American Dark Beer covers American Stout, American Porter, Black IPA, Schwarzbier and American Brown Ale — a group that leans harder into hop character than the English parent styles. The hopIQ Score for American Dark Beer evaluates each beer against its sub-style reference and weights medals from style-judged competitions.
Currently leading the ranking: 1554 (New Belgium Brewing Company), New Belgium 1554 Black Lager and Maduro (Cigar City Brewing).
How this ranking works
The hopIQ Score judges every beer against its style first: it rewards medals from competitions that judge within style categories and deducts points where a beer measurably deviates from its style reference. Community ratings add to that. Non-alcoholic excluded. No paid placement — order follows the data alone. Ranking spans 77 beers from 55 breweries.
Top 5 of 50
ABV
6.0%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Colour
deep amber 20
A dry, chocolatey finish crowns this dark beer, which is neither porter, stout, schwarzbier nor bock. 1554 revives zwert, Flemish for black, a lost style that used gruit for bittering; the inspiration came from a book published in 1554.…A dry, chocolatey finish crowns this dark beer, which is neither porter, stout, schwarzbier nor bock. 1554 revives zwert, Flemish for black, a lost style that used gruit for bittering; the inspiration came from a book published in 1554. Specialty dark malts, a dash of licorice root and a European lager yeast fermented at ale temperatures make up the 6.0% beer at 21 IBU, first released in 1998. Gold in the Historical Beer category at the 2025 Great American Beer Festival.
New Belgium 1554 Black Lager#219 worldwide
ABV
5.6%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Colour
dark 35
New Belgium's dark session lager, recreated from a 16th-century Brussels brewing text. Rich chocolate and roasted malt with a surprisingly light body and clean lager finish. 1554 is proof that dark doesn't mean heavy — a gateway dark beer…New Belgium's dark session lager, recreated from a 16th-century Brussels brewing text. Rich chocolate and roasted malt with a surprisingly light body and clean lager finish. 1554 is proof that dark doesn't mean heavy — a gateway dark beer that converts light lager drinkers worldwide.
Maduro#284 worldwide
ABV
5.5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Colour
deep amber 20
Toffee and chocolate macaroons on the nose, then semi-sweet chocolate, almond and brown sugar on the palate, ending in a dry, clean finish with notes of coffee grounds. Maduro is an English-style Brown Ale of moderate body and low alcohol…Toffee and chocolate macaroons on the nose, then semi-sweet chocolate, almond and brown sugar on the palate, ending in a dry, clean finish with notes of coffee grounds. Maduro is an English-style Brown Ale of moderate body and low alcohol at 5.5%, brewed with flaked oats, and it has won U.S. Open Beer Championship medals: Gold in 2011, Silver in 2017, 2018 and 2022.
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ABV
5.8%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Colour
deep amber 20
The caramel and toffee maltiness of Piper Down Scottish ale is the backdrop for a boatload of roasted pumpkin, with a subtle amount of spice and an earthy flavor. Born as a smash at the brewery and a pumpkin ale that bucks the trend, at…The caramel and toffee maltiness of Piper Down Scottish ale is the backdrop for a boatload of roasted pumpkin, with a subtle amount of spice and an earthy flavor. Born as a smash at the brewery and a pumpkin ale that bucks the trend, at 5.8%. Limited, poured only on draft and aimed at the holidays, with World Beer Cup bronze in 2016.
5
ABV
8.4%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Colour
deep amber 20
Baking spice leads the way over a bready malt backdrop, on a medium to full body. Elysian presents it as the world's first imperial pumpkin ale: roasted pumpkin seeds and extra pumpkin in the mash, kettle and fermenter, spiced with…Baking spice leads the way over a bready malt backdrop, on a medium to full body. Elysian presents it as the world's first imperial pumpkin ale: roasted pumpkin seeds and extra pumpkin in the mash, kettle and fermenter, spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice over pale, Munich and several caramel malts. At 8.4 % ABV it won World Beer Cup bronze in 2012 and shares its name with the brewery's Great Pumpkin Beer Festival.
Ranks 6–10
6
Biscuit, mild cocoa and earthy hops define this malt-forward brown ale, deep mahogany in color with a full body and a creamy mouthfeel. A tribute to one of the brewery's favorite British styles, it is sessionable at 5% ABV and 12 IBU. It…Biscuit, mild cocoa and earthy hops define this malt-forward brown ale, deep mahogany in color with a full body and a creamy mouthfeel. A tribute to one of the brewery's favorite British styles, it is sessionable at 5% ABV and 12 IBU. It took Gold at the 2015 San Diego International Beer Competition and is brewed year-round.
7
The first beer in the world commercially made with whole roasted pecans — used like grain to provide nutty character and depth. Bronze at the 2006 World Beer Cup. Very lightly hopped to let the malty, caramel and nutty flavours dominate.…The first beer in the world commercially made with whole roasted pecans — used like grain to provide nutty character and depth. Bronze at the 2006 World Beer Cup. Very lightly hopped to let the malty, caramel and nutty flavours dominate. Dark mahogany, smooth and unmistakably Southern.
8
One of Tenaya Creek's GABF medal winners — a classic American brown ale with chocolate malt sweetness, nutty character and a balanced hop finish. Super drinkable, the kind of beer you order a second without thinking. Ranked on fit to the Dark-Beer reference, award history in style-judged competitions and community ratings.
9
Snow Pilot is the brewery's winter nut brown ale, brewed with caramel malt, Mount Hood hops and crushed pistachios. It pours a chestnut brown with an off-white head. Caramel and toasted nuts dominate the nose, with a buttery, slightly…Snow Pilot is the brewery's winter nut brown ale, brewed with caramel malt, Mount Hood hops and crushed pistachios. It pours a chestnut brown with an off-white head. Caramel and toasted nuts dominate the nose, with a buttery, slightly savoury pistachio note behind. The medium body carries toffee, brown bread and a hint of cocoa alongside the nuttiness, and the finish is soft, with light herbal bitterness and a lingering roasted nut character.
10
Oklahoma's legendary Choc Beer — brewed from a Depression-era recipe using hops, barley, and wild hop-like botanicals. Once sold as near-beer during Prohibition at Pete's Place in Krebs, now legally brewed and a pilgrimage beer for anyone…Oklahoma's legendary Choc Beer — brewed from a Depression-era recipe using hops, barley, and wild hop-like botanicals. Once sold as near-beer during Prohibition at Pete's Place in Krebs, now legally brewed and a pilgrimage beer for anyone who loves American brewing history. Cloudy, slightly sweet, and uniquely Oklahoman.
The taste landscape
Of the 50 top beers, 47 lean malt-forward and 2 lean hop-forward.