There now are more than 2,500 breweries in the US—more than 25 times as many as in 1980! Here are eight top-notch American-made beers from 
relatively small “craft breweries” in eight different styles (with alternatives for each in case you can’t find the first one). They’re great to serve at parties or even to give as gifts to your beer-loving friends.
Allagash Tripel from Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine. Abbey-style tripels have a golden color, a rich flavor and relatively high alcohol content. Allagash’s Tripel features notes of honey and apricot and a smooth finish. It goes well with pork loin, seared scallops or full-flavored cheeses. Allagash.com
Alternate: Westmalle Tripel from Belgium. This is the original Tripel-style beer and still is brewed by Trappist monks. TrappistWestmalle.be
Baba Black Lager from Uinta Brewing Company in Salt Lake City. This is a “schwarzbier,” a light-bodied black lager—not all lagers are light in color, nor are all dark beers heavy in body. Its flavor is a little toasty but not very bitter. It’s easy to drink and pairs well with shellfish, including clam chowder. UintaBrewing.com
Alternate: Köstritzer Schwarzbier from Germany is another light-bodied, dark-colored beer. This one has a roasted malt flavor. Koestritzer.de/en
Bell’s Two Hearted Ale from Bell’s Brewery in Galesburg, Michigan. This is an American-style India Pale Ale (IPA), a type of beer that has a high alcohol content. The main difference between American-style IPAs and their English cousins is the flavor of the hops. Two Hearted Ale uses only Centennial hops from the Pacific Northwest for a citrusy, piney flavor. It pairs well with spicy foods, particularly those that have an herbal or citrusy flavor, such as a Thai curry or Vietnamese pho with basil and lemongrass. BellsBeer.com
Alternate: Stone IPA from Escondido, California, is another excellent citrusy IPA. StoneBrewing.com
Black Butte Porter from Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon. Porters are dark beers with a roasted malt flavor. Most porters—and most stouts—are much lighter in body and easier to drink than people think they are. Brown porters are toasty, dry and light-bodied, while robust porters are bolder with medium body and a chocolatey, slightly sweet flavor. Deschutes adds a tiny bit of wheat to this robust porter, producing a smooth texture. Porters pair well with anything grilled, including burgers, ribs or chicken, or with cheddar cheese. DeschutesBrewery.com
Alternate: Fuller’s London Porter from England. This brown porter is dry and toasty. Fullers.co.uk
Brooklyn East India Pale Ale from Brooklyn Brewery in Brooklyn, New York. This is an English-style IPA—it’s very bitter and hoppy with a high alcohol content like an American-style IPA, but its East Kent Goldings hops supply floral, spicy, earthy notes. It goes very well with spicy foods, particularly Indian curries or vindaloo, gingery Chinese food or garlicky Italian food (but it doesn’t pair well with tomatoes). BrooklynBrewery.com
Alternate: Meantime India Pale Ale from Meantime Brewing Company in England. This IPA is loaded with Kent Fuggles and Goldings hops, which help to re-create the flavors of the very first British IPAs. MeantimeBrewing.com
Founders All Day IPA (shown above) from Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan. All Day IPA is an “American Bitter” or “Session IPA.” It’s hoppy and bitter like any IPA, with citrus and pine notes, but with less alcohol than a traditional IPA—just 4.7% alcohol versus 7% or more for most IPAs. It pairs well with fried foods and spicy foods. FoundersBrewing.com
Alternate: Bitter American from 21st Amendment Brewery in San Francisco has an alcohol content of just 4.4%. 21st-Amendment.com
Hennepin Farmhouse Saison from Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, New York. Saisons are tart, dry, golden ales with lemony and peppery notes and complex bouquets. This one is moderately hoppy and spiced with coriander, orange peel and ginger. It pairs well with salads. Ommegang.com
Alternate: Saison Dupont from La Brasserie Dupont in Belgium is crisp with notes of citrus and spice. Brasserie-Dupont.com
Prima Pils from Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. Many beers labeled ”pilsners” actually are American lagers. True pilsners are quite hoppy and bitter. This excellent example features German and Czech hops that provide peppery, herbal, grassy notes. Pilsners pair well with fried foods and salty foods—and fish tacos, crab cakes, bratwurst and Swiss cheese. VictoryBeer.com
Alternate: Pilsner Urquell from the Czech Republic is the original pilsner, dating back to 1842. PilsnerUrquell.com/us
