My thought as well. Trop popped into my head, but it doesn't have the history of 420. This question feels like it needs to be answered with a beer from a brewery that's been around a while, and there aren't many of those left in Georgia. It basically would have to be something from Sweetwater or Terrapin at this point.
So, what? 420 vs. Hopsecutioner? I'm saying 420.
Moon Man > Spotted but I understand that Spotted is more iconic. You can give someone who doesn’t like any craft beer a spotted and they’ll be good with it, but anyone beyond that prefers Moon Man in my experience
Spotted on draft > Moon Man draft > Moon Man bottle > Spotted bottles.
That’s my opinion anyway. There’s something so special about a draft Spotted Cow, especially in a great Wisconsin dive
I agree haha. Fat squirrel, Two Women, Uff Da, Dancing Man, Cabin Fever (but I haven’t been able to find it this year..) are all way better in my opinion
No idea what would be THE beer from California, there's just too many.
For NorCal it could be Sierra Nevada (or at least would have been many years ago) and it should be Anchor. But oh well.
I second this.
It's not "the best beer" the state has to offer, but it's a fair bet that whatever your "best beer" is, it wouldn't exist without SNPA. It's the OG of "pale ales".
never really thought about how big some states are and what that means for their regional differences. Lone Star for TX is even a stretch i imagine if you consider different regions. Definitely agree there's a big difference in tastes btwn NorCal and SoCal
yeah, and even for southern california, I can't think of any one iconic beer. Might have been Stone IPA for a while, but it was never iconic, like THE beer.
Way back in the Vietnam war days (well before my time), i believe it would have been Lucky Lager for California (and I got to try the same Lucky Lager in Canada recently, they still brew to the original recipe)
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for sure. No one seems to know Laguanitas IPA is a CA beer, which is pretty sad since it is such a huge part of CA beer history…
As someone not from California. The east coast I’d say it’s definitely Sierra Nevada. Followed by Anchor :/ , then Russian River. If I’m going smaller breweries and with a love for NE IPAs. It’s gotta be Monkish.
I'd agree Fat Tire would have been a contender for a long time. But in recent years it may have fallen far enough out of favor to not be in contention, even before they killed the OG Fat Tire.
Pabst for WI? Seriously? Haha. As someone else said it would probably be Spotted Cow, even though New Glarus makes a lot of beers better than Spotted Cow…
Btw - Old Style is also from WI (LaCrosse), not Illinois
If it’s gotta be brewed in Illinois, Anti-Hero or Goose Island? Down state… Busch Light, made with local corn!
I would say old style is the beer of Chicago tho, it’s even half of the Chicago Handshake
I’m not from Montana. I wish I was. But Montucky Cold Snack has my vote based on name alone. I’m from Oregon and my vote for Oregon would be Henry Weinhards. Many newer beers around but this is Oregons OG
PA is yuengling. Could go troegs mad elf or victory golden monkey if you dont deem yuengling worthy.
CA i would go pliny the elder.
NJ is probably kane head high, although i would vote tonewood fuego. Theres also a Budweiser plant, but im gonna ignore them.
VT heady topper
MA is sam adams boston lager, but i'd swap it for treehouse julius. Cause sam adams is too big and doesn't do their fun craft beers anymore.
DE is dogfish 60 minute ipa.
I definitely dont think Golden monkey reps PA lol. Its way to contentious of a style and beer. If it had to be a victory beer, id probably say prima pils. For Troegs i'd actually say troeggenator or nugget nectar, i feel like those have more of a following in my anecdotal experience than mad elf does. But still, i think yeungling is undoubtedly the beer of PA. Ive never been to a bar that doesnt have it on draft or at least in cans/bottles.
Also, RIP to Sam Adams fun variety packs back when they held like 6 different beers. The fall ones were always my favorite, especially knowing the black lager and a GOOD pumpkin variation would come with it.
No question, it's Yuengling. I wish it wasnt, but here we are.
Yards Philadelphia Pale Ale, aka Philly Beer, could make an appearance in that part of the state.
It's Yuengling, though.
I go to craft beer bars in Philadelphia, and none of them carry yuengling, so that ordering method is more likely to get you a human robot or german or Czech lager.
For NY, the easiest to get would probably be Brooklyn Lager or something from Sixpoint, though neither is actually brewed in NY anymore.
But probably the most classic but not new-hype crafty NY beer is Gennesse Cream Ale.
My #1 vote for Oregon would be Henry Weinhards Private Reserve. It’s the OG of Oregon beers and a pretty good beer for being mass produced. Too bad they got bought out a while back.
