American Stout is the specialty category American craft turned into a global reference. Of the 73 American stouts on this ranking, 29 are Imperial Stout — a sub-style that in the American craft scene became a canvas for the two innovations that defined 21st-century stout brewing: barrel-aging (particularly bourbon-barrel and rum-barrel programmes) and the pastry-stout adjunct tradition (coffee, cocoa, coconut, marshmallow, vanilla). Neither existed at scale in world brewing before American craft breweries built the categories around them.
Currently leading the ranking: Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout (Toppling Goliath Brewing Company), Assassin and Hunahpu's Imperial Stout (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 279 beers from 129 breweries.
Top 5 of 50
ABV
12.6%
Bitterness
Very bitter
Colour
dark 40
A curated blend from the brewery's barrel room. Intense aromatics of espresso and maple syrup lead into bourbon-drenched maple candy and chocolate brownies on the palate. The brewery sells it only at its annual KBBS bottle release. It won…A curated blend from the brewery's barrel room. Intense aromatics of espresso and maple syrup lead into bourbon-drenched maple candy and chocolate brownies on the palate. The brewery sells it only at its annual KBBS bottle release. It won Gold at the U.S. Open Beer Championship in 2018, 2021, 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Assassin#74 worldwide
ABV
14.7%
Bitterness
Very bitter
Colour
dark 40
Assassin is a barrel-aged stout that spends over a year in barrels, sometimes closer to two. Bourbon notes and warmth in each sip wash over a fudge chocolate base. The 2026 release comes in at 14.7% ABV, against 12% for the 2018 to 2020…Assassin is a barrel-aged stout that spends over a year in barrels, sometimes closer to two. Bourbon notes and warmth in each sip wash over a fudge chocolate base. The 2026 release comes in at 14.7% ABV, against 12% for the 2018 to 2020 releases. It has won Gold at the U.S. Open Beer Championship in 2021, 2022 and 2025.
Hunahpu's Imperial Stout#79 worldwide
ABV
11.6%
Bitterness
Very bitter
Colour
dark 40
Dark chocolate, mocha and molasses rise from the glass, with espresso, baker's chocolate and plum following on the palate. Hunahpu's Imperial Stout is named for one of the Hero Twins of Mayan mythology, whose father's body became a cacao…Dark chocolate, mocha and molasses rise from the glass, with espresso, baker's chocolate and plum following on the palate. Hunahpu's Imperial Stout is named for one of the Hero Twins of Mayan mythology, whose father's body became a cacao tree. The 2026 bottling was brewed with cinnamon, vanilla, cacao nibs and chile peppers for Hunahpu's Day, and this 11.6% stout has won five Golds at the U.S. Open Beer Championship.
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Golden Stout#91 worldwide
ABV
7.5%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Colour
dark 35
Coffee, chocolate and vanilla meet the roasty flavors of a stout in a beer that skips the traditional stout look. A carefully calibrated blend of Better Buzz coffee, Ghanaian cocoa nibs and vanilla beans builds its signature, alongside…Coffee, chocolate and vanilla meet the roasty flavors of a stout in a beer that skips the traditional stout look. A carefully calibrated blend of Better Buzz coffee, Ghanaian cocoa nibs and vanilla beans builds its signature, alongside Columbus hops, in this 7.5% Golden Stout. The brewery set out to break the visual rules of a stout without sacrificing what makes a stout worth drinking. Silver at the 2024 World Beer Cup and Bronze in 2026, both in Coffee Beer.
5
Marshal Zhukov's#149 worldwide
ABV
11.5%
Bitterness
Very bitter
Colour
dark 40
Espresso, chocolate, dark toffee and hints of blackstrap molasses carry this Russian Imperial Stout, with English hops adding a subtle herbal dryness before a hearty, roasty finish. Marshal Zhukov's is dedicated to Georgy Zhukov, the…Espresso, chocolate, dark toffee and hints of blackstrap molasses carry this Russian Imperial Stout, with English hops adding a subtle herbal dryness before a hearty, roasty finish. Marshal Zhukov's is dedicated to Georgy Zhukov, the Second World War general, and this 11.5% beer has won Gold at the U.S. Open Beer Championship in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018.
Ranks 6–10
6
The Abyss#278 worldwide
The Abyss is the barrel-aged imperial stout of the Deschutes Reserve Series, released each year around November. It is brewed with licorice, cherry bark and molasses, and the 2025 vintage matured in a blend of whiskey barrels, red wine…The Abyss is the barrel-aged imperial stout of the Deschutes Reserve Series, released each year around November. It is brewed with licorice, cherry bark and molasses, and the 2025 vintage matured in a blend of whiskey barrels, red wine barrels and new oak. It pours near black with a ruby edge under a brown head. Dark-roast coffee, baker's chocolate and licorice lead the nose, followed by molasses, cherry and oaky whiskey. The body is full and warming, and the long finish turns bittersweet.
7
Milk Stout#306 worldwide
Milk chocolate leads, freshly brewed coffee aromas follow, and hints of caramelized sugar plus a subtle sweetness melt into a creamy finish. Lactose plays the part of cream in coffee, and rolled oats, flaked barley and roasted barley fill…Milk chocolate leads, freshly brewed coffee aromas follow, and hints of caramelized sugar plus a subtle sweetness melt into a creamy finish. Lactose plays the part of cream in coffee, and rolled oats, flaked barley and roasted barley fill out the grist. A fixture since 1999, it took Great American Beer Festival gold in 2013.
8
Double Negative#310 worldwide
Double Negative is Grimm's imperial stout at 10 percent, brewed since 2014. It pours jet black with burnt orange highlights under a long-lasting tan head that leaves heavy lacing. Espresso, bitter chocolate and caramel lead the aroma, with…Double Negative is Grimm's imperial stout at 10 percent, brewed since 2014. It pours jet black with burnt orange highlights under a long-lasting tan head that leaves heavy lacing. Espresso, bitter chocolate and caramel lead the aroma, with dark fruit notes of black currant and blueberry behind them. The palate is creamy and viscous and follows the nose at first; then a smooth bitterness cuts through before a long, roasty finish.
9
Tsunami#325 worldwide
Roasted malts and unmalted barley give this export stout a dense, creamy head and distinct dark chocolate and cappuccino flavors, swelling to a clean, rounded malty finish. Jet black and full-bodied, it is brewed with pale ale, chocolate…Roasted malts and unmalted barley give this export stout a dense, creamy head and distinct dark chocolate and cappuccino flavors, swelling to a clean, rounded malty finish. Jet black and full-bodied, it is brewed with pale ale, chocolate and black malt, flaked and roasted barley, and Magnum and Willamette hops. 7% ABV, 45 IBU, named after the force of nature.
10
Pumpkinator#344 worldwide
Big, black and full of spice: an imperial pumpkin stout brewed with pale two-row, caramel and black malts, pumpkin for a rich mouthfeel, molasses, brown sugar and spices, then dry-spiced, with Cascade and Liberty hops for a background hop…Big, black and full of spice: an imperial pumpkin stout brewed with pale two-row, caramel and black malts, pumpkin for a rich mouthfeel, molasses, brown sugar and spices, then dry-spiced, with Cascade and Liberty hops for a background hop flavor. It began in 2009 as Divine Reserve No. 9 and became Pumpkinator in 2011. At 10.3% ABV and 34 IBU, it won silver at the World Beer Cup in 2012 and 2023.
The taste landscape
Of the 50 top beers, 33 lean malt-forward and 2 lean hop-forward.