爆料TV

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, but many people are simply opting to drink less. A January 2025 survey from NCSolutions found that almost half of Americans 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鈥攆or example, hazy IPAs were the most popular entrant in the . 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. compiled a list of the best beers from Illinois using data from 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.

You may also like: Coldest Octobers in Illinois since 1895

BeerAdvocate

1 / 30

#30. Neon Green Relish

- Rating: 4.38 (87 ratings)
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 7.5%
- Brewery: Hop Butcher For The World
-

BeerAdvocate

2 / 30

#29. Malevolence - Chocolate Caliente

- Rating: 4.36 (126 ratings)
- Type: Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV: 10.5%
- Brewery: Spiteful Brewing
-

BeerAdvocate

3 / 30

#28. Mikerphone Check 1, 2

- Rating: 4.36 (151 ratings)
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 8.0%
- Brewery: Mikerphone Brewing
-

BeerAdvocate

4 / 30

#27. Arabesque

- Rating: 4.72 (21 ratings)
- Type: English Barleywine
- ABV: 16.4%
- Brewery: Phase Three Brewing Company
-

BeerAdvocate

5 / 30

#26. Green Moss

- Rating: 4.39 (114 ratings)
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 7.5%
- Brewery: Hop Butcher For The World
-

You may also like: See the most extreme temperatures in Illinois history

BeerAdvocate

6 / 30

#25. Bourbon County Brand Bardstown Cask Finish Stout (2024)

- Rating: 4.48 (53 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 16.0%
- Brewery: Goose Island Beer Co.
-

BeerAdvocate

7 / 30

#24. Catch Hell - Double Barrel Aged

- Rating: 4.60 (34 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 15.3%
- Brewery: Half Acre Beer Company
-

BeerAdvocate

8 / 30

#23. Imperial Smells Like Bean Spirit - Bourbon Barrel-Aged

- Rating: 4.46 (76 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 14.24%
- Brewery: Mikerphone Brewing
-

BeerAdvocate

9 / 30

#22. Beer Hates Astronauts

- Rating: 4.36 (654 ratings)
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 7.8%
- Brewery: Half Acre Beer Company
-

BeerAdvocate

10 / 30

#21. Benthic

- Rating: 4.39 (219 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 13.6%
- Brewery: Half Acre Beer Company
-

You may also like: Biggest exports from Illinois

BeerAdvocate

11 / 30

#20. Imperial Smells Like Bean Spirit

- Rating: 4.41 (186 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 10.75%
- Brewery: Mikerphone Brewing
-

BeerAdvocate

12 / 30

#19. Benthic - Vanilla

- Rating: 4.49 (74 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 14.2%
- Brewery: Half Acre Beer Company
-

BeerAdvocate

13 / 30

#18. Double Grid

- Rating: 4.42 (170 ratings)
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 7.5%
- Brewery: Hop Butcher For The World
-

BeerAdvocate

14 / 30

#17. Henna: Double Rainbow

- Rating: 4.52 (62 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 11.8%
- Brewery: More Brewing Co.
-

BeerAdvocate

15 / 30

#16. Benthic - 2 x 4

- Rating: 4.57 (48 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 13.6%
- Brewery: Half Acre Beer Company
-

You may also like: Top 5 uniquely popular potato chip brands in Illinois

BeerAdvocate

16 / 30

#15. Wooden Hell

- Rating: 4.43 (236 ratings)
- Type: English Barleywine
- ABV: 9.5%
- Brewery: Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery
-

BeerAdvocate

17 / 30

#14. Citra

- Rating: 4.40 (1,412 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 9.5%
- Brewery: Pipeworks Brewing Co.
-

BeerAdvocate

18 / 30

#13. Henna: S'more

- Rating: 4.51 (87 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 11.0%
- Brewery: More Brewing Co.
-

BeerAdvocate

19 / 30

#12. Supermassive Caf茅 Deth

- Rating: 4.46 (157 ratings)
- Type: Oatmeal Stout
- ABV: 14.3%
- Brewery: Revolution Brewing
-

BeerAdvocate

20 / 30

#11. Barrel Aged Jones Dog

- Rating: 4.42 (481 ratings)
- Type: Sweet / Milk Stout
- ABV: 14.1%
- Brewery: Pipeworks Brewing Co.
-

You may also like: Hottest Octobers in Illinois since 1895

BeerAdvocate

21 / 30

#10. Double Barrel V.S.O.D.

- Rating: 4.48 (127 ratings)
- Type: Oatmeal Stout
- ABV: 17.9%
- Brewery: Revolution Brewing
-

BeerAdvocate

22 / 30

#9. Sure Bet

- Rating: 4.44 (662 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 9.5%
- Brewery: Pipeworks Brewing Co.
-

BeerAdvocate

23 / 30

#8. Barrel Aged Hyper Dog

- Rating: 4.51 (128 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 13.5%
- Brewery: Pipeworks Brewing Co.
-

BeerAdvocate

24 / 30

#7. Barrel-Aged Malevolence Chocolate Caliente

- Rating: 4.53 (119 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 14.0%
- Brewery: Spiteful Brewing
-

BeerAdvocate

25 / 30

#6. Emerald Grouper

- Rating: 4.46 (937 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 9.5%
- Brewery: Pipeworks Brewing Co.
-

You may also like: Highest-earning counties in Illinois

BeerAdvocate

26 / 30

#5. V.S.O.R. Select

- Rating: 4.62 (74 ratings)
- Type: Rye Beer
- ABV: 15.7%
- Brewery: Revolution Brewing
-

BeerAdvocate

27 / 30

#4. Bourbon County Brand Stout

- Rating: 4.60 (13,471 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 14.7%
- Brewery: Goose Island Beer Co.
-

BeerAdvocate

28 / 30

#3. Double Barrel V.S.O.J.

- Rating: 4.74 (137 ratings)
- Type: English Barleywine
- ABV: 16.8%
- Brewery: Revolution Brewing
-

BeerAdvocate

29 / 30

#2. V.S.O.J.

- Rating: 4.68 (364 ratings)
- Type: English Barleywine
- ABV: 14.4%
- Brewery: Revolution Brewing
-

BeerAdvocate

30 / 30

#1. Bourbon County Brand Vanilla Rye Stout

- Rating: 4.67 (2,170 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 14.0%
- Brewery: Goose Island Beer Co.
-

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

You may also like: Highest-rated breweries in Illinois