Breweries with the most highly ranked beers in North Carolina

After an explosion of growth in the craft beer industry, the market is undergoing a shift, causing beer lovers to stay alert to keep track of their favorites.

The last decade saw an explosion of craft breweries that operate on a smaller scale and offer a wider, and sometimes more experimental, selection of beer. In 2024, there were a total of 9,496 craft breweries in the U.S., a 104% increase from 2015.

However, that growth is tapering off. According to the Brewers Association, 2024 was the industry's worst year for brewpub, microbrewery, and taproom closings, with 519 drawing their last pint.

Changing consumer preferences may be contributing to this trend. While beer and cider still have the largest market share of alcoholic drinks, consumers are reducing their alcohol consumption. Gallup found that between 2023 and 2025, the percentage of people who consumed alcohol within the last 24 hours dropped eight percentage points to 28%, while the percentage who hadn't had an alcoholic drink in over a week increased eight percentage points to 40%.

Brewers are also facing another enemy: Climate change. Rising temperatures and drought have caused shifts in the growing season and decreased production in noble hops, an essential beer ingredient. Researchers predict that by 2050, climate change could cause an up to 18.4% decrease in hop yields.

Still, all is not doom and gloom. Although the craft beer industry is facing challenges, new brewpubs, microbreweries, and taprooms keep opening—428 opened in 2024—and brewers keep flexing their creative muscles to develop new beer flavors with the best ingredients they have.

Stacker compiled a list of the breweries with the most beers ranked in the top 100 in North Carolina using data from BeerAdvocate as of August 2025. Any ties were broken by the highest-ranking beer.

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BeerAdvocate

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#26. Mother Earth Brewing

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 1
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #89. Silent Night (American Imperial Stout)

BeerAdvocate

2 / 26

#25. Haw River Farmhouse Ales

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 1
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #88. Saxy Machismo (Quadrupel (Quad))

BeerAdvocate

3 / 26

#24. D9 Brewing Company

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 1
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #85. Viking Fraoch (Gruit / Ancient Herbed Ale)

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4 / 26

#23. Wooden Robot Brewery

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 1
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #71. What He's Having (American IPA)

BeerAdvocate

5 / 26

#22. Lonerider Brewing Company

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 1
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #55. Pistols At Dawn (American Stout)

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BeerAdvocate

6 / 26

#21. Highland Brewing

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 1
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #42. Black Watch (Sweet / Milk Stout)

BeerAdvocate

7 / 26

#20. Aviator Brewing Company

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 1
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #39. Night Jump (Russian Imperial Stout)

BeerAdvocate

8 / 26

#19. Triple C Brewing Co.

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 1
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #37. Up All Night - Bourbon Barrel-Aged (Imperial Porter)

BeerAdvocate

9 / 26

#18. Casita Brewing Company

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 1
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #31. Querido Y Perdido (American Imperial Stout)

BeerAdvocate

10 / 26

#17. Deep River Brewing Co.

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 1
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #23. Collaboration Without Representation (Sweet / Milk Stout)

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BeerAdvocate

11 / 26

#16. Hi-Wire Brewing

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 2
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #90. 10W-40 (American Imperial Stout)
--- #86. 10W-40 - Bourbon Barrel-Aged (American Imperial Stout)

BeerAdvocate

12 / 26

#15. The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 2
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #63. Munzler's Vienna Lager (Vienna Lager)
--- #62. Mecktoberfest (Märzen)

BeerAdvocate

13 / 26

#14. Pisgah Brewing Co.

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 2
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #82. Valdez (American Stout)
--- #60. Chocolatized (Russian Imperial Stout)

BeerAdvocate

14 / 26

#13. Brewery Bhavana

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 2
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #94. Pithy (New England IPA)
--- #58. Grove (New England IPA)

BeerAdvocate

15 / 26

#12. Raleigh Brewing Company

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 2
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #45. Bourbon Barrel-Aged The Miller's Toll (American Imperial Stout)
--- #36. The Miller's Toll (American Imperial Stout)

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BeerAdvocate

16 / 26

#11. Southern Pines Brewing Company

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 2
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #57. Drunken Vigils - Bourbon Barrel Aged Breakfast Stout (American Imperial Stout)
--- #20. Drunken Vigils Breakfast Stout (American Imperial Stout)

BeerAdvocate

17 / 26

#10. Green Man Brewery

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 2
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #7. Maceo (Wild Ale)
--- #2. Snozzberry (Wild Ale)

BeerAdvocate

18 / 26

#9. Wilmington Brewing Company

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 3
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #98. Blair's Breakfast Stout (American Imperial Stout)
--- #73. Lemur Party (Milkshake IPA)
--- #32. Kitten Biscuit (New England IPA)

BeerAdvocate

19 / 26

#8. Resident Culture Brewing Company

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 4
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #93. Lightning Drops (New England IPA)
--- #77. Vicky Virago (Imperial IPA)
--- #61. God Complex (New England IPA)

BeerAdvocate

20 / 26

#7. NoDa Brewing Co. - North End

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 4
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #68. Imperial Hop Drop (Imperial IPA)
--- #65. Hop Cakes (Imperial IPA)
--- #18. Hop, Drop 'n Roll (American IPA)

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BeerAdvocate

21 / 26

#6. Fonta Flora Brewery

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 5
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #59. Need A Hug (Wild Ale)
--- #44. Meemaw (Wild Ale)
--- #19. Rhythm Rug (Wild Ale)

BeerAdvocate

22 / 26

#5. Olde Hickory Brewery

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 5
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #17. Appalachian Walker (English Barleywine)
--- #16. Lindley Park (American Imperial Stout)
--- #4. The Event Horizon (American Imperial Stout)

BeerAdvocate

23 / 26

#4. Foothills Brewing Company - Downtown Brewpub

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 6
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #24. Jade IPA (American IPA)
--- #15. Olde Rabbit's Foot (American Imperial Stout)
--- #5. Sexual Chocolate - Barrel-Aged (Russian Imperial Stout)

BeerAdvocate

24 / 26

#3. Heist Brewery

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 9
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #11. ÜberQuench'l (Imperial IPA)
--- #8. Blurred Is The Word (New England IPA)
--- #1. CitraQuench'l (New England IPA)

BeerAdvocate

25 / 26

#2. Burial Beer Co.

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 12
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #28. Griddle (Sweet / Milk Stout)
--- #27. Skillet Donut Stout (Oatmeal Stout)
--- #25. Houtenhamer (2024) (American Imperial Stout)

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BeerAdvocate

26 / 26

#1. Wicked Weed Brewing

- Number of top beers in North Carolina: 28
- Highest ranked beers in North Carolina:
--- #9. Golden Angel (Wild Ale)
--- #6. Angel Of Darkness (Wild Ale)
--- #3. Red Angel (Wild Ale)

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