I had that month. Between my monthly updates, check out the options to connect me with below and take a look at the beers I loved the most last year by clicking here.
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Understanding more about craft beer is my goal for myself and for you. Talking about what we’ve been drinking is a great way to do this and I look forward to doing that through my list of The Best Craft Beer Of 2020.
Jump To Month:
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – December
January
Luke, I Am Your Lager
Grainworks Brewing
Schwarzbier
Dark, rich, roasty yet still light and clean.
Schwarzbier and Dark Lagers continually work their way up the list of my favorite styles.
This one particularly impressed me with more body and flavor than others in this category.
Might Meets Right
Temperance Beer
Barrel-aged Stout
Aged in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels, this is one of the best barrel-aged stouts I’ve had.
Not only is the body just right but it has incredible vanilla notes that are sweet but not sugary.
Add in a healthy oak character and this is one to remember.
Night Shades
The Virginia Beer Company
Imperial New England Black IPA
Black IPAs are polarizing because of the unique mix of dark malts and strong hops.
Night Shades masterfully blends the two worlds of citrus hops and toasty dark malt.
The result is easily one of the best Black IPAs I’ve ever had.
Honorable Mentions: 2nd Shift Bourbon Barrel-aged Black Noise, 2nd Shift Sunny Cat, Barrel House Z Captain Brunch, Ecliptic Tucana Tangerine Sour, Fibonacci BA Tollhouse Rex, Founders CBS, Heavy Seas Dry January, Lupulin Cinnatized, Lupulin Coffee Shop Assault Vehicle, Lupulin DDH Blissful Ignorance, Nine Pin Earl Grey Cider, Troegs Mad Elf
February
Cloud Harvest 01
Rhinegeist Brewing
New England IPA
While Rhinegeist has proven they can brew just about any style, IPA is still what most people associate with this fast growing Cincinnati Brewery.
This is the first of a series of IPAs and it brings huge, smooth fruity character with a body and ABV that fits any situation.
Everything Now
Monday Night Brewing
New England IPA
The New England IPA continues to evolve and many have become medium bodied, easy drinking beers.
Not this one from Monday Night. It reminds me of what put this style on the map. Heavy body, bold hops, and no bitterness.
Baby Yoda Juice
Brink Brewing
New England IPA
If you have not heard of Brink, then take a look at what this small brewery is doing.
They keep stacking up the awards and I can see this one winning too. The beer is actually better than the name which says a lot. Aroma and flavor is all tropical and citrus!
Honorable Mentions: 2nd Shift Katy, Barrel House Z Dolphins On Parade, Hoof Hearted Everybody Wants Some – 3X Strata, Little Miami Pine Drop, MadTree Bourbon Barrel-Aged Thundersnow, MadTree Spicy Drupes, Monday Night I Feel It All
March
Citridiculous
Lupulin Brewing
Imperial IPA
As the name suggests, this Imperial IPA focuses on the ever-popular Citra hop.
Huge (one may even say ridiculous) amounts of Citra were added during each stage of brewing. The result is an IPA that delivers huge citrus notes from start to finish.
Baked
Seventh Son Brewing
Imperial Brown Ale
This is a collaboration with Listermann Brewing. These two breweries created a rich, sweet brown ale.
It is dessert in a glass but as a brown ale, it is not nearly as heavy as stouts with the same flavor profile. But sill pack a huge punch.
Hawley Hefeweizen
Wallenpaupack Brewing
Hefeweizen
The Hefeweizen is a fun style because it fits into just about any situation.
This one has huge banana and bubble gum flavors along with the classic body of a wheat beer.
Enjoy this one with dinner or sitting by a fire pit, it is extremely versatile and satisfying.
Honorable Mentions: Alaskan Brewing Hazy Bay Lupulin Brewing Strickly Illegal, Lupulin Brewing Imperial Coconut Truffle, Monday Night Brewing Suspension of Belief, Rhinegeist Brewery Cordially Yours, Rogue Ales Shavasana Imperial Blonde Ale, Sonder Brewing Saison de Punch em Blend 2, Trillium Brewing Scaled Way Up
April
BA20 All Monde
Oskar Blues Brewery
Barrel-Aged Stout
By using the “Spinbot 5000“, this 12.5% ABV stout has huge notes of toasted almonds and vanilla.
It is remarkably smooth with a distinctly sweet character.
Oskar Blues has always impressed us with their stouts and this is another winner.
Fruitsmack IPA
Lupulin Brewing
Fruit IPA
Milkshake IPAs are popular but many aren’t able to enjoy them because of the lactose.
This beer leaves out the lactose but still has huge amounts of fruit and vanilla.
The result is a great fruited IPA that is sweet with just a touch of hops.
Paws & Claws
Avery Brewing
American IPA
While hazy IPAs are taking over, there’s still room for dank IPAs as well.
