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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 New Jersey 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.

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BeerAdvocate

1 / 30

#30. Nocturnal Creatures

- Rating: 4.24 (27 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 13.0%
- Brewery: Double Nickel Brewing Company
-

BeerAdvocate

2 / 30

#29. Rift

- Rating: 4.24 (27 ratings)
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 7.0%
- Brewery: Tonewood Brewing - Barrington
-

BeerAdvocate

3 / 30

#28. Danky Kong

- Rating: 4.22 (32 ratings)
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 7.2%
- Brewery: Glasstown Brewing Co.
-

BeerAdvocate

4 / 30

#27. Brotherton IPA

- Rating: 4.14 (86 ratings)
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 6.7%
- Brewery: Brotherton Brewing Company
-

BeerAdvocate

5 / 30

#26. City To Shore

- Rating: 4.15 (81 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 7.8%
- Brewery: Cape May Brewing Company
-

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BeerAdvocate

6 / 30

#25. Fuego

- Rating: 4.13 (173 ratings)
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 6.2%
- Brewery: Tonewood Brewing - Barrington
-

BeerAdvocate

7 / 30

#24. Retribution

- Rating: 4.12 (501 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 11.5%
- Brewery: DuClaw Brewing Co.
-

BeerAdvocate

8 / 30

#23. Double Dry-Hopped Fuego

- Rating: 4.27 (32 ratings)
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 6.2%
- Brewery: Tonewood Brewing - Barrington
-

BeerAdvocate

9 / 30

#22. Snag & Drop

- Rating: 4.21 (65 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 10.0%
- Brewery: Cape May Brewing Company
-

BeerAdvocate

10 / 30

#21. Kalashnikov

- Rating: 4.38 (21 ratings)
- Type: Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV: 14.5%
- Brewery: Icarus Brewing Company
-

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BeerAdvocate

11 / 30

#20. Gravitational Pull

- Rating: 4.37 (23 ratings)
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 6.6%
- Brewery: Conclave Brewing
-

BeerAdvocate

12 / 30

#19. Ramstein Winter Wheat

- Rating: 4.17 (319 ratings)
- Type: Weizenbock
- ABV: 9.5%
- Brewery: High Point Brewing Company
-

BeerAdvocate

13 / 30

#18. Maine Event

- Rating: 4.22 (98 ratings)
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 6.5%
- Brewery: Magnify Brewing Company
-

BeerAdvocate

14 / 30

#17. Heady Jams

- Rating: 4.28 (48 ratings)
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 8.0%
- Brewery: Brix City Brewing
-

BeerAdvocate

15 / 30

#16. Up Up & Away

- Rating: 4.30 (41 ratings)
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 8.5%
- Brewery: Magnify Brewing Company
-

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BeerAdvocate

16 / 30

#15. Imperial Cold Side

- Rating: 4.38 (31 ratings)
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 8.5%
- Brewery: Magnify Brewing Company
-

BeerAdvocate

17 / 30

#14. Peak Of Ripeness

- Rating: 4.29 (64 ratings)
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 6.5%
- Brewery: Magnify Brewing Company
-

BeerAdvocate

18 / 30

#13. Kalashnikoffee

- Rating: 4.37 (36 ratings)
- Type: Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV: 14.5%
- Brewery: Icarus Brewing Company
-

BeerAdvocate

19 / 30

#12. Peak Oil

- Rating: 4.30 (94 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 9.0%
- Brewery: Magnify Brewing Company
-

BeerAdvocate

20 / 30

#11. Gravitational Waves

- Rating: 4.35 (71 ratings)
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 6.84%
- Brewery: Conclave Brewing
-

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BeerAdvocate

21 / 30

#10. 07750 - Nelson

- Rating: 4.32 (105 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 7.8%
- Brewery: Carton Brewing Company
-

BeerAdvocate

22 / 30

#9. 077XX

- Rating: 4.26 (1,456 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 7.8%
- Brewery: Carton Brewing Company
-

BeerAdvocate

23 / 30

#8. Epitome

- Rating: 4.29 (327 ratings)
- Type: Black IPA
- ABV: 10.3%
- Brewery: Carton Brewing Company
-

BeerAdvocate

24 / 30

#7. 077-07871 - Mosaic

- Rating: 4.40 (95 ratings)
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 7.8%
- Brewery: Carton Brewing Company
-

BeerAdvocate

25 / 30

#6. Cafe Y Churro

- Rating: 4.41 (244 ratings)
- Type: Cream Ale
- ABV: 12.0%
- Brewery: Carton Brewing Company
-

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BeerAdvocate

26 / 30

#5. Mexican Brunch - Bourbon Barrel-Aged

- Rating: 4.51 (79 ratings)
- Type: Imperial Porter
- ABV: 11.4%
- Brewery: Kane Brewing Company
-

BeerAdvocate

27 / 30

#4. A Night To End All Dawns

- Rating: 4.41 (632 ratings)
- Type: American Imperial Stout
- ABV: 12.2%
- Brewery: Kane Brewing Company
-

BeerAdvocate

28 / 30

#3. Sunday Brunch - Bourbon Barrel-Aged

- Rating: 4.57 (131 ratings)
- Type: Imperial Porter
- ABV: 11.0%
- Brewery: Kane Brewing Company
-

BeerAdvocate

29 / 30

#2. Mexican Brunch

- Rating: 4.55 (614 ratings)
- Type: Imperial Porter
- ABV: 9.2%
- Brewery: Kane Brewing Company
-

BeerAdvocate

30 / 30

#1. Sunday Brunch

- Rating: 4.55 (859 ratings)
- Type: Imperial Porter
- ABV: 9.2%
- Brewery: Kane Brewing Company
-

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

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