
Highest-rated beer in California
Highest-rated beer in California
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 California 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. Stickee Monkee
- Type: Quadrupel (Quad)
- ABV: 12.3%
- Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#29. Leche Borracho
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 11.0%
- Brewery: Bottle Logic Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#28. Space Trace
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 11.1%
- Brewery: Bottle Logic Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#27. Foggier Window
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 8.1%
- Brewery: Monkish Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#26. Adios Ghost
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 10.2%
- Brewery: Monkish Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#25. Mocha Wednesday
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 19.9%
- Brewery: The Bruery
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#24. Consecration
- Type: Wild Ale
- ABV: 10.0%
- Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#23. Saison Bernice
- Type: Saison
- ABV: 6.5%
- Brewery: Sante Adairius Rustic Ales
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#22. Modem Tones - Bourbon Barrel-Aged - Vanilla
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 14.4%
- Brewery: Modern Times Beer
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#21. Speedway Stout - Vietnamese Coffee
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 12.0%
- Brewery: AleSmith Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#20. Grey Monday
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 19.9%
- Brewery: The Bruery
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#19. Speedway Stout - Bourbon Barrel-Aged
- Type: Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV: 13.3%
- Brewery: AleSmith Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#18. §ucaba
- Type: English Barleywine
- ABV: 12.5%
- Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#17. Fundamental Forces
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 16.2%
- Brewery: Bottle Logic Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#16. Parabajava
- Type: Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV: 14.0%
- Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#15. Chocolate Rain
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 19.6%
- Brewery: The Bruery
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#14. Cable Car Kriek
- Type: Wild Ale
- ABV: 7.0%
- Brewery: The Lost Abbey - The Tasting Room
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#13. Beatification
- Type: Wild Ale
- ABV: 6.0%
- Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#12. Black Tuesday
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 19.5%
- Brewery: The Bruery
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#11. Citra
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 8.0%
- Brewery: Kern River Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#10. Supplication
- Type: Wild Ale
- ABV: 7.75%
- Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#9. West Ashley
- Type: Saison
- ABV: 7.3%
- Brewery: Sante Adairius Rustic Ales
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#8. Cable Car
- Type: Wild Ale
- ABV: 7.0%
- Brewery: The Lost Abbey - The Tasting Room
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#7. Parabola
- Type: Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV: 13.8%
- Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#6. Speedway Stout - Vietnamese Coffee - Bourbon Barrel-Aged
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 13.6%
- Brewery: AleSmith Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#5. Duck Duck Gooze
- Type: Gueuze
- ABV: 7.0%
- Brewery: The Lost Abbey - The Tasting Room
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#4. Westly
- Type: Saison
- ABV: 8.5%
- Brewery: Sante Adairius Rustic Ales
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#3. Pliny The Elder
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 8.0%
- Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#2. Fundamental Observation
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 14.0%
- Brewery: Bottle Logic Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#1. Pliny The Younger
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 10.25%
- Brewery: Russian River 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.