It has juicy, fruity hops and piney, dank hops. They compliment each other while both are easily identified.
This is a perfect example of how the American IPA continues to evolve.
Honorable Mentions: 2nd Shift Liquid Spiritual Delight, Alaskan Hazy Bay, Avery Night Warden, The Bruery Sour In The Rye, Narrow Path Family Brunch Stout, Temperance Might Meets Right: Hot Cocoa, Weideman German Chocolate Stout, West Side TIPA
May
Birthday Suit
Uinta Brewing
Fruited Sour Ale
Uinta uses different fruit each year to make this a unique anniversary beer.
I love lemon so this was a winner even before I opened it and the blackberry added just enough fruit sweetness.
This is the type of sour beer that you can easily have a few of on a hot day.
Slushy XL Sour Worms
450 North Brewing
Fruited Berliner Weisse
My family loves gummy worms so I was thrilled to try this Slushy from 450 North.
With a strong sour note, this really tastes like candy in the form of a beer. The best part is the cherry and lime really stand out making it taste both sweet and refreshing.
Mas Agave – Grapefruit
Founders Brewing
Tequila Barrel-Aged Gose
Tequila barrel-aged beers are not very common. The barrels are often difficult to work with and expensive. That makes this beer even more impressive.
As you can see, there is a base version as well as a grapefruit. For me, the grapefruit added a great sweet-tart character that made me want more.
Honorable Mentions: 21st Amendment Sparkale, 450 North Slushy XXL Trillions, 450 North Topaz & Onyx, Braxton Labs Mango Milkshake, Ecliptic Sunray, Lupulin Sophistry 6, Oskar Blues Can-O-Bliss, Platform Beer Banana Guava Slushee R. Shea Our Saving Grace
June
Double Gavel Banger
Taft’s Brewing
Double IPA
While the original is a local favorite, the Double is hands down the better version.
This DIPA brings huge sweet, sticky, fruity hops that have amazing depth and flavor. It finishes just bitter enough to keep you coming back for more. And it was released just in time for Independence Day!
Death By Affogato
Oskar Blues Brewery
Porter
Oskar Blues has been making dark beers for a long time and they’re quite good at it. And this is one of the best.
The espresso beans are the prominent flavor and the subtle sweetness wraps it up perfectly.
Party Guy
Virginia Beer Co.
English Mild Ale
While I tend to prefer beer that is bold and higher in ABV, Party Guy caught my attention. Not only is the maltly profile smooth and delicious, it was also brewed using the parti gyle method.
That is pretty rare and made me appreciate it that much more.
Honorable Mentions: Clown Shoes Rainbows Are Real, Founders Marvelroast, Guinness Barrel Aged Stock Ale, Missing Mountain Maddy, Virginia Beer Tongue Twister, Virginia Beer Cumbanchero
July
Icelandic Saga
Endeavor Brewing
Spiced Wheat Beer
I love unique beers that push flavor in ways I don’t expect. Sage and star anise make this overflow with boldness.
The closest thing I can compare it to is a spiced holiday ale but the flavors are compatible with any season. Amazing!
West Coast Bias
Lupulin Brewing
West Coast Double IPA
In a world where sweet and fruity seem to dominate, this beer pulls you in a different direction.
The flavor is pungent, earthy, slightly piney, subtly fruity (but not sweet), and finishes bitter. There’s a lot to love about this one.
Fireweed Blonde
Alaskan Brewing
Blonde Ale
Blonde Ales rarely rank among my favorite beers but this one is different. It maintains the low ABV while boasting a slightly heavier body.
And the addition of fireweed honey gives it depth of flavor with an earthy sweetness that is quite unique and delicious!
Honorable Mentions: 3 Floyds Zombie Dust, Catawba Island Waterspout Oatmeal Stout, Ecliptic Hoku-lele, Harpoon Night League, Harpoon Farm League, Jackie O’s Antik, Lupulin Lateralus Cacao & Coconut Nine Giant Double ImPEACHment with Guava, Perrin Call Me Hazy – Tropical IPA, Temperance Restless Years, Wolf’s Ridge Rum Barrel Dire Wolf
August
Pomona
Avery Brewing
Fruited Sour Ale
The balance of fruit to sour ale is perfect. There are touches of sweetness but it is a sour beer first.
The depth to the sour notes makes drinking it an experience that you’ll want make last.
Frisch’s Pumpkin Pie
Taft’s Brewing
Pumpkin Ale
I love a great collaboration! Frisch’s is a go-to restaurant that has the best pumpkin pie so I was thrilled to see them make a beer with Taft’s.
It is smooth with a bold (not overpowering) pop of pumpkin pie spices. This is fall in a can!
Birdsong Saison
Temperance Beer
Saison
Saison is a style that doesn’t get enough attention. But at least there are options as good as Birdsong.
