Homebrewers Zymurgy magazine crowns Russian River’s Pliny the Elder best beer in America (again)

Alright, it’s the seventh consecutive win for Russian River Brewing Co.’s Pliny the Elder. Yikes. We all agree it’s a damn good beer, but there are other damn good beers out there — Dogfish Head Craft Brewery’s 90 Minute, Fat Heads Brewing Co.’s Hop JuJu, Tröegs Brewing Co.‘s LaGrave and beyond, beyond and beyond. Anyhooch, for the seventh year running, Russian River’s well-known and beloved double IPA, Pliny the Elder, has been tapped for the top spot on Zymurgy magazine’s list of the Best Commercial Beers in America. Here we go again…

“I say it every year, but we really are honored and humbled. There are so many great beers out there,” said Vinnie Cilurzo, co-founder and brewmaster, Russian River.

Members of the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) — the publisher of Zymurgy —voted for up to 20 of their favorite beers in an online poll. Members were able to choose any commercial beer available for purchase in the United States. More than 19,000 votes were received for almost 6,000 different beers from 1,763 breweries nominated in the poll. As in recent years, flavorful IPAs and double IPAs were crowd favorites, comprising eight of the top 10 beers.

Top-Ranked Beers:
1. Russian River Pliny the Elder
2. Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
3. Ballast Point Sculpin IPA
4. Stone Enjoy By IPA
5. Founders Breakfast Stout
6. The Alchemist Heady Topper
7. Bell’s Hopslam Ale
8. Three Floyds Zombie Dust
9. Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
10. Firestone Walker Wookey Jack

Top-Ranked Breweries:
1. Russian River Brewing Company, Santa Rosa, Calif.
2. Stone Brewing Co., Escondido, Calif.
3. Bell’s Brewery, Inc., Kalamazoo, Mich.
4. Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids, Mich.
5. Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Paso Robles, Calif.
6. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, Calif. and Mills River, N.C.
7. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, Del.
8. Lagunitas Brewing Company, Petaluma, Calif. and Chicago, Ill.
9. Ballast Point Brewing Company, San Diego, Calif.
10. Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Ore.

Top-Ranked Beer Portfolios (T indicates Tie):
1. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., 60 beers
2. Stone Brewing Co., 54 beers
3. Bell’s Brewery, Inc., 52 beers
4. New Belgium Brewing Company, 47 beers
5. Avery Brewing Company, 39 beers
T6. Goose Island Beer Co., 37 beers
T6. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, 37 beers
T8. Firestone Walker Brewing Company, 35 beers
T8. The Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams), 35 beers
T8. The Bruery, 35 beers

“Homebrewers love to try all different types of beer, which is easy given the plethora of varieties offered by today’s small and independent brewers. So, to be selected by homebrewers nationwide and named among the best beers in America is a tremendous honor,” said Gary Glass, director, American Homebrewers Association. “While a diverse group of brewers from every corner of the country were recognized for their outstanding beers and portfolios, one particular style still reigned supreme: IPA.”

The complete list of Zymurgy’s “Best Beers in America” is available at HomebrewersAssociation.org. This was the 13th year that the poll was conducted.