The Best Beers of 2018 by Style Category

Craft beer is replete with fascinating styles to explore. This year, brewers around the globe continued to create rich tapestries of aromas, flavors and colors that intrigued our panel of judges in the Official Review. Each year, we acknowledge the highest-rated beers of the year in the most well-represented style categories.

In 2018, many popular styles are represented, such as American IPAs, Double IPAs, Hazy IPAs, a variety of sours and a wide range of dark beers, including Porters, Stouts, Strong Belgian and European Beers and Amber and Brown American Beers.

Specialty categories include Vienna Lagers, Wild Specialty Beers, Oatmeal Stouts, Saisons, Wheat Beers and more.

Specialty Wood-Aged Beers, such as beers aged in bourbon, rum, whiskey, gin and wine barrels, were among the highest-rated by our judges.

Beers with added ingredients are also present, including a wide range of Fruit Beers and Spice, Herb & Vegetable beers – including beers brewed with mint leaves, spruce tips, coffee beans and cocoa nibs.

Not unexpectedly, our best breweries of the year are well-represented in this list, as they produced some of the finest examples of different style categories.

We hope you enjoy reading about these delicious brews, as each of these beers are the among the best examples of their respective styles.

Top 10 IPAs (all styles)
Top 10 American IPAs
Top 5 Hazy IPAs
Top 10 Double IPAs
Top 3 Specialty IPAs
Top 10 American Pale Ales
Top 5 Pilsners
Top 5 Wheat Beers
Top 5 Saisons
Top 10 Fruit Beers
Top 5 Spice, Herb & Vegetable Beers
Top 5 Porters & Stouts
Top 5 Oatmeal Stouts
Top 3 Amber & Brown American Beers
Top 3 Vienna Lagers
Top 5 Pale Malty European Lagers
Top 5 Strong Belgian & European Beers
Top 15 Specialty Wood-Aged Beers
Top 3 Mixed-Fermentation Sour Beers
Top 10 Wild Specialty Beers

Top 10 IPAs of 2018 (All Styles)

