Highest rated stouts in California

The stout is known for being especially full-bodied, dark, strong, lightly sweet, and sometimes creamy. It often features flavor notes of roasted coffee, chocolate, and malt. However, the versatility of a stout lends itself to more experimentation than one might assume.

Yes, there are the more well-known Irish and English stouts, American stouts (and double stouts), Russian imperial stouts, but there are also oatmeal stouts, milk stouts, oyster stouts, blonde stouts, barