The Year’s Best Beer By Category in 2016
Story by:
Editorial Dept.
Published: December 13, 2016
| Updated: February 17, 2025
As an addendum to our Beers of the Year, we have compiled a list of some of the most populated styles of 2016, as well as some other interesting categories. Cheers and Happy New Year!
Top 10 American IPAs of 2016
Best IPA of 2016 – Santilli
Night Shift Brewing
Score: 97
2. Moirai IPA
FATE Brewing Company
Score: 96
3. Rare Trait
Cerebral Brewing
Score: 96
4. Duet
Alpine Beer Company
Score: 96
5. Suicide Squeeze
Fort George Brewery
Score: 95
6. Alter Ego
Tree House Brewing Co.
Score: 95
7. Stowaway
Baxter Brewing Co.
Score: 95
8. One Hop This Time
Night Shift Brewing
Score: 94
9. Gear Up IPA
Hopworks Urban Brewery
Score: 94
10. The Optimist
Fort George Brewery
Score: 94
Top 10 Double IPAs of 2016
1. King JJJuliusss
Tree House Brewing Co.
Score: 99
2. Mach 10
Bear Republic Brewing Company
Score: 96
3. Hopslam
Bell’s Brewery
Score: 96
4. Decadent Imperial IPA
Ska Brewing Co.
Score: 95
5. SFY
Threes Brewing
Score: 95
6. Apex
Bear Republic Brewing Company
Score: 95
7. Ozark Double IPA
Ozark Brewing Company
Score: 94
8. Nectar & Knife
Triple Crossing Brewing Co.
Score: 94
9. 8 Hop IPA
Rogue Ales & Spirits
Score: 94
10. 30th Anniversary Double IPA
Summit Brewing Company
Score: 94
Top 10 Specialty IPAs of 2016
1. Big Guns
Fort George Brewery
Score: 96
2. Brewery Lane Series: Imperial White IPA
Breckenridge Brewery
Score: 95
3. Grapefruit Sculpin
Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits
Score: 95
4. 3rd Anniversary Ale
Roughtail Brewing Company
Score: 95
5. Pace Car Racer
Bear Republic Brewing Company
Score: 95
6. Mosaicism
Grist Brewig Company
Score: 95
7. Watermelon Dorado
Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits
Score: 94
8. Rollcage Red
Motorworks Brewing
Score: 93
9. Komodo Dragonfly Black IPA
Upland Brewing Co.
Score: 93
10. Park
Fort Point Beer Company
Score: 93
Top 10 Barrel-Aged Beers of 2016
1. Parabola
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Score: 97
2. Maple Tripple
Lawson’s Finest Liquids
Score: 97
3. Espresso Oak Aged Yeti
Great Divide Brewing Co.
Score: 97
4. Stone Farking Wheaton W00TStout
Stone Brewing Co.
Score: 97
5. KBS
Founders Brewing Co.
Score: 96
6. Vanilla Bean Stout
Avery Brewing Co.
Score: 96
7. 20 Year Storm
Heavy Seas Beer
Score: 96
8. BA Tavern Ale
Big Boss Brewing Co.
Score: 96
9. Black Ops
Brooklyn Brewery
Score: 95
10. Ground Control
Ninkasi Brewing Co.
Score: 95
Top 10 Dark Beers of 2016
1. Bomb!
Prairie Artisan Ales
Score: 98
2. Porter Culture
Hops & Grain Brewery
Score: 97
3. N10 Imperial Blended Ale
Ninkasi Brewing Co.
Score: 97
4. Pogue’s Run Porter
Flat 12 Bierwerks
Score: 96
5. The Dweller
Green Man Brewery
Score: 95
6. Double Vision Doppelbock
Grand Teton Brewing Co.
Score: 95
7. Jolly Roger Black Lager
Eddyline Brewing
Score: 95
8. On Fleek
Stillwater Artisanal
Score: 95
9. Fayston Maple Imperial Stout
Lawson’s Finest Liquids
Score: 94
10. Belô Petroleum
Cervejaria Wäls
Score: 94
Top 5 Funky Beers of 2016
1. Boxer’s Revenge
Jester King Brewery
Score: 97
2. Bouket
Trillium Brewing Co. & De Proef Brouwerij
Score: 97
3. Funky Gold Simcoe
Prairie Artisan Ales
Score: 95
4. Humulus Terreux
The Bruery
Score: 95
5. Twenty Three
Avery Brewing Co.
Score: 95
Top 10 Sours of 2016
1. Frambozen
pFriem Family Brewers
Score: 99
2. Wild Sour Series: Flanders Red
DESTIHL Brewery
Score: 97
3. Alexander
Brouwerij Rodenbach
Score: 97
4. Ol’ Oi
Jester King Brewery
Score: 97
5. Expletus
Avery Brewing Co.
Score: 96
6. Vintage 2013
Brouwerij Rodenbach
Score: 96
7. Tartanium Berliner Weisse
Grist Brewing Co.
Score: 96
8. Beatitude Mango
Council Brewing Co.
Score: 95
9. The Discreet Charm of the Framboisie
Brooklyn Brewery
Score: 95
10. La Folie
New Belgium Brewing Co.
Score: 95
Top 5 Collaborations of 2016
1. Bouket
Trillium Brewing Co. & De Proef Brouwerij
Score: 97
2. On Fleek
Stillwater Artisanal & Casita Cerveceria
Score: 95
3. Juiceless
Wicked Weed Brewing & Creature Comforts Brewing Co.
Score: 93
4. Stillwater is Nothing Big Bunny is Everything
Stillwater Artisanal & Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co.
Score: 93
5. The Partner Ships Series: Maine Beer Co.
Heavy Seas Beer
Score: 92
Best Beer Names of 2016
1. Ol’ Dirty Barrel – Belching Beaver Brewing Co.
2. Boomsauce – Lord Hobo Brewing Co.
3. Cherry Busey – Sun King Brewery
4. Jack The Sipper – Southern Prohibition Brewing Co.
5. Colonel Kernel – The Bruery
6. Good Chit Pilsner – Rogue Ales & Spirits
7. Snaggletooth Bandana – Solemn Oath Brewery
8. Wild Sour Series: Counter ClockWeisse – DESTIHL Brewery
9. Frightened Baby Chipmunk – Call To Arms Brewing Co.
10. Liminal Moment – South County Brewing Co.
Best Label Artwork
1. Hi-Wire Gose – Hi-Wire Brewing Co.
2. Unreliable Narrator – Threes Brewing
3. Transilience – Southbound Brewing Co.
4. Rapturous – Three Taverns Craft Brewery
5. Nu-Tropic – Stillwater Artisanal
6. Balloon Boy – Burnt City Brewing
7. Hi-Dilly-Ho – Short’s Brewing Co.
8. Midnight Special – Funky Bow Brewery
9. Shower Beer – Champion Brewing Co.
10. Phantasmagoria – Prairie Artisan Ales
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