The Best Beers of 2020 by Style Category
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Editorial Dept.
The craft beer world in 2020, and the world in general, was defined by the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
However, for beer connoisseurs such as those reading this article, the year was highlighted by the continued dominance of hazy New England IPAs and double IPAs — though a bevy of fascinating beers were produced by brewers all over the world.
This year-end wrap-up will highlight some of the most highly populated styles of beers that were reviewed by our Official Review judging panel.
Unsurprisingly, a raft of different IPA styles are featured including standard American IPAs, specialty IPAs (which covers the omnipresent hazies), double IPAs and a catch-all list including all IPA styles. Beyond that, many other styles are included such as fruit beers, American wild ales, wild specialty beers as well as a surprise appearance for American Lagers and light lagers.
We hope this list piques your interest with its varied styles featured, and each of these beers deserves a special place in your beer fridge due to being some of the best examples of their respective styles.
Top 15 IPAs of 2020 (All Styles)
Top 10 Double IPAs
Top 10 Specialty IPAs
Top 5 American IPAs
Top 5 Fruit Beers
Top 5 American Wild Ales
Top 3 Pale American Ales
Top 5 Wild Specialty Beers
Top 3 American Lagers and Light Lagers
Top 3 Specialty Beers
Top 5 Spiced Beers
Top 10 Specialty Wood-Aged Beers
Top 15 IPAs of 2020 (All Styles)
1. Feasta
Vasen Brewing Co.
Score: 96
2. Advanced Fluid Dynamics: Sultana
WeldWerks Brewing Co.
Score: 95
3. Hazy Boom
Garage Brewing Co.
Score: 94
4. Particles
Definitive Brewing Co.
Score: 94
5. ORNG Double IPA
Wild Leap Brew Co.
Score: 94
6. Galaxie:503
Black Lung Brewing Co.
Score: 94
7. 7B Hazy IPA
Laughing Dog Brewing
Score: 94
8. Here Comes the Sun
Monday Night Brewing
Score: 94
9. Alpha Abstraction, Vol. 12
Wild Leap Brew Co.
Score: 94
10. Cloud Sourced Hazy Juicy IPA
Two Roads Brewing Co.
Score: 93
11. Holy Simcoe, Batman!
Bhramari Brewing Co.
Score: 93
12. Stand By IPA
Pontoon Brewing
Score: 93
13. pFriem Golden IPA
pFriem Family Brewers
Score: 93
14. Evil Haze Factory
WeldWerks Brewing Co.
Score: 93
15. Reuben’s Crush Series: Crush Cancer
Reuben’s Brews
Score: 93
Top 10 Double IPAs of 2020
1. Feasta
Vasen Brewing Co.
Score: 96
2. Particles
Definitive Brewing Co.
Score: 94
3. ORNG Double IPA
Wild Leap Brew Co.
Score: 94
4. Alpha Abstraction, Vol. 12
Wild Leap Brew Co.
Score: 94
5. Evil Haze Factory
WeldWerks Brewing Co.
Score: 93
6. Alpha Abstraction, Vol. 13
Wild Leap Brew Co.
Score: 92
7. Three Harvest
Wild Leap Brew Co.
Score: 92
8. Dire Wolf
Olde Mother Brewing Co.
Score: 92
9. Big Dippa
Reformation Brewery
Score: 91
10. Alpha Abstraction, Vol. X
Wild Leap Brew Co.
Score: 91
Top 10 Specialty IPAs of 2020
1. Advanced Fluid Dynamics: Sultana
WeldWerks Brewing Co.
Score: 95
2. Hazy Boom
Garage Brewing Co.
Score: 94
3. Galaxie:503
Black Lung Brewing Co.
Score: 94
4. 7B Hazy IPA
Laughing Dog Brewing
Score: 94
5. Here Comes the Sun
Monday Night Brewing
Score: 94
6. Cloud Sourced Hazy Juicy IPA
Two Roads Brewing Co.
Score: 93
7. Holy Simcoe, Batman!
Bhramari Brewing Co.
Score: 93
8. Reuben’s Crush Series: Crush Cancer
Reuben’s Brews
Score: 93
9. With A Little Help From My Friends
Monday Night Brewing
Score: 92
10. Pulp Theory Hazy IPA
Odell Brewing Co.
Score: 92
Top 5 American IPAs of 2020
1. Stand By IPA
Pontoon Brewing
Score: 93
2. pFriem Golden IPA
pFriem Family Brewers
Score: 93
3. Dr. Juice
Parish Brewing Co.
Score: 92
4. Little Sip
Lawson’s Finest Liquids
Score: 92
5. Largemouth IPA
Wallenpaupack Brewing Co.
Score: 92
Top 5 Fruit Beers of 2020
1. Rhymes With Purple
Bhramari Brewing Co.
Score: 95
2. Low Light
Motorworks Brewing
Score: 93
3. Tan Limes
Cape May Brewing Co.
Score: 92
4. Nightmare Fuel
Pontoon Brewing
Score: 92
5. Belch’s
Pontoon Brewing
Score: 90
Top 5 American Wild Ales of 2020
1. Rustic Sunday
Birds Fly South Ale Project
Score: 95
2. Rustique
Motorworks Brewing
Score: 95
3. Past & Future
Odd Breed Wild Ales
Score: 95
4. Fermata
Olde Mother Brewing Co.
Score: 94
5. Mierka
Vasen Brewing Co.
Score: 94
Top 3 Pale American Ales of 2020
1. 951 Blonde Ale
Garage Brewing Co.
Score: 94
2. Jammy Pale
pFriem Family Brewers
Score: 93
3. New Wave
Pontoon Brewing
Score: 92
Top 5 Wild Specialty Beers of 2020
1. Squib Cakes
Odd Breed Wild Ales
Score: 93
2. Vlad the Imp Aler
Cascade Brewing
Score: 93
3. The Call
New Holland Brewing Co.
Score: 92
4. Papagayo
Denizens Brewing Co.
Score: 92
5. It’s Tiki Time!
Denizens Brewing Co.
Score: 92
Top 3 American Lagers and Light Lagers of 2020
1. American AF
Gnarly Barley Brewing Co.
Score: 95
2. Not My King
13 Stripes Brewery
Score: 92
3. Medalla Light
Cervecera de Puerto Rico
Score: 91
Top 3 Specialty Beers of 2020
1. Westland Whiskey Barrel Aged Metamorphic Flanders Style Red w/Raspberry and Cherry
Bozeman Brewing Co.
Score: 92
2. Tie 9 On
Monday Night Brewing
Score: 91
3. Gnarly Barley India Pale Lager
Gnarly Barley Brewing Co.
Score: 91
Top 5 Spiced Beers of 2020
1. Caramel Cake Stout
Wild Leap Brew Co.
Score: 96
2. Puff Puff Pastry Stout
Gnarly Barley Brewing Co.
Score: 96
3. Christmas Pancakes
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
Score: 95
4. Black Is Beautiful
Pontoon Brewing
Score: 95
5. Rocky Road Ice Cream Stout
Wild Leap Brew Co.
Score: 94
Top 10 Specialty Wood-Aged Beers of 2020
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