Highest-rated beer in Washington DC
If you drink beer—any beer—you're probably familiar with the craft beer explosion that began in the late 2010s, and you likely fall into one of two camps: IPA warrior or lager loyalist. The great thing about a beer-related revolution is that there is no wrong side. Whatever your preference, cheers to you.
The brewery business is indeed a revolution by many counts. According to the Brewers Association, the number of breweries in the United States grew by 567% from 2003 to 2023—all while beer consumption, on average, was declining. For the first time since 1999, beer shipments fell below 200 million barrels in 2023, making it the lowest amount of beer consumed in the U.S. in a generation.
Like all revolutions, this began as a desire for change—as an overthrow of the old and the monopolistic. When combined, Anheuser-Busch InBev and Molson Coors (formerly MillerCoors), two of the largest beer companies in the world, comprised roughly 72% of total beer sales in the U.S. around 2013. A decade later, that share dropped to 65.7% in 2023, with smaller brewers claiming a larger share.
With a taste of the innovations and variety coming out of craft breweries, consumers are demanding a higher-quality product—and are willing to pay more for it. Over the last decade, between May 2014 and May 2024, beer prices have risen 21% overall.
But how can you determine the best craft beers in an increasingly crowded market? If you're curious about the most popular beers in your home state, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated beers in Washington D.C. using ratings from BeerAdvocate. A maximum of five beers per brewery were included.
Read on to plan your next local beer tour!
Note: Photos of each beer are included where available from BeerAdvocate; otherwise, stock images are shown.
#23. 8 Wards
- Rating: 3.53 (10 ratings)
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 6.50%
- Brewery: City-State Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#22. Southern Torrent Saison
- Rating: 3.68 (16 ratings)
- Type: Saison
- ABV: 5.50%
- Brewery: Hellbender Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#21. Bullpen Pilsner
- Rating: 3.68 (14 ratings)
- Type: German Pilsner
- ABV: 4.80%
- Brewery: Atlas Brew Works
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#20. Blood Orange Gose
- Rating: 3.72 (17 ratings)
- Type: Gose
- ABV: 4.40%
- Brewery: Atlas Brew Works
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#19. Ignite IPA
- Rating: 3.74 (19 ratings)
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 6.50%
- Brewery: Hellbender Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#18. Bare Bones
- Rating: 3.8 (26 ratings)
- Type: Kölsch
- ABV: 5.00%
- Brewery: Hellbender Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#17. Penn Quarter Porter
- Rating: 3.86 (583 ratings)
- Type: American Porter
- ABV: 5.50%
- Brewery: DC Brau Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#16. Dance Of Days
- Rating: 3.86 (44 ratings)
- Type: American Pale Ale
- ABV: 5.70%
- Brewery: Atlas Brew Works
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#15. Silent Neighbor Stout
- Rating: 3.95 (29 ratings)
- Type: American Stout
- ABV: 6.70%
- Brewery: Atlas Brew Works
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#14. Space Reaper
- Rating: 3.97 (98 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 9.20%
- Brewery: DC Brau Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#13. Full Fathom Five
- Rating: 4.02 (18 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 8.00%
- Brewery: Bluejacket Brewery
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#12. Ornithology
- Rating: 4.05 (11 ratings)
- Type: Saison
- ABV: 4.00%
- Brewery: Right Proper Brewing Company - Shaw Brewpub
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#11. The Imperial
- Rating: 4.05 (15 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 8.00%
- Brewery: DC Brau Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#10. Baron Corvo
- Rating: 4.01 (44 ratings)
- Type: Bière de Garde
- ABV: 7.00%
- Brewery: Right Proper Brewing Company - Shaw Brewpub
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#9. Li'l Wit
- Rating: 4.08 (12 ratings)
- Type: Witbier
- ABV: 5.00%
- Brewery: Right Proper Brewing Company - Shaw Brewpub
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#8. For The Company
- Rating: 4.1 (13 ratings)
- Type: Helles
- ABV: 5.20%
- Brewery: Bluejacket Brewery
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#7. Lost Weekend
- Rating: 4.03 (120 ratings)
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 7.30%
- Brewery: Bluejacket Brewery
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#6. Ravaged by Wolves
- Rating: 4.13 (13 ratings)
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 6.50%
- Brewery: Right Proper Brewing Company - Shaw Brewpub
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#5. Open Window
- Rating: 4.22 (10 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 8.00%
- Brewery: Bluejacket Brewery
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#4. Perfect Places
- Rating: 4.2 (12 ratings)
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 7.00%
- Brewery: Bluejacket Brewery
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#3. Diamonds, Fur Coat, Champagne
- Rating: 4.09 (66 ratings)
- Type: Berliner Weisse
- ABV: 3.60%
- Brewery: Right Proper Brewing Company - Shaw Brewpub
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#2. Wake up in the Future
- Rating: 4.23 (15 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 15.50%
- Brewery: DC Brau Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#1. On The Wings Of Armageddon
- Rating: 4.31 (2,112 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 9.20%
- Brewery: DC Brau Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states and Washington D.C.
