The 100 Best Beers in the World According to RateBeer.com Users

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In January 2019 RateBeer published its list of the 100 best beers in the world, built from its users’ reviews during 2018 and weighted by their ratings both within and outside each style. It was its last major annual beer list, because the website shut down for good on February 1, 2025.

The list had no number 1. All 100 beers shared the same recognition and RateBeer presented them in alphabetical order, so each beer’s place in the table does not reflect its score.

The links to RateBeer’s beer pages have not worked since the closure. The table stands as the final snapshot of one of the most visited beer rating websites in the world.

The 100 Best Beers

The United States takes 68 of the 100 beers on the list, followed by Belgium with 16, Sweden with 5 and Poland with 4. The only Spanish entry is Petrolaco from Nómada Brewing.

Of the 16 Belgian beers, 12 are lambics from 3 Fonteinen, Cantillon and Bokkereyder. Another 3 are Trappist beers from Westvleteren, Rochefort and Chimay.

Which Lists Replace RateBeer Today?

Since RateBeer closed, the two most influential references for finding out which beers fans rate highest are Untappd and BeerAdvocate. Each one measures something different, so it is worth knowing how they work.

The Untappd Community Awards 2026, published in March, honor the three highest rated drinks in each of 268 substyles. They cover 25,510 drinks from 7,140 producers in 100 countries and do not name a global number 1.

BeerAdvocate, which became independent again in 2026, maintains its Top 250 ranked by a weighted score. As of October 17, 2026 its number 1 is Toppling Goliath’s Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout, a 12% Imperial Stout with an average of 4.83 out of 5 across 965 ratings.

That same beer was already among RateBeer’s 100 best in 2019. So was The Alchemist’s Heady Topper, which ranks seventh on BeerAdvocate today.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is the best beer in the world?

There is no official best beer. RateBeer’s 2019 list had no number 1 and presented its 100 beers in alphabetical order, while BeerAdvocate’s Top 250 had Toppling Goliath’s Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout in first place as of October 17, 2026.

2. Does RateBeer still exist?

No. RateBeer shut down for good on February 1, 2025 and its domain no longer responds. The 2019 list included in this article was the last of its annual beer rankings.

3. Are there Spanish beers among the best in the world?

Yes. RateBeer’s 2019 list of the 100 best beers includes Petrolaco from Nómada Brewing, the only Spanish beer in the selection.

4. Which country has the most beers among the top 100?

The United States, with 68 of the 100 beers on RateBeer’s 2019 list. It is followed by Belgium with 16, Sweden with 5 and Poland with 4, and Italy, the Netherlands, Canada, Norway and Spain complete the list.

5. Which beer rating website is used today?

The most popular are Untappd, whose Community Awards 2026 honor the best drinks in 268 substyles across 100 countries, and BeerAdvocate, which maintains its Top 250 based on a weighted score of its users’ ratings.

Recommended

• RateBeer shuts down for good: The end of an era in craft beer
• BeerAdvocate becomes independent again after 6 years under Next Glass