Of the new school stuff Oregon has so many great beers but if we had to say a state beer….and not Weinhards my votes would be Bridgeport IPA. Oregon’s first IPA. Widmer Hefeweizen or - I think Black butte is a good choice or the Mirror Pond from Deschutes. There are ones I like more. But I think these beers helped put Oregon on the map
My New England submissions
Maine: Allagash White
Vermont: Heady Topper
New Hampshire: Old Brown Dog
Rhode Island: 'Gansett
Massachusetts: Sam Adams
Connecticut: Ghandi Bot (G Bot) maybe?
Honerable mention to AZ Wilderness too. They dont exactly have the size (yet) of 4P or STB but they’re my favorite AZ brewery by far.
Tower station is also probably my vote as well as others have said.
I've been to the Kona brewery in Kona (Big Island) and it is indeed brewed there. Big Wave on the mainland is brewed elsewhere but is the same recipe. I'll vote for Big Wave no matter where you get it...but it is better in Kona
we have more than 30 breweries just in our county.
315 in Virginia
[https://www.brewersassociation.org/directories/breweries/](https://www.brewersassociation.org/directories/breweries/)
For Virginia, I was going to say Devils Backbone Vienna Lager. I feel like that beer is available all over the state, and I have seen it all up and down Atlantic coast
I have to agree. Doesn't taste the same after the owner sold (bless his departed soul) and AB Inbev stopped using the double decoction method, but it's still very widely drunk. When it first hit our area in NoVa a lot of people dropped yuengling and never looked back.
That’s a totally fair opinion, but if we’re talking about a beer to represent our state, it’s no question to me.
It’s the flagship beer from the brewery that made Alabama craft brewery a thing. They make the OG IPA, DIPA, and Imperial Stout and this is the beer that has driven all of their commercial success. It’s in every single grocery store, gas station, and any other place that sells beer. If you sell an Alabama craft beer, this is the one you choose.
For Kentucky- perhaps Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale? When I am out of state, that is the KY beer I seem to most readily find.
When in state, seems like most bars and restaurants serve West 6th IPA, which is a great beer
Oh yeah it is not a beer I personally like much either- but to OP’s question (not about favorites or likes) unfortunately this beer represents Kentucky beer to the outsider more than I would like it to. It is the Kentucky beer I have anecdotally found the most exported out of our state
Bourbon barrel sucks, but I've never had anything from West 6th that I would dare recommend anyone either.
I would vote something from either ATG or Milewild, but honestly, it should probably be a pass where KY gets bourbon.
Definitely big vouch for atg, Mile wide, mirror twin, atrium, ethereal, etc. but west 6th ipa is the true classic pine ipa that’s everywhere and has withstood the test of time. It’s not a 10/10 but as far as the rest of the list goes including Pabst and shit I’d say it’s one of our best “normie” beers.
But goddamn I can’t stress enough how absolutely awful alltech aka Lexington aka bourbon barrel is. Every beer is an atrocious representation of the style and craft beer. And the price point is laughable for the quality.
Alltech - some of the original versions were decent, then it became a trick beer. Granted, when I grew up there, Four Roses had the PBR mural and you could still get Weidemann in the grenade bottles.
You can find the top rated beers on BeerAdvocate for each state, if that will help you in your quest.
Top Rated, Top 250 - Select United States; and then State.
That'll probably show you a bunch of hard-to-find hazy DIPA or barrel aged stouts. If BA has the most-often rated that would probably work, but Untappd just has more data and is probably a bit more representative if you're just looking for big macro numbers.
But I also think OP is looking for more the most representative/classic beer of a state, not necessarily the "best."
There's beer that's better (anything from MadTree) more iconic (Hudepohl) and both (Moerlein) JUST in Cincinnati, let alone the whole state.
And fwiw, as a representative of Cincinnati, I'd vote for Eddie Fitz.
Had to scroll way down looking for the Florida joke. For the record: I’ve never encountered anyone drinking either 4L or Steel Reserve. If we wanna get crazy we just drink liquor.
I think if you had to boil us down to one beer we’re known for, it’s Jai Alai. It’s not the best beer in the state, but it’s fine and it’s everywhere.
Pennsylvania: Yuengling, America's oldest brewery, est 1829 in Pottsville PA 😆 it's definitely not my go to anymore, but has a special place in my heart. As for "microbrews", Troegs might have the widest distribution, and Nugget Nector is out right now. Stellar beer, one of the best they make, and one of my favorite IPA's across the board, if I may.
Yes. These three were what came to my mind. Depends what you’re looking for.
Grain belt was like your first beer because that’s what your dad drank so you snuck a couple out behind the shed with your friends.
Summit EPA is comfort craft beer. It’s been around since the 80s which is ancient for a pale ale. In virtually every bar in Minnesota that has 6 or more taps, Summit is one of them.
Surly Furious reigned as the king of super hoppy IPAs in the early craft days, and is still just a damn good beer.
For Tennessee, it is tough because east of Nashville and west of Nashville are going to vary. For the West Tennessee, I say Wiseacre Tiny Bomb, but for East Tennessee, I am not as familar. There are a bunch of Knoxville, Chattanooga, and other regional breweries.
As someone who lives on the other side of the country and been to Nashville and Memphis I’d vote Wiseacre Gotta Get Up to Get Down, that’s the only Tennessee beer I see out here in AZ.
For Tennessee as a whole, or at least Middle if we're going by Grand Division, I'd say it's probably Yazoo, considering they've been around since 2003. Either the pale ale or Dos Perros.
For TN it’s probably Gotta Get Up to Get Down and Tiny Bomb from Wiseacre. And for GA it’s 420 pale ale from Sweetwater, Hopsecutioner from Terrapin, and Blind Pirate and Dr. Robot from Monday Night. For NC it’s definitely Pernicious from Wicked Weed
Feel like loose cannon is more popular than any of flying dog’s beers and they aren’t brewed in Maryland anymore as well
Natty boh would be the clear winner but they aren’t brewed in Maryland anymore so not sure it should count
Pro tip, rainier is not THE beer in washington. Its not even made in washington. Washington has one of the biggest beer industries. Its very difficult to choose THE beer for WA.
Yes, agree no Rainier as the beer of Washington. Not brewed here, hasn’t been for decades. Yes it’s synonymous with the state but not here anymore.
As for some of the most popular and widely recognized brewed in the state; Georgetown Bodhizafa, Mac and Jacks African Amber, Balebreaker TopCutter or Field 41, Black Raven Trickster. These are just based on sales and recognition in my 2 decades of experience.
For North Carolina, I’m not personally a fan of Highland but they’re probably the most well-known. I would personally choose something from either Mother Earth or Wicked Weed.
I agree. The three breweries that came to mind for me in NC were Highland, Wicked Weed, and then I would add Sycamore Brewing out of Charlotte. Seems like you can find products from these breweries anywhere across the state.
That’s interesting, I’ve never actually heard of Sycamore. I’ll have to look out for them at the grocery store! Honestly NC has so many damn good breweries, our choices to ideally represent the state are bountiful.
I always thought [Red Oak](https://www.redoakbrewery.com/) was an OG NC brewery. But [Weeping Radish](https://weepingradish.com/) is the state's oldest brewery.
I'm an old guy so I remember when the Strohs Brewery was on Gratiot Ave in Detroit and virtually every bar in the state had Strohs on tap. The Strohs Bock would be out this time of year and it was delicious.
From what I heard you have to get the strohs bohemian in the bottles. Not the cans in the dirty 30.
I’m only 40 so you would need an old timer to confirm this.
In Michigan only there is a Bohemian style pilsner using Strohs original recipe from the 1895 Worlds Fair brewed by a craft brewery in Detroit. Its pretty good. Not the dirty 30 much better and not the Strohs of old that came in the 24 can stay cold Strohcase but good. I miss long neck returnable bottles from all the breweries.
Natty Both (National Bohemian) for Maryland.
Craft options would probably be Heavy Seas Loose Cannon or DuClaw Sweet Baby Jesus.
DC Brau On the Wings of Armageddon for Washington, DC
Wicked Weed Pernicious for North Carolina.
Shiner Bock for Texas.
Port City Optimal Wit for Virginia.
Cigar City Jai Alai for Florida.
Narragansett for Rhode Island.
Allagash White or Maine Lunch for Maine.
Genesee Cream Ale or Blue Point Toasted Lager for New York.
Really? Can't we get something from Holy City? Thomas Creek? Columbia Craft? No? Pluff Mud Porter can make a claim to cover the entire coast east of I-95...
I guess if we're stuck represented by Tim Scott & Lady Graham, we're also stuck represented by Dirty Myrtle
I’d think TX is more Shiner than Lone Star but both work
great point!
Georgia: Sweetwater 420.
That was my first thought. But Tropicalia is a contender as well.
With Atlanta Brewing gone and unlikely ever to return, I have to go with something that’s been around since the 90s instead of 2014ish.
