CLARKSBURG, W.Va. – Craft beer has become a growing commodity and a culture in many states, including West Virginia. According to the Brewers Association, the number of breweries in the United States grew 390% from 2010 to 2020.
Like all revolutions, this, too, began as a desire for change—as an overthrow of the old monopolies. In 2010, Anheuser-Busch InBev and Molson Coors (formerly MillerCoors), two of the largest beer companies in the world, comprised roughly 77% of total beer sales in the U.S. In 2020, that share was 60%, with smaller brewers claiming a larger share toward the end of the decade.
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, beer prices have increased by 33%.
The increase in the number of microbreweries, taprooms, brewpubs, and craft breweries, the sector has also led to enormous job growth over roughly the same period, with a 55% increase in the number of brewery employees. Supporting small businesses like local breweries and taprooms is a way for people to connect over and about beer, to appreciate the renaissance of the millennia-old tradition of brewing.
If you’ve ever been curious about which beers are most popular in your home state, we have the answer. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated beer in West Virginia using ratings from BeerAdvocate. 3 of the 10 beers on the list are made by Elkins’ Big Timber Brewing.
#10. Mountain Momma (Bridge Brew Works LLC in Fayetteville)
– Rating: 3.93 / 5 (18 ratings)
– Beer type: Pale Ale – English
– ABV: 5.8%
#9. The Dun Glen Dubbel (Bridge Brew Works LLC)
– Rating: 3.92 / 5 (47 ratings)
– Beer type: Dubbel
– ABV: 7.1%
#8. Forest Fest (Big Timber Brewing in Elkins)
– Rating: 3.98 / 5 (24 ratings)
– Beer type: Lager – Märzen
– ABV: 5.6%
#7. Your Best Hoption (Chestnut Brew Works in Morgantown)
– Rating: 4.08 / 5 (15 ratings)
– Beer type: IPA – Imperial
– ABV: 8.2%
#6. Devil Anse IPA (Greenbrier Valley Brewing Company in Maxwelton)
– Rating: 4.02 / 5 (139 ratings)
– Beer type: IPA – American
– ABV: 6.9%
#5. Double Bit (Big Timber Brewing)
– Rating: 4.12 / 5 (23 ratings)
– Beer type: IPA – Imperial
– ABV: 8.0%
#4. Bourbon Barrel Porter (Big Timber Brewing)
– Rating: 4.23 / 5 (10 ratings)
– Beer type: Porter – American
– ABV: 7.0%
#3. Six Legged Frog (Stumptown Ales in Davis)
– Rating: 4.3 / 5 (11 ratings)
– Beer type: IPA – American
– ABV: 6.5%
#2. Holy Citra DIPA (Stumptown Ales)
– Rating: 4.39 / 5 (15 ratings)
– Beer type: IPA – Imperial
– ABV: 8.0%
#1. Halleck Pale Ale (Chestnut Brew Works)
– Rating: 4.34 / 5 (55 ratings)
– Beer type: Pale Ale – American
– ABV: 6.0%
If you want to try West Virginia’s top-rated beers, Big Timber Brewing Company can be found at 1210 South Davis Avenue in Elkins. Big Timber was also recently featured in 12 News’ Best West Virginia YouTube Videos series. Chestnut Brew Works can be found in downtown Morgantown at 444 Brockway Avenue; Stumptown Ales is located in Davis at 390 William Avenue; and Greenbrier Valley Brewing Compan can be found at 862 Industrial Park Rd A, in Maxwelton. Bridge Brew Works is located at 335 Nick Rahall Greenway in Fayetteville but is temporarily closed.
For a West Virginia perspective on craft beer, click here.