I love the subtle spice (almost peppery) note that plays with the fruity flavors and effervescence.
Honorable Mentions: Braxton Dark Charge German Chocolate, Ecliptic Vega #8, Jackie O’s Appervation, Listermann Facts About Cats, Lupulin Sophistry #7, R. Shea Forced Evolution, Sam Adam’s Head Brewer Jimmy’s IPA, Troegs Jovial
September
Tiger’s Blood Tears
Temperance Beer
Double Milkshake IPA
The coconut & vanilla meld with the strawberry & watermelon to create a sweet, tropical experience.
This Milkshake IPA doesn’t have lactose which gives it a lighter body and is less sweet.
Lateral Haze
Deep Ellum
New England IPA
The IPA continually evolves with new aromas & flavors with pineapple being the latest trend.
This one is bursting with pineapple and has a soft, pillowy texture.
Witbier with Lemon
Ecliptic Brewing
Witbier
Fancy names aren’t necessary when the beer is this good.
The lemon and citrus notes are prominent and makes it the perfect compliment to any situation.
Honorable Mentions: Bitburger Festbier, Ecliptic Capella Porter, Listermann Preshistoric Bowl Crusher 2.0, Listermann Schwarzbier, Paulaner Oktoberfest, Sam Adam’s Double “O”, Temperance Karaoke Tears, Wasatch Black O’ Lantern, West Side Rauchbier
October
Master Of Pumpkins
Troegs Independent Brewing
Pumpkin Beer
What’s October without pumpkin beer?
This one is made with actual pumpkins as well as fall spices. The result is a gourmet-level flavor that pairs perfectly with cool weather and pumpkin carving.
Great Deceiver
Wasatch Brewery
Imperial Pilsner
This might be the first Imperial Pilsner I’ve had. It still has the great balance of a pilsner but with a touch of sweetness from the ABV & more body.
Twilight Train IPA
Perrin Brewing
Black IPA
This isn’t a style everyone loves but I’m always fascinated by it.
Perrin leans into the roasty character with this one while the hops provide a nearly fruity component.
Honorable Mentions: 450 North Slushy XL Rainbow Sherbet Cone, Heavy Seas Schnee Boot, Listermann MannBeaverWolf, Lupulin DDH Hooey, Madtree Phantom Forest, North Peak Hail, North Peak Sparta, Sonder Adela, Streetside John Lemon, Toppling Goliath Galaxy Dry Hop Psuedo Sue, Troegs HopCyclone, Wallenpaupack English Pale Mild Ale
November
Coffee Latte
Perrin Brewing
Brown Ale w/ Coffee
Not every coffee beer needs to be a stout. And this brown ales carries the coffee better than most stouts.
I’d say this tastes more like a sweet ice coffee than it does beer. And with a moderate ABV, it could easily compliment a Sunday brunch.
Stoutopias
Samuel Adams – Cincinnati
Stout – Barrel-aged
When Sam Adams ages a stout in Utopias barrels, you know it will be something special.
The Utopias character comes through so well in this heavy stout. This is a one-of-a-kind beer!
Calabaza Blanca
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Farmhouse Witbier
We live in a great time when a beer like this is canned and distributed!
It has the classic witbier orange and coriander while bringing a touch of earthy funk that we love in a farmhouse ale.
Honorable Mentions: Almanac Fruit Cobbler, Almanac Plum Sournova Clown Shoes Reindeer Games, Ecliptic Vega, Listermann Pastel Con Amigos – Barrel-aged w/ Coffee, Lupulin Imperial CPB, MadTree Hazy High, Perrin Black Ale, Perrin Malted Milk Ball, Sam Adams American Kriek, Sonder Adela, Wild Leap Three Harvest
December
Peppermint Bark Milk Stout
Rogue Ales
Stout
I can’t resist seasonal beers and this is especially true for Christmas beer. Rogue got just the right amount of sweet peppermint into this medium bodied stout. Enjoy it with your favorite Christmas movie!
Alpha Abstraction vol. 13
Wild Leap
Imperial IPA
Wild Leap continues this series and the latest version brings huge pithy citrus notes. It tastes nearly like orange juice.
Keep The Change Ya Filthy Animal
Lupulin Brewing
Imperial New England IPA
It may not look like a Christmas beer until you realize it is from Home Alone. Lupulin always delivers and this IPA ranks as an all-time favorite.
Honorable Mentions: Against The Grain Roosted Chiquen, Bruery Terreux Quadrupel Tonnellerie, Clown Shoes Advent Party Crasher, Deep Ellum Deep Winter, Genessee Honey Brown, Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biere, Listermann Jay Jay Vanilla, Lupulin Centless, Sam Adams Winter Lager, Sam Adams Old Fezziwig, Squatters Juicy, Troegs Double Blizzard, Wasatch Wonderful Winter Ale
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