Credit: Liv Averett / Brewdog / Goose Island / Sierra Nevada / Total Wine / Trader Joe's
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We won’t pretend the best beer (like, the actual world’s best beer) is available in your local Kroger. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find some seriously good brews to add to your cart along with your weekly supply of cereal, vegan hot dogs, and sour candy (you sound fun, btw). We’ve tasted a ton of the best beer brands from the grocery store, and now we’ve distilled those rankings down to the ultimate list. This is a list of the best of the best beers, from the best light beer to the best sour beer and even the best pumpkin ale, which you’ll soon be able to find year round thanks to that seasonal creep.
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So, what’s the best beer to buy at the grocery store? It depends what you’re looking for, but I bet you’ll find something to tickle your fancy on this list of the best canned beer and bottled beer you can easily source without following any breweries on Insta.
In perhaps one of our most controversial rankings yet, Simpler Times Lager came out on top as the best Trader Joe’s beer. Hey, take it with a grain of salt, but we literally lined up all the TJ’s beers and found it to be the very clear winner. It’s better (and cheaper) than PBR and Bud Light. (This might be one of those TJ’s products that varies in quality by batch, though, just judging by the negative reviews…)
This NA beer is so refreshing. It tastes like a classic golden ale mixed with a little bit of lemonade. It’s lightly hoppy and not too bitter, with a malty, inviting smell. This knocked our previous #1 best NA beer out of the top spot, by the way, so you better believe us when we tell you it’s delicious.
This pumpkin beer isn’t playing around. It comes in at 8.4%! Wow! It tastes like real, Jack-o’-lantern-grade pumpkin along with those classic pumpkin spice spices like nutmeg. It’s perfect for sipping around a fire or alongside a slice of pie.
With just 2.3 grams of carbs per serving, this shockingly low-carb beer (for comparison, Dogfish Head has 24 grams of carbs) is totally at home in the summer with its zesty tang and bright flavors—but it will also perk up your winters. Even though it’s a wheat beer, it won’t weigh you down. Give it a try even if you aren’t watching your carb intake.
There’s so much going on in this light beer. It has tons of tropical fruit flavors like pineapple—even though there’s no actual fruit in the mix. It’s all thanks to the hops! It’s such a good light beer that you’ll find yourself choosing it instead of a non-light beer. On top of the great flavor, the packaging is also very pleasing and the bottle is so nice to hold. It’s the perfect buddy to have with you at the grill.
This one hits that sweet spot where everything just works. There’s a subtle pop of nectarine (yes, actual nectarine) layered with bright, citrusy, lightly grassy hops. It keeps the bitterness in check, though, so you can actually enjoy it. At 7.5% ABV, it leans a little bold, but that strength gives it the backbone you expect from a real IPA.
The best Oktoberfest beer is also one of the original Oktoberfest beers. It’s extremely malty with a slightly tangy finish, which makes it great with food (food likes acidity). Pair this with a giant soft pretzel and some beer cheese or a juicy bratwurst.
You saw right, the best stout is not Guinness. That’s because Old Rasputin is so much more complex. It’s moody, like a noir film. It’s bitter with notes of leather and unsweetened cocoa and coffee. Grab one of these, stare out the window at a rainy day, and enjoy.
Sour beers are often way too sour. And you shouldn’t need someone to dare you to drink a beer to want to drink it. This sour beer has just the right amount of tartness. It’s refreshing, it’s tropical, it’s totally chill. And the can design can’t be beat.
There’s a reason why Allagash is so ubiquitous—it’s great. Some of the wheat beers we tasted were super banana-y. Others were super citrusy. This one walks the line, incorporating notes of this and touches of that, revealing a beautifully balanced brew. Whether you’re a diehard wheat beer fan or just looking to take a break from IPAs, this is the best wheat beer.
Goose Island Juicy Beer Hug is vacation in a 9.9% ABV can. (Wouldn’t be a vacation beer if it didn’t get you stumbling around the boardwalk.) It’s extremely tropical, with a great balance of pineapple, mango, and bitter hops. It’s an Imperial IPA and it does not pull its punches, but we love it.
The Sporked Staff tastes everything and anything. They are obsessive about groceries and finding the best of any type of food or drink, from frozen fried shrimp to Dijon mustard to gummy candy. And they're always on a hunt for the best new products. When they aren't eating professionally, they're eating recreationally. And often they're browsing grocery store aisles, just for fun.
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Sporked Staff
Joe Rumrill
Luke Field
Gwynedd Stuart
