07-04-2025
Top rated West Virginia beers to try on National Beer Day
CLARKSBURG, (WBOY) — Despite West Virginia's relatively small craft beverage industry compared to surrounding states like Ohio or Virginia, Mountain State brewers still put out a ton of top-notch beer that deserves recognition.
If you live in north central West Virginia, here are some of the top-rated beers from each brewery in the area that craft beer drinkers think are the most worthy of your attention.
The two most popular beers on Short Story's tap list, according to beer review website Untappd, are the Argonaut Helles Lager and the Chasing Daylight IPA.
The Argonaut is a fairly light beer and is described as having a 'strong wheat profile' and a crisp finish—a perfect beer to enjoy on a warm evening, although the next few days will be a bit chillier than last week.
Untappd reviewers described the Chasing Daylight IPA as light, citrusy and aromatic.
Chestnut Brew Works' Halleck Pale Ale is essentially the poster child of craft beer in Morgantown and certainly deserves a try if you haven't given it a chance already. The Halleck does have some hop to it, but the beer itself remains light and refreshing. Plus, it's widely available in cans if you want to save yourself a trip to the Chestnut Beer Hall on Pleasant Street in downtown Morgantown.
If you're looking for a darker option, the South Park Porter is another highly rated beer from Chestnut Brew Works that can also be found in cans in craft beverage stores and some grocery stores.
You can watch 12 News' Restaurant Road Trip to the Chestnut Beer Hall below.
Mountain State Brewing Company can be found all around north central West Virginia, and in addition to making great wood-fired pizza, they also make some great beer.
MSBC's Almost Heaven Amber Ale and Cold Trail Blonde are two of the brewery's most popular beers, with more than 25,000 ratings on Untappd between the two of them. The Cold Trail is light and easy-drinking—a perfect pair for any pizza on their menu—and the Amber Ale is a little more robust with 'a pleasing caramel finish.'
MSBC also has its own oatmeal stout called Miner's Daughter if you're looking for something that steps away from the usual 'light beer' experience.
As one of West Virginia's most recognizable breweries, Big Timber beer can be found in just about any corner of the state. If you're a fan of craft beer, you've almost certainly tried Big Timber's flagship IPA before, but if you haven't, there's a reason it's one of the most widely distributed craft beers in West Virginia. It's well balanced and relatively light, and its hops give the beer character without being all-consuming.
But if you really aren't a fan of IPA's, the Logger Lager can be a good alternative. It's a solid lager with a malty finish; it tastes different from a lot of other lagers but is still good in its own right. You can also try the brewery's award-winning Porter, which took home the gold medal in the Robust Porter category at the 2024 World Beer Cup.
Stumptown Ales prides itself on its IPA's and should be a destination brewery for any West Virginia hop-head. Its most-rated beer on Untappd is the Holy Citra! Double IPA, which is brewed with 'loads' of Citra hops and has tons of fruity notes like mango, papaya and pineapple.
Although no longer 'new,' Fox Hops is one of the newer breweries to open in the region, and when 12 News visited the brewery for a Restaurant Road Trip, we were impressed by the creativity in both its beer and its food.
Sami's Saison is probably what people would consider its flagship beer, but it is also a great place to go for unique beers as well. For example, 12 News got to sample a peppercorn beer during our visit, and on Monday the brewery announced it would be releasing a 'ramp beer' on Friday, April 11.
While it might be off the beaten path for most of north central West Virginia, Screech Owl Brewing is worth a visit. Not only does this brewery put out consistent beer, it also has a killer menu of food made with spent grain from their brewing process, making its meals both unique and delicious.
The Hoo's Your Daddy IPA is by far the most rated beer from Screech Owl on Untappd, described on the brewery's website as a 'smooth yet sassy, crisp but not quite sharp,' mid-coast IPA. The brewery also has its Wild & Wonderful Strawberry Ale, which is nice and fruity without being tart or too sweet.
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