1. Lupulin River
Knee Deep Brewing Co.
Score: 96

2. Tunnel Vision DDH w/Citra
Bearded Iris Brewing
Score: 96

3. Fastback Racer
Bear Republic Brewing Co.
Score: 95

4. Clencher
BuckleDown Brewing
Score: 95

5. Digital Bath
Belching Beaver Brewery
Score: 95

6. Amirite?!
Springdale Beer
Score: 95

7. Never Better DIPA
Coronado Brewing Co.
Score: 95

8. Weekend Vibes IPA
Coronado Brewing Co.
Score: 95

9. Transcend IPA
Heathen Brewing
Score: 95

10. Crowd Control Imperial IPA
Southern Prohibition Brewing
Score: 94

Top 10 American IPAs of 2018

1. Digital Bath
Belching Beaver Brewery
Score: 95

2. Amirite?!
Springdale Beer
Score: 95

3. Transcend IPA
Heathen Brewing
Score: 95

4. Weekend Vibes IPA
Coronado Brewing Co.
Score: 95

5. Looking Glass
Starr Hill Brewery
Score: 94

6. Hop Peak IPA
Breckenridge Brewery
Score: 94

7. Inline IPA
Garage Brewing Co.
Score: 93

8. Betty IPA
Hangar 24 Craft Brewing
Score: 93

9. Man Juice
Knee Deep Brewing Co.
Score: 93

10. Foxfire
Fullsteam Brewery
Score: 92

Top 5 Hazy IPAs of 2018

1. Tunnel Vision DDH w/Citra
Bearded Iris Brewing
Score: 96

2. Cloud Catcher Milkshake IPA
Odell Brewing Co.
Score: 93

3. North Island IPA
Coronado Brewing Co.
Score: 93

4. Marine Dream IPA
Coronado Brewing Co.
Score: 93

5. Dust Bunny
Monday Night Brewing
Score: 91

Top 10 Double IPAs of 2018

1. Lupulin River
Knee Deep Brewing Co.
Score: 96

2. Fastback Racer
Bear Republic Brewing Co.
Score: 95

3. Clencher
BuckleDown Brewing
Score: 95

4. Never Better DIPA
Coronado Brewing Co.
Score: 95

5. Crowd Control Imperial IPA
Southern Prohibition Brewing
Score: 94

6. Blind Pirate
Monday Night Brewing
Score: 94

7. Big Mother Triple IPA
Mother Earth Brew Co.
Score: 93

8. Night Game
Sketchbook Brewing Co.
Score: 93

9. Alpha Abstraction Vol. 3
Wild Leap Brew Co.
Score: 93

10. Detour
Uinta Brewing
Score: 92

Top 3 Specialty IPAs of 2018

1. Concrete Dinosaur
Right Brain Brewery
Score: 94

2. Saddleback
Uinta Brewing
Score: 93

3. Wreak Havoc
Bootstrap Brewing
Score: 92

Top 10 American Pale Ales of 2018

1. Rupture
Odell Brewing Co.
Score: 96

2. Fresh Bongwater Hemp Ale
KettleHouse Brewing Co.
Score: 95

3. Fayuca Rizing
Helio Basin Brewing Co.
Score: 94

4. Syringa Pale Ale
Boise Brewing Co.
Score: 94

5. pFriem Extra Pale Ale
pFriem Family Brewers
Score: 93

6. Stick’s Pale Ale
Bootstrap Brewing
Score: 92

7. Han Brolo
Monday Night Brewing
Score: 92

8. PreFunk Pale Ale
Worthy Brewing Co.
Score: 92

9. Always Ready
Cape May Brewing Co.
Score: 91

10. Mosaic Single Hop Pale
pFriem Family Brewers
Score: 91

Top 5 Pilsners of 2018

1. Highland Pilsner
Highland Brewing Co.
Score: 96

2. Bo Pils
East Brother Beer Co.
Score: 95

3. Steamworks Pilsner
Steamworks Brewing Co.
Score: 94

4. Reuben’s Brews Pilsner
Reuben’s Brews
Score: 94

5. Zoigl-Pils
Zoiglhaus Brewing Co.
Score: 93

Top 5 Wheat Beers of 2018

1. Riegele Augustus
Brauhaus Riegele
Score: 94

2. KC Bier Co. Hefeweizen
KC Bier Co.
Score: 93

3. Licher Weizen
Licher Privatbrauerei
Score: 93

4. La Trappe Witte
Trappist Brewery Koningshoeven
Score: 93

5. Snow Glare Hoppy Wheat
Breckenridge Brewery
Score: 9

Top 5 Saisons of 2018

1. Bastogne Ardenne Saison
Brasserie de Bastogne
Score: 94

2. Lemon Zest Farmhouse Ale
pFriem Family Brewers
Score: 94

3. Funkwerks Saison
Funkwerks
Score: 94

4. Super Saison
pFriem Family Brewers
Score: 94

5. Saison de Rose
Free Will Brewing Co.
Score: 93

Top 10 Fruit Beers of 2018

1. Nectarine Golden Ale
pFriem Family Brewers
Score: 95

2. Fire Iron
Urban Artifact
Score: 93

3. The Gadget
Urban Artifact
Score: 92

4. Little Balls of Blue
Streetside Brewery
Score: 92

5. Éphémère Strawberry & Rhubarb
Unibroue
Score: 91

6. Island Vibes
Coronado Brewing Co.
Score: 91

7. Bizarre Gardening Accident w/Kumquat
