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Top 39 Fruit Beers
Explore our list of the Top 39 Fruit Beers, as rated by our panel of judges for the Official Review. The selection ranges from barrel-aged sours with pawpaw fruit to mango fruit lambics, and from lemon lagers to a variety of other options in between.
Fruit Beers are defined by the Beer Judge Certification Program as any “beer made with fruit or any combination of fruit.” For this list, we’ve delved into the Top 39 fruit beers our judges have reviewed in our Official Review. However, we have not limited it to just beers that are designated as “fruit beers” according to the BJCP 2015 style guidelines.
Instead, this list features any beer that features fruit as one of its primary ingredients. That means beers not necessarily regarded as fruit beers, per se, are included on this list, such as Fruit Lambics, Wild Specialty Beers as well as IPAs brewed with fruit or barrel-aged beers aged on fruit are also included. Sour beers these days are replete with intriguing ingredients ranging from peaches, apricots, citrus fruits, prickly pear, passion fruit and many more – and this list features many of those scintillating additions.
As with any of our best-of lists, we can only include beers that our BJCP-certified judges have actually reviewed, so there will certainly be omissions of your favorite fruit beers. If that’s the case, please don’t be shy about letting us know in the comments! Though our selection of fruit beers is limited we’re always looking for new additions to our beer review.
So read on and explore our list of the Top 39 Fruit Beers, from barrel-aged sours with pawpaw fruit to mango fruit lambics to lemon lagers and everything in between.
#39
94
Fruitopia Berliner Weisse
Garage Brewing Co.
Fruit Beer
#38
94
Snozzberry
Green Man Brewery
Fruit Lambic
"Earthy funk intermingles with some toasty wheat malt, and hints of oak and vanilla sneak out of the aftertaste. Tannins and acidity aid in presenting a very dry finish, and a medium-light body with effervescent carbonation adds to the puckering effect as the tannins coat the mouth. Overall, super tart, super fresh, and not-quite ripe-raspberries and cherries blend beautifully within this funky, oaky wheat beer. An ultra-refreshing delight."
- Judge Rick Franckhauser
#37
94
LMN ADE
Wild Leap Brew Co.
Fruit Beer
#36
94
Currant Events
Monday Night Brewing
Wild Specialty Beer
"The black currant really sings when paired with leather and lacto. There’s also a strong hibiscus-like, floral, earthy flavor that blends with the other flavors. Despite all of this, the beer is well-balanced without too acidic of a finish. Currant Events is a delicious, sessionable sour that clocks in at only 4.5 % ABV. Well balanced with tart fruit and funk, it should appeal to beer connoisseurs and newbies alike."
- Judge Michael Bury
#35
94
Bailey's Taproom 10th
pFriem Family Brewers
Wild Specialty Beer
"Overall, this is quite a solid Brettanomyces-fermented beer with just a hint of woodiness that simply adds a little more complexity. Perhaps the fermentation is entirely done in wood with a healthy Brett supply. What really makes this beer worth seeking out is how different it is from the more common wild fermented beers these days that tend to be exceptionally sour or tart with little else. Instead, this expresses all the great flavor that Brett can produce without taking away from the subtlety of the malt. I highly recommend trying this if you are looking for something that stands out without relying on gimmicky hops or malts."
- Judge John C. Tull
#34
94
Black Raspberry Lambic
Area Two Experimental Brewing
Fruit Lambic
#33
94
Old Fezziwig Ale
The Boston Beer Co.
Fruit and Spice Beer
"The flavor is a four-part harmony of dark caramel, chocolate, spice and roasted malts. A pleasant hint of molasses and smoke peek through just before the long roast and caramel finish. This beer is perfectly balanced with subtle complexity, and is not a big, boozy, overly spiced winter warmer, but rather it beckons you to relax by the fireplace and contemplate the season. Excuse me while I go pour another."
- Judge Rick Franckhauser
#32
94
White Angel
Wicked Weed Brewing
Wild Specialty Beer
"What happens when a dry white wine is fused with a wild ale? Apparently, this beer happens. Muscat grape notes waft from the glass, along with tinges of citrus, kiwi, light acidity and mild Brettanomyces barnyard nuances. Although not immensely complex, this vinous brew with a light/medium body comes across as delicious, quenching and entirely fascinating."
- Judge Owen Ogletree
#31
94
Bourbon Barrel Raspberry Stout with Vanilla Beans
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
Specialty Wood-Aged Beer
#30
94
Dryades
NOLA Brewing Co.
Wild Specialty Beer
"The flavor showcases a high level of clean, lactic sourness and is balanced well by sweet, bready malt resulting in a pleasant sweet-and-sour experience. The beer finishes lightly bitter with a lingering sweet-and-sour character and a generous helpings of plums, prunes, and cherries.This wild beer is expertly crafted. The well executed Oud Bruin base style is complemented well by the additions of plums and cherries. The sweet-and-sour character is very enjoyable and allows the wild character to showcase without an aggressive acidity."
- Judge Michael Heniff
#29
94
Pinot Fresa
Angel City Brewery
Wild Specialty Beer
"The Brettanomyces is a bit lighter in the flavor and quite complementary. A light red wine character develops in the aftertaste. The complex fruit, sourness and wild yeast combine to create a complex and quite enjoyable barrel aged beer. Pinot Fresa is a well-brewed barrel-aged fruit beer. Perhaps a slight taming of the lactic sourness would create a more balanced beer, but only slightly. Quite refreshing and one that should not be passed up."
- Judge Randy Scorby
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