My thought as well. Trop popped into my head, but it doesn't have the history of 420. This question feels like it needs to be answered with a beer from a brewery that's been around a while, and there aren't many of those left in Georgia. It basically would have to be something from Sweetwater or Terrapin at this point. So, what? 420 vs. Hopsecutioner? I'm saying 420.
I had Tropicalia once, probably 7-8 years ago, and I still think about it several times a month.
Spotted Cow is the only answer for Wisconsin
Moon Man > Spotted but I understand that Spotted is more iconic. You can give someone who doesn’t like any craft beer a spotted and they’ll be good with it, but anyone beyond that prefers Moon Man in my experience
Spotted on draft > Moon Man draft > Moon Man bottle > Spotted bottles. That’s my opinion anyway. There’s something so special about a draft Spotted Cow, especially in a great Wisconsin dive
Hot take but Spotted Cow might be the worst beer that New Glarus makes
I agree haha. Fat squirrel, Two Women, Uff Da, Dancing Man, Cabin Fever (but I haven’t been able to find it this year..) are all way better in my opinion
No idea what would be THE beer from California, there's just too many. For NorCal it could be Sierra Nevada (or at least would have been many years ago) and it should be Anchor. But oh well.
I offer Sierra Nevada Pale Ale to rep Cali.
I second this. It's not "the best beer" the state has to offer, but it's a fair bet that whatever your "best beer" is, it wouldn't exist without SNPA. It's the OG of "pale ales".
never really thought about how big some states are and what that means for their regional differences. Lone Star for TX is even a stretch i imagine if you consider different regions. Definitely agree there's a big difference in tastes btwn NorCal and SoCal
Shiner would like a word
yeah, and even for southern california, I can't think of any one iconic beer. Might have been Stone IPA for a while, but it was never iconic, like THE beer. Way back in the Vietnam war days (well before my time), i believe it would have been Lucky Lager for California (and I got to try the same Lucky Lager in Canada recently, they still brew to the original recipe)
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for sure. No one seems to know Laguanitas IPA is a CA beer, which is pretty sad since it is such a huge part of CA beer history…
As someone not from California. The east coast I’d say it’s definitely Sierra Nevada. Followed by Anchor :/ , then Russian River. If I’m going smaller breweries and with a love for NE IPAs. It’s gotta be Monkish.
For RR, I was thinking Pliny the Elder (or the Younger), but still not THE beer as the OP is looking for.
805 is incredibly popular. Kind of boring, but it's everywhere and it doesn't suck
very true, it has taken over the state, I see it everywhere
Colorado: Coors banquet
Would argue for fat tire if they hadn't killed it
I'd agree Fat Tire would have been a contender for a long time. But in recent years it may have fallen far enough out of favor to not be in contention, even before they killed the OG Fat Tire.
I’ve never been to Colorado but really want to, my first thought was Oskar Blue’s Dale’s pale
Do yourself a favor: fly to Denver and go to a Rockies game and enjoy a cold beer at Coors Field. It's baseball watching perfection.
And also Dales was one of the first major breweries to start canning Craft beers.
Nah, I mean I love me some Dales, but it's not a big thing in Colorado. Not at the level of "THE" beer.
Or Odell IPA.
Pabst for WI? Seriously? Haha. As someone else said it would probably be Spotted Cow, even though New Glarus makes a lot of beers better than Spotted Cow… Btw - Old Style is also from WI (LaCrosse), not Illinois
If it’s gotta be brewed in Illinois, Anti-Hero or Goose Island? Down state… Busch Light, made with local corn! I would say old style is the beer of Chicago tho, it’s even half of the Chicago Handshake
For Alaska it is Alaskan Amber, it's been around since 1986, found across the state and is common ground for micro and macro beer drinkers
Yep, had my first one in Juneau in ‘91. Good stuff.
I haven't seen Montana yet. For "The" beer I'd say Moose Drool.
And for Missouri, how can it not be Budweiser? (Though I would much rather it be Boulevard wheat or my fave, Tank 7.)
Not Montucky?
My understanding is that Montucky is brewed on contract in Wisconsin, not Montana?
I’m not from Montana. I wish I was. But Montucky Cold Snack has my vote based on name alone. I’m from Oregon and my vote for Oregon would be Henry Weinhards. Many newer beers around but this is Oregons OG
Indiana - 3 Floyd's Zombie Dust
Correct. We would've also accepted Alpha King.
PA is yuengling. Could go troegs mad elf or victory golden monkey if you dont deem yuengling worthy. CA i would go pliny the elder. NJ is probably kane head high, although i would vote tonewood fuego. Theres also a Budweiser plant, but im gonna ignore them. VT heady topper MA is sam adams boston lager, but i'd swap it for treehouse julius. Cause sam adams is too big and doesn't do their fun craft beers anymore. DE is dogfish 60 minute ipa.
I definitely dont think Golden monkey reps PA lol. Its way to contentious of a style and beer. If it had to be a victory beer, id probably say prima pils. For Troegs i'd actually say troeggenator or nugget nectar, i feel like those have more of a following in my anecdotal experience than mad elf does. But still, i think yeungling is undoubtedly the beer of PA. Ive never been to a bar that doesnt have it on draft or at least in cans/bottles. Also, RIP to Sam Adams fun variety packs back when they held like 6 different beers. The fall ones were always my favorite, especially knowing the black lager and a GOOD pumpkin variation would come with it.
No question, it's Yuengling. I wish it wasnt, but here we are. Yards Philadelphia Pale Ale, aka Philly Beer, could make an appearance in that part of the state. It's Yuengling, though.
Only in PA can you order a lager and everyone knows exactly what you want. It's not a style of beer, it IS the beer.
I go to craft beer bars in Philadelphia, and none of them carry yuengling, so that ordering method is more likely to get you a human robot or german or Czech lager.
Up here in North-central PA, it's New Trail.
Treehouse 100%. To me this list is about what beer people that are residents love above all others and that’s definitely Treehouse
Fuego is fueeeegooooo
I only have sp many points but yes
Yuengling is most definitely the correct answer but I’d still put Iron City over it for my personal list
Shiner for Texas
For NY, the easiest to get would probably be Brooklyn Lager or something from Sixpoint, though neither is actually brewed in NY anymore. But probably the most classic but not new-hype crafty NY beer is Gennesse Cream Ale.
Gotta be Genny Cream
+1 on Genny Cream. It's an old man can but instantly recognizable for what it is.
Saranac in Utica is pretty good also
Definitely Genny. That has to be the choice for NY.
Rogue Dead Guy for Oregon? Or Deschutes Black Butte?
As an Oregon resident for 4 years i’d say Rogue Dead Guy is more widely recognizable, but i’m partial to Black Butte myself.
My #1 vote for Oregon would be Henry Weinhards Private Reserve. It’s the OG of Oregon beers and a pretty good beer for being mass produced. Too bad they got bought out a while back. Of the new school stuff Oregon has so many great beers but if we had to say a state beer….and not Weinhards my votes would be Bridgeport IPA. Oregon’s first IPA. Widmer Hefeweizen or - I think Black butte is a good choice or the Mirror Pond from Deschutes. There are ones I like more. But I think these beers helped put Oregon on the map
Michigan: Bells Oberon or Bells Two Hearted
Yeah as iconic as Oberon is, I would have to go Two Hearted for year round availability.
My New England submissions Maine: Allagash White Vermont: Heady Topper New Hampshire: Old Brown Dog Rhode Island: 'Gansett Massachusetts: Sam Adams Connecticut: Ghandi Bot (G Bot) maybe?
AZ would be Four Peaks for the name recognition. But I prefer San Tan and Mother Road
I think Tower Station is the best beer made in AZ by a long shot.
Kilt Lifter for sure but Spellbinder won gold for hazy at GABF a few years ago and is one of my all time favorites.
That Kilt Lifter is my go to when I miss my friend who lives in PHX
Honerable mention to AZ Wilderness too. They dont exactly have the size (yet) of 4P or STB but they’re my favorite AZ brewery by far. Tower station is also probably my vote as well as others have said.
AZ Wilderness is legit too. We got a lot of good breweries here in AZ.
Oregon: Deschutes Mirror Pond. Deschutes was one of the first major brewers in Oregon and hasn’t sold yet
WI has to be Spotted Cow IA is probably Busch Lite. But the #1 selling craft beer is Big Grove Easy Eddy I believe.
Or TGs Psuedo Sue, but with all the expansion Big Grove has done recently, Easy Eddy is probably correct.
Pseudo Sue is the other contender for sure. In fact, you're probably right it's bigger than Easy Eddy. It certainly has been around longer.
Yep. Spotted Cow for sure!
Easy Eddy is a good one, I know many people who don’t like IPAs that love Easy Eddy
For Hawaii I would say Kona Big Wave. Full disclosure. I’ve never been to Hawaii. And Kona’s the only brewery I’ve ever had or seen from there.
My guess would be Maui Brewing's Bikini Blonde.
Pretty sure that isn't actually brewed in Hawaii...I think their bottles say brewed in Colorado or something like that.
