
Highest-rated beer in Illinois
Highest-rated beer in Illinois
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 Illinois 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. Neon Green Relish
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 7.5%
- Brewery: Hop Butcher For The World
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#29. Malevolence - Chocolate Caliente
- Type: Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV: 10.5%
- Brewery: Spiteful Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#28. Mikerphone Check 1, 2
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 8.0%
- Brewery: Mikerphone Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#27. Arabesque
- Type: English Barleywine
- ABV: 16.4%
- Brewery: Phase Three Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#26. Green Moss
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 7.5%
- Brewery: Hop Butcher For The World
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#25. Bourbon County Brand Bardstown Cask Finish Stout (2024)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 16.0%
- Brewery: Goose Island Beer Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#24. Catch Hell - Double Barrel Aged
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 15.3%
- Brewery: Half Acre Beer Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#23. Imperial Smells Like Bean Spirit - Bourbon Barrel-Aged
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 14.24%
- Brewery: Mikerphone Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#22. Beer Hates Astronauts
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 7.8%
- Brewery: Half Acre Beer Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#21. Benthic
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 13.6%
- Brewery: Half Acre Beer Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#20. Imperial Smells Like Bean Spirit
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 10.75%
- Brewery: Mikerphone Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#19. Benthic - Vanilla
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 14.2%
- Brewery: Half Acre Beer Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#18. Double Grid
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 7.5%
- Brewery: Hop Butcher For The World
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#17. Henna: Double Rainbow
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 11.8%
- Brewery: More Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#16. Benthic - 2 x 4
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 13.6%
- Brewery: Half Acre Beer Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#15. Wooden Hell
- Type: English Barleywine
- ABV: 9.5%
- Brewery: Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#14. Citra
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 9.5%
- Brewery: Pipeworks Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#13. Henna: S'more
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 11.0%
- Brewery: More Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#12. Supermassive Café Deth
- Type: Oatmeal Stout
- ABV: 14.3%
- Brewery: Revolution Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#11. Barrel Aged Jones Dog
- Type: Sweet / Milk Stout
- ABV: 14.1%
- Brewery: Pipeworks Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#10. Double Barrel V.S.O.D.
- Type: Oatmeal Stout
- ABV: 17.9%
- Brewery: Revolution Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#9. Sure Bet
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 9.5%
- Brewery: Pipeworks Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#8. Barrel Aged Hyper Dog
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 13.5%
- Brewery: Pipeworks Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#7. Barrel-Aged Malevolence Chocolate Caliente
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 14.0%
- Brewery: Spiteful Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#6. Emerald Grouper
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 9.5%
- Brewery: Pipeworks Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#5. V.S.O.R. Select
- Type: Rye Beer
- ABV: 15.7%
- Brewery: Revolution Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#4. Bourbon County Brand Stout
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 14.7%
- Brewery: Goose Island Beer Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#3. Double Barrel V.S.O.J.
- Type: English Barleywine
- ABV: 16.8%
- Brewery: Revolution Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#2. V.S.O.J.
- Type: English Barleywine
- ABV: 14.4%
- Brewery: Revolution Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#1. Bourbon County Brand Vanilla Rye Stout
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 14.0%
- Brewery: Goose Island Beer Co.
- 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.