Highest-rated beer in New Jersey

Written by:
June 20, 2024
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Highest-rated beer in New Jersey

After more than a decade of massive growth, the beer industry is experiencing a slowdown. According to the Brewers Association, in 2024, nationwide closings of brewpubs and taprooms outpaced openings for the first time in 14 years, and overall beer production volume decreased by 1.2%.

Changing consumer preferences factor into this decline. The convenience of ready-to-drink cocktails has increased spirits sales, but many people are simply opting to drink less. A January 2025 survey from NCSolutions found that almost half of Americans plan to cut back on their drinking in 2025.

To achieve this goal, some people are shifting to non-alcoholic drinks, including NA beers. This has created demand for higher-quality NA beers, including non-alcoholic IPAs and stouts. Other consumers are opting for moderation, looking for session beers and light beers that are still full of flavor.

That said, hop-forward beers are still popular—for example, hazy IPAs were the most popular entrant in the 2025 World Beer Cup. Fruit beers are also having a moment, with cherry and raspberry leading the pack in a 2024 report from Research and Markets, while drinkers looking for sweeter options can find brewers experimenting with candy-infused beers. Many beer makers are revisiting regional flavors on traditional styles, such as Czech pilsners, Mexican lagers, and Vienna lagers. At the same time, craft brewers continue to push the envelope to find new ways to excite beer lovers, often using unusual ingredients like sage, peppercorn, watermelon, and garlic.

Among all these different options, certain beers still appeal to hopheads more than others. Stacker compiled a list of the best beers from New Jersey using data from BeerAdvocate and sorted them according to their weighted ranking. Beers without images were excluded. Only beers that made BeerAdvocate's top 100 list by state were included.

#30. Nocturnal Creatures

- Rating: 4.24 (27 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 13.0%
- Brewery: Double Nickel Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#29. Rift

- Rating: 4.24 (27 ratings)
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 7.0%
- Brewery: Tonewood Brewing - Barrington
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#28. Danky Kong

- Rating: 4.22 (32 ratings)
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 7.2%
- Brewery: Glasstown Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#27. Brotherton IPA

- Rating: 4.14 (86 ratings)
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 6.7%
- Brewery: Brotherton Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#26. City To Shore

- Rating: 4.15 (81 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 7.8%
- Brewery: Cape May Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#25. Fuego

- Rating: 4.13 (173 ratings)
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 6.2%
- Brewery: Tonewood Brewing - Barrington
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#24. Retribution

- Rating: 4.12 (501 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 11.5%
- Brewery: DuClaw Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#23. Double Dry-Hopped Fuego

- Rating: 4.27 (32 ratings)
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 6.2%
- Brewery: Tonewood Brewing - Barrington
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#22. Snag & Drop

- Rating: 4.21 (65 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 10.0%
- Brewery: Cape May Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#21. Kalashnikov

- Rating: 4.38 (21 ratings)
- Type: Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV: 14.5%
- Brewery: Icarus Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#20. Gravitational Pull

- Rating: 4.37 (23 ratings)
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 6.6%
- Brewery: Conclave Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#19. Ramstein Winter Wheat

- Rating: 4.17 (319 ratings)
- Type: Weizenbock
- ABV: 9.5%
- Brewery: High Point Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#18. Maine Event

- Rating: 4.22 (98 ratings)
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 6.5%
- Brewery: Magnify Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#17. Heady Jams

- Rating: 4.28 (48 ratings)
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 8.0%
- Brewery: Brix City Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#16. Up Up & Away

- Rating: 4.30 (41 ratings)
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 8.5%
- Brewery: Magnify Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#15. Imperial Cold Side

- Rating: 4.38 (31 ratings)
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 8.5%
- Brewery: Magnify Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#14. Peak Of Ripeness

- Rating: 4.29 (64 ratings)
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 6.5%
- Brewery: Magnify Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#13. Kalashnikoffee

- Rating: 4.37 (36 ratings)
- Type: Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV: 14.5%
- Brewery: Icarus Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#12. Peak Oil

- Rating: 4.30 (94 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 9.0%
- Brewery: Magnify Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#11. Gravitational Waves

- Rating: 4.35 (71 ratings)
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 6.84%
- Brewery: Conclave Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#10. 07750 - Nelson

- Rating: 4.32 (105 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 7.8%
- Brewery: Carton Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#9. 077XX

- Rating: 4.26 (1,456 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 7.8%
- Brewery: Carton Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#8. Epitome

- Rating: 4.29 (327 ratings)
- Type: Black IPA
- ABV: 10.3%
- Brewery: Carton Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#7. 077-07871 - Mosaic

- Rating: 4.40 (95 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 7.8%
- Brewery: Carton Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#6. Cafe Y Churro

- Rating: 4.41 (244 ratings)
- Type: Cream Ale
- ABV: 12.0%
- Brewery: Carton Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#5. Mexican Brunch - Bourbon Barrel-Aged

- Rating: 4.51 (79 ratings)
- Type: Imperial Porter
- ABV: 11.4%
- Brewery: Kane Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#4. A Night To End All Dawns

- Rating: 4.41 (632 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 12.2%
- Brewery: Kane Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#3. Sunday Brunch - Bourbon Barrel-Aged

- Rating: 4.57 (131 ratings)
- Type: Imperial Porter
- ABV: 11.0%
- Brewery: Kane Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#2. Mexican Brunch

- Rating: 4.55 (614 ratings)
- Type: Imperial Porter
- ABV: 9.2%
- Brewery: Kane Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

#1. Sunday Brunch

- Rating: 4.55 (859 ratings)
- Type: Imperial Porter
- ABV: 9.2%
- Brewery: Kane Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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