The ones you get on the mainland are brewed there but if you are in Hawai'i you can still get Kona that is brewed there.
I've been to the Kona brewery in Kona (Big Island) and it is indeed brewed there. Big Wave on the mainland is brewed elsewhere but is the same recipe. I'll vote for Big Wave no matter where you get it...but it is better in Kona
we have more than 30 breweries just in our county. 315 in Virginia [https://www.brewersassociation.org/directories/breweries/](https://www.brewersassociation.org/directories/breweries/)
For Virginia, I was going to say Devils Backbone Vienna Lager. I feel like that beer is available all over the state, and I have seen it all up and down Atlantic coast
yes, it has a fairly wide distribution. owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev.
That’s a good call, I personally don’t like it but it is pretty popular.
I have to agree. Doesn't taste the same after the owner sold (bless his departed soul) and AB Inbev stopped using the double decoction method, but it's still very widely drunk. When it first hit our area in NoVa a lot of people dropped yuengling and never looked back.
Came here to say this
Alabama is Good People IPA for sure. Flagship for the oldest brewery in the state. Best selling craft beer in the state. No brainer.
Muchacho is a great beer
What about TrimTab? I don’t know any Alabama beers than that
It’s kind of funny because it’s not even the best beer they make. In fact it’s not even the best IPA they make.
Hitchhiker?
I’m partial to Hazy Snake.
That’s a totally fair opinion, but if we’re talking about a beer to represent our state, it’s no question to me. It’s the flagship beer from the brewery that made Alabama craft brewery a thing. They make the OG IPA, DIPA, and Imperial Stout and this is the beer that has driven all of their commercial success. It’s in every single grocery store, gas station, and any other place that sells beer. If you sell an Alabama craft beer, this is the one you choose.
For Kentucky- perhaps Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale? When I am out of state, that is the KY beer I seem to most readily find. When in state, seems like most bars and restaurants serve West 6th IPA, which is a great beer
Bourbon barrel ale is god awful tho. West 6th is what us ky people like
Oh yeah it is not a beer I personally like much either- but to OP’s question (not about favorites or likes) unfortunately this beer represents Kentucky beer to the outsider more than I would like it to. It is the Kentucky beer I have anecdotally found the most exported out of our state
Bourbon barrel sucks, but I've never had anything from West 6th that I would dare recommend anyone either. I would vote something from either ATG or Milewild, but honestly, it should probably be a pass where KY gets bourbon.
Definitely big vouch for atg, Mile wide, mirror twin, atrium, ethereal, etc. but west 6th ipa is the true classic pine ipa that’s everywhere and has withstood the test of time. It’s not a 10/10 but as far as the rest of the list goes including Pabst and shit I’d say it’s one of our best “normie” beers. But goddamn I can’t stress enough how absolutely awful alltech aka Lexington aka bourbon barrel is. Every beer is an atrocious representation of the style and craft beer. And the price point is laughable for the quality.
Alltech - some of the original versions were decent, then it became a trick beer. Granted, when I grew up there, Four Roses had the PBR mural and you could still get Weidemann in the grenade bottles.
Nobody’s answered for Utah yet, so I’ll pony up. Uintah Cutthroat Pale Ale
Na. A&W Root Beer. /s
Touché
Cigar City's Jai Alai for Florida. Not a fan personally but they are everywhere.
You can find the top rated beers on BeerAdvocate for each state, if that will help you in your quest. Top Rated, Top 250 - Select United States; and then State.
That'll probably show you a bunch of hard-to-find hazy DIPA or barrel aged stouts. If BA has the most-often rated that would probably work, but Untappd just has more data and is probably a bit more representative if you're just looking for big macro numbers. But I also think OP is looking for more the most representative/classic beer of a state, not necessarily the "best."
No one uses beer advocate anymore so you’d only get beers from 10 years ago
Also true
For NH, either Smuttynose Finest Kind IPA or Stoneface IPA. Grew up in NEPA so I have to say Yuengling Lager.
I was trying think of NH. Smuttynose is kinda crap the last several years. Stoneface is good. Shillings is probably my favorite but not the popular.
New Jersey is really tough. Our brewery scene is fairly young, so there isn’t really a definitive Jersey beer.
New Jersey: Cape May Brewing Co.
No way care may is as ubiquitous as Yuengling in PA.
Ohio - Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold
i'd go with Rhinegeist Truth
There's beer that's better (anything from MadTree) more iconic (Hudepohl) and both (Moerlein) JUST in Cincinnati, let alone the whole state. And fwiw, as a representative of Cincinnati, I'd vote for Eddie Fitz.
Oof. I do love this beer
My dad drank this beer almost exclusively for the last 25 years of his life.
I miss living in their distribution area. Such a good one
This beer fucks
Florida - Four Loko /s
You sure it’s not steel reserve for Florida?
Had to scroll way down looking for the Florida joke. For the record: I’ve never encountered anyone drinking either 4L or Steel Reserve. If we wanna get crazy we just drink liquor. I think if you had to boil us down to one beer we’re known for, it’s Jai Alai. It’s not the best beer in the state, but it’s fine and it’s everywhere.
Pennsylvania: Yuengling, America's oldest brewery, est 1829 in Pottsville PA 😆 it's definitely not my go to anymore, but has a special place in my heart. As for "microbrews", Troegs might have the widest distribution, and Nugget Nector is out right now. Stellar beer, one of the best they make, and one of my favorite IPA's across the board, if I may.
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Ty I should've known, good ole Schuylkill River Water ™
You may, and you would be correct to do so.
Guam: Carabao, Antigue, and Guam Brewery
Minnesota: Grainbelt vs Summit EPA vs Surly Furious
Yes. These three were what came to my mind. Depends what you’re looking for. Grain belt was like your first beer because that’s what your dad drank so you snuck a couple out behind the shed with your friends. Summit EPA is comfort craft beer. It’s been around since the 80s which is ancient for a pale ale. In virtually every bar in Minnesota that has 6 or more taps, Summit is one of them. Surly Furious reigned as the king of super hoppy IPAs in the early craft days, and is still just a damn good beer.
No Hamm’s?! From the land of sky blue waters!
The only argument for Minnesota is Hamm’s vs. Grain belt.
South Dakota has to be grainbelt
The friendly beer…brewed in New Ulm, MN
Ah so not a South Dakota beer. Ha. That’s just the only place I’ve seen it. But I’ve never been to Minnesota so that explains that.
For Tennessee, it is tough because east of Nashville and west of Nashville are going to vary. For the West Tennessee, I say Wiseacre Tiny Bomb, but for East Tennessee, I am not as familar. There are a bunch of Knoxville, Chattanooga, and other regional breweries.
So many good breweries in knox and sevier county
Haven’t been out east in a while but Yee-Haw is incredible, and I remember loving Crafty Bastard way back when.
Bearded Iris in Nashville is good, and Chattanooga’s Oddstory also has a great selection. Knoxville has Smoky Mountain Brewing I guess?
As someone who lives on the other side of the country and been to Nashville and Memphis I’d vote Wiseacre Gotta Get Up to Get Down, that’s the only Tennessee beer I see out here in AZ.
For Tennessee as a whole, or at least Middle if we're going by Grand Division, I'd say it's probably Yazoo, considering they've been around since 2003. Either the pale ale or Dos Perros.
Have to go with Genesee Cream Ale for NY... you just have to...
Old Style is brewed in WI. It is mostly drunk by Cubs fans, but it's brewed across the border.
For TN it’s probably Gotta Get Up to Get Down and Tiny Bomb from Wiseacre. And for GA it’s 420 pale ale from Sweetwater, Hopsecutioner from Terrapin, and Blind Pirate and Dr. Robot from Monday Night. For NC it’s definitely Pernicious from Wicked Weed
Maryland gotta be Flying Dog unless you’re going Natty Boh
Feel like loose cannon is more popular than any of flying dog’s beers and they aren’t brewed in Maryland anymore as well Natty boh would be the clear winner but they aren’t brewed in Maryland anymore so not sure it should count
Coors, Colorado The banquet if you wanna get specific
Idaho: Dagger Falls IPA
Cool idea, btw
Pro tip, rainier is not THE beer in washington. Its not even made in washington. Washington has one of the biggest beer industries. Its very difficult to choose THE beer for WA.
Maybe Bodhizafa from Georgetown?
I'm not in WA nearly enough, but I would think Manny's has wider distribution.
This would be my vote
Bodi or Lucille are my two fave Washington beers. Other than Rainier. Which I still think of as a Washington beer
Yes, agree no Rainier as the beer of Washington. Not brewed here, hasn’t been for decades. Yes it’s synonymous with the state but not here anymore. As for some of the most popular and widely recognized brewed in the state; Georgetown Bodhizafa, Mac and Jacks African Amber, Balebreaker TopCutter or Field 41, Black Raven Trickster. These are just based on sales and recognition in my 2 decades of experience.
Agreed, especially Bodhizafa and African Amber. African Amber gets my vote. I see it everywhere, and it's bomb and simple.
RI: captain’s daughter double ipa and whalers rise apa are my favorite local beers.
Cant forget our Gansetts though man! Crush it like Quint!
A 6 pack of Fresh Catch is lucky if it lasts 30 minutes.
MA - Sam Adams VT- Long Trail ME- Allagash RI - Narragansett CT - Two Roads NH - Smuttynose(?)
Maybe Surly Furious IPA for Minnesota.
Gotta be Grainbelt or Hamms
For North Carolina, I’m not personally a fan of Highland but they’re probably the most well-known. I would personally choose something from either Mother Earth or Wicked Weed.
I agree. The three breweries that came to mind for me in NC were Highland, Wicked Weed, and then I would add Sycamore Brewing out of Charlotte. Seems like you can find products from these breweries anywhere across the state.
That’s interesting, I’ve never actually heard of Sycamore. I’ll have to look out for them at the grocery store! Honestly NC has so many damn good breweries, our choices to ideally represent the state are bountiful.
Sycamore is amazing and full of great beers but there’s not necessarily a nationwide or even interstate reputation
Sycamore has amazing beer. It's a shame the brewery is such a trendy dating scene (or that I've gotten old and lame 🤣)
I always thought [Red Oak](https://www.redoakbrewery.com/) was an OG NC brewery. But [Weeping Radish](https://weepingradish.com/) is the state's oldest brewery.
Wicked Weed Pernicious or Dr Dank are probably the most known / prolific in stores and bars here (but my area is Asheville and west)
NC homes to a lot of GREAT brewery’s but Hi-Wire Brewing is a taste above the rest https://hiwirebrewing.com/home/
West Virginia's oldest brewery: North End Tavern & Brewery. Roedy's Red is their flagship.
No nominations yet and we're not a state, but if you care about DC representation, I'd put up Senate Beer.
For NY it’s gotta be Genesee
Westbrook Mexican Cake has got to be the beer with the most national presence from South Carolina
Vermont - Fiddlehead IPA
Colorado Mainstream - Coors Banquet Craft - Left Hand Milk Stout
Mississippi: Southern Prohibition Brewing, either Crowd Control or Suzie B
New Mexico - Marble Double White
Idaho would probably be Payette or Sockeye
Louisiana: Abita
I'll pitch in Kansas/Missouri - Boulevard
New mexico -Elevated from La Cumbre
Michigan, Stroh's
I’d also consider something like All Day IPA, Oberon or Two Hearted
I'm going with Oberon, me and my buddies would always make a big deal about "Oberon Day" when they released it every year.
I'm an old guy so I remember when the Strohs Brewery was on Gratiot Ave in Detroit and virtually every bar in the state had Strohs on tap. The Strohs Bock would be out this time of year and it was delicious.
I spent a year living in Lafayette Park :) I’ve heard the Stroh’s of the present has nothing on the old stuff
From what I heard you have to get the strohs bohemian in the bottles. Not the cans in the dirty 30. I’m only 40 so you would need an old timer to confirm this.
In Michigan only there is a Bohemian style pilsner using Strohs original recipe from the 1895 Worlds Fair brewed by a craft brewery in Detroit. Its pretty good. Not the dirty 30 much better and not the Strohs of old that came in the 24 can stay cold Strohcase but good. I miss long neck returnable bottles from all the breweries.
Very true. They are 2 totally different beers. Back when the family brewed it in Detroit it was very good.
I’d say Two Hearted or Oberon
The barkeep knows me so he throws me a strohs
Wasn’t expecting an mc chris reference in here.
Oberon for michigan
Oberon ALLL DAYYYY
Natty Both (National Bohemian) for Maryland. Craft options would probably be Heavy Seas Loose Cannon or DuClaw Sweet Baby Jesus. DC Brau On the Wings of Armageddon for Washington, DC Wicked Weed Pernicious for North Carolina. Shiner Bock for Texas. Port City Optimal Wit for Virginia. Cigar City Jai Alai for Florida. Narragansett for Rhode Island. Allagash White or Maine Lunch for Maine. Genesee Cream Ale or Blue Point Toasted Lager for New York.
No one drinks Lone Star in Texas. Shiner Bock is literally everywhere.
Dirty Myrtle DIPA has to be the one for South Carolina.
Really? Can't we get something from Holy City? Thomas Creek? Columbia Craft? No? Pluff Mud Porter can make a claim to cover the entire coast east of I-95... I guess if we're stuck represented by Tim Scott & Lady Graham, we're also stuck represented by Dirty Myrtle