Top 10 American Fruit Beers Brewed in North America
This Top Ten List of American Style Fruit Beers is from the results of the U.S. Open Beer Championship, Great American Beer Festival, and World Beer Cup. These fruit beers are any beers using fruit or fruit extracts in any of the mash, kettle, primary or secondary fermentation, providing obvious, yet harmonious, fruit qualities. Fruit qualities should not be overpowered by hop character. ABV: 2.5-12%. IBU: 5-70.
1. Raspberry Uber – Nickel Brook Brewing – Ontario
2. Wisconsin Belgian Red – New Glarus Brewing – Wisconsin
3. Raspberry Wheat – Alaskan Brewing – Alaska
4. Razz Against the Machine – Little Machine – Colorado
5. Founders Blushing Monk – Founders Brewing – Wisconsin
6. Watermelon Wheat – Tailgate Beer – Tennessee
7. The Mesa – Cismontane Brewing – California
8. F-Town Amber – Copper Club Brewing – Colorado
9. Raspberry Tart – New Glarus Brewing Company – Wisconsin
10. Watermelon Gose – Boiler Brewing – Nebraska
History of American Fruit Ales
Fruit ales in America trace their roots to early colonial brewing traditions, where settlers, lacking consistent access to barley and hops, turned to local ingredients like fruits to ferment beverages. By the 17th and 18th centuries, apples, cherries, and berries were commonly used in homemade ciders and beers, often blended with malted grains to create rustic, fruit-infused ales. These early brews were practical, reflecting the resourcefulness of colonists who adapted European brewing techniques to the New World’s bounty. However, as commercial brewing grew in the 19th century, fruit ales faded, overshadowed by lagers and standardized beer styles driven by German immigration and industrial advances.
The modern revival of American fruit ales began in the late 20th century with the craft beer revolution. In the 1980s and 1990s, pioneering breweries like Samuel Adams and New Glarus experimented with fruit infusions, drawing inspiration from both colonial practices and Belgian fruit beers like lambics. Brewers embraced local fruits—cherries in Michigan, peaches in Georgia, and raspberries in Oregon—creating distinctive regional styles. By the 2000s, fruit ales became a staple of craft brewing, ranging from tart, barrel-aged sours to sweet, dessert-like brews. Today, American fruit ales reflect innovation and diversity, balancing bold flavors with technical precision, and remain a vibrant part of the craft beer landscape.
Top 10 Beers in America – Ales Lagers Specialty Barrel Aged