Ratebeer has revealed its top brewers and beers of 2020 in a selection of lists published over six days, at the end of January and start of February.
The results reflect the figures recorded on the beer scoring website, and will, of course, set up endless debates about accurately these reflect beer drinkers’ views. For instance, many drinkers now use the newer Untappd to record their scores. I can’t be sure what overlap there is between. Am I the only person with accounts with both, yet wh generally uses Untappd for scoring and recording?
Anyway, here are some of the highlights from this year’s count. You can see the full set of lists here.
Best brewers in the world 2020
- Hill Farmstead Brewery, USA
- Side Project Brewing, USA
- Russian River Brewing Co, USA
- Trillium Brewing Co, USA
- Tree House Brewing Co, USA
- Three Floyds Brewing Co, USA
- Founders Brewing Co, USA
- Cloudwater Brew Co, England
- Alesmith Brewing Co, USA
- Tired Hand Brewing Co, USA
Best brewers in the UK, 2020
- Cloudwater Brew Co, Manchester
- The Kernel Brewery, London
- Fuller’s (Asahi), London
- Siren Craft Brew, Finchampstead
- Buxton Brewery, Buxton
- Magic Rock Brewing (Lion/Kirin), Huddersfield
- Verdant Brewing Co, Falmouth
- Wylam Brewery, Newcastle upon Tyne
- BrewDog, Ellon
- Tempest Brewing Co, Tweedbank
New brewer awards
These awards often recognize breweries that go on to join the world’s elite craft brewers, and that enjoy continued great success. Qualifying brewers were added to RateBeer’s records on or after 01 June 2019 and before 1 January 2021.
- Timber Ales, USA
- Newbarns Brewerym, Scotland
- 5e Baron – Microbrasserie, Canada
- LHG Brewpub, England
- Third Moon Brewing Co, Canada
- Browar Gwarek, Poland
- Full Circle Brew Co, England
- Shirt Throw Brewing Co, USA
- Alpha Delta Brewing, England
- Mountain Culture Beer Co, Australia
Best breweries by style
A new list at RateBeer Best, that accounts for the proliferation of ephemeral beers that dominate many top brewers’ offerings. It shines a light on those brewers who’ve developed expertise in a particular style or set of related styles.
Pale lager
Les Grands Bois Microbrasserie, Canada
The Kernel Brewery, England
Godspeed Brewery, Canada
Bock, strong lager
Ægir Bryggeri, Norway
Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg, Austria
Brauhaus Riegele, Germany
Speciality
Heller-Braü Trum, Germany
Brauerei Spezial, Germany
To Øl, Denmark
English style pale and bitter
Arbor Ales, England
Timothy Taylor’s, England
Samuel Smith, England
India pale ale
Brasserie du Bas-Canada
Badlands Brewing Co, Canada
Baere Brewing Co, USA
Double IPA
Knotted Root Brewing Co, USA
Hidden River Brewing Co, USA
Soma Beer, Spain
Low/moderate alcohol
Browar Nepomucen, Poland
Browar Funky Fluid, Poland
Mikkeller, Denmark
Stout
Tree House Brewing Co, USA
BrewDog, USA
New Bristol Brewery, England
Strong stout
Närke Kulturbryggeri, Sweden
Side Project Brewing, USA
O’Clock Brewing, France
Imperial/Baltic porter
Hill Farmstead Brewery, USA
Les Trois Mousquetaires, Canada
Deschutes Brewery, USA
Porter
The Kernel Brewery, England
Brokreacja, Poland
Hoppin’ Frog Brewery, USA
Sour ales
Bokke, Belgium
Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen, Belgium
Hill Farmstead Brewery, USA,
French/Belgian ales
Floodland Brewing, USA
Mills Brewing, England
Robin – Bière Naturelle, Canada
Belgian strong
Jan Olbracht Browar Rzemieslniczy, Poland
De Struise Brouwers, Belgium
St Bernardus Brouwerij, Belgium
American amber/pale
Hill Farmstead Brewery, USA
Tree House Brewing Co, USA
Trimmium Brewing Co, USA
Wheat beer
Cloudwater Brew Co, Manchester
Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan, Germany
Schneider Weisse G Schneider & Sohn, Germany
Dark lager
Schilling Brewing Co and Resilience Ale Project, USA
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co, USA
Brasseries Vrooden, Canada
Cider and perry
Brännland Cider, Sweden
Alma — Compagnie de Cidre / Maison Agricole Joy Hill, Canada
Revel Cider Co, Canada
Traditional
Nøgne Ø (Hansa Borg), Norway
Kemker Kultuur, Germany
Uerige Obergärige Hausbrauerei, Germany
Mead
Pips Meadery, USA
Schramm’s Mead, USA
Lost Cause Meadery, USA
Germanic sours
Knotted Root Brewing Co, USA
Ten7 BrewingCo, USA
Kings Brewing Co, USA
Brown/red ales
Brasserie de Silly, Belgium
The Bruery, USA
Mikkeller, Denmark
IPA, NEIPA/hazy
Knotted Root Brewing Co, USA
Slice Beer Co, USA
Microbrasserie Siboire, Canada
IPA, speciality
Cloudwater Brew Co, England
Moonraker Brewing Co, USA
Brasserie du Bas-Canada, Canada
Sour, wild/flavoured
Antidoot Wilde Fermenten, Belgium
Side Project Brewing, USA
Casey Brewing and Blending, USA
Lager, India/hoppy
Brasserie Artisanale Maltstrom, Canada
Jack’s Abby Brewing, USA
Mikkeller, Denmark
Eisbock
Browar Spółdzielczy, Poland
Freigeist Bierkultur, Germany
Jopen, Netherlands