Motorworks Brewing
Score: 91

8. Snozzberries Taste Like Snozzberries
Pontoon Brewing
Score: 91

9. Chariot
Urban Artifact
Score: 91

10. Chillax
Bootstrap Brewing
Score: 90

Top 5 Spice, Herb & Vegetable Beers of 2018

1. Mega Mint Imperial Chocolate Milk Stout
Heathen Brewing
Score: 94

2. Spruce Tip IPA
Goodwood Brewing Co.
Score: 92

3. Mexican Stout
Ship Bottom Brewery
Score: 92

4. Pan a Flores
SouthNorte Beer Co.
Score: 92

5. Cold Press Black
Bent Paddle Brewing Co.
Score: 92

Top 5 Porters & Stouts of 2018

1. Nitro Irish Stout
Breckenridge Brewery
Score: 96

2. Epitaph Russian Imperial Stout
Heathen Brewing
Score: 95

3. Santa’s Little Helper
Port Brewing Co.
Score: 95

4. Danzig
Devils Backbone Brewing Co.
Score: 94

5. Four Seasons – Winter ’18
Mother Earth Brew Co.
Score: 94

Top 5 Oatmeal Stouts of 2018

1. East Brother Oatmeal Stout
East Brother Beer Co.
Score: 96

2. Four Seasons – Autumn ’18
Mother Earth Brew Co.
Score: 95

3. Elbow Patches
The Virginia Beer Co.
Score: 93

4. Buffalo Bill’s Black Pumpkin Stout
Buffalo Bill’s Brewery
Score: 93

5. Gerry Dog Stout
Big Elm Brewing
Score: 91

Top 3 Amber & Brown American Beers of 2018

1. Dry-Hopped Censored
Lagunitas Brewing Co.
Score: 93

2. Chickow!
Listermann Brewing Co.
Score: 92

Top 3 Vienna Lagers of 2018

1. Mexican Empire
Arches Brewing
Score: 97

2. KC Bier Co. Festbier
KC Bier Co.
Score: 96

3. pFriem Vienna Lager
pFriem Family Brewers
Score: 95

Top 5 Pale Malty European Lagers of 2018

1. Privat
Brauhaus Riegele
Score: 98

2. Maibock
Devils Backbone Brewing Co.
Score: 95

3. Pinky Sweater
Sketchbook Brewing Co.
Score: 95

4. KC Helles Lager
KC Bier Co.
Score: 94

5. pFriem Helles Lager
pFriem Family Brewers
Score: 93

Top 5 Strong Belgian & European Beers of 2018

1. Blonde de l’Enfer
Unibroue
Score: 95

2. La Trappe Quadrupel
Trappist Brewery Koninshoeven
Score: 94

3. King Gambrinus
Jersey Girl Brewing Co.
Score: 94

4. Devil’s Advocate
Church Street Brewing Co.
Score: 93

5. Avarice & Greed
Roadhouse Brewing Co.
Score: 92

Top 15 Specialty Wood-Aged Beers of 2018

1. Maple Barrel Aged Smoked Porter
pFriem Family Brewers
Score: 96

2. Barrel-Aged Legion
Community Beer Co.
Score: 95

3. Brewery Lane Series: Imperial Vanilla Porter Aged in Rum Barrels
Breckenridge Brewery
Score: 95

4. Highland Charge Bourbon Barrel Aged Wee Heavy Scottish Ale
Heathen Brewing
Score: 95

5. Barreljuice, Barreljuice, Barreljuice
Angel City Brewing
Score: 95

6. Jolly Russian
Odell Brewing Co.
Score: 94

7. Goodwood Bourbon Barrel Stout
Goodwood Brewing Co.
Score: 94

8. pFriem Barrel Aged Saison II
pFriem Family Brewers
Score: 94

9. Last Will & Testament
Monday Night Brewing
Score: 94

10. Bailey’s Taproom 10th
pFriem Family Brewers
Score: 94

11. Pinot Fresa
Angel City Brewing
Score: 94

12. Ante Meridiem
Monday Night Brewing
Score: 93

13. Wine Barrel-Aged Magic Trait
Speciation Artisan Ales
Score: 93

14. Four Seasons – Summer ’18
Mother Earth Brew Co.
Score: 93

15. Reindeer Tears Bourbon Barrel Aged Barleywine
Heathen Brewing
Score: 92

Top 3 Mixed-Fermentation Sour Beers of 2018

1. Temporarily Permanent
Cape May Brewing Co.
Score: 95

2. pFriem Flanders Blonde
pFriem Family Brewers
Score: 95

3. Shared Waters
Coronado Brewing Co.
Score: 93

Top 10 Wild Specialty Beers of 2018

1. Oak & White
Upland Brewing Co.
Score: 95

2. Apricot Orchard Brett Golden Ale
The Virginia Beer Co.
Score: 94

3. Modern Tart
Upland Brewing Co.
Score: 94

4. Fire Iron
Urban Artifact
Score: 93

5. Oak & Rosé
Upland Brewing Co.
Score: 93

6. Pêche
Alesong Brewing & Blending
Score: 93

7. Wild Grape Ale
Hi-Wire Brewing
Score: 92

8. Raspberry Provincial
Funkwerks
Score: 92

9. Poive Raz
Springdale Beer
Score: 92

10. No Fuzz
Springdale Beer
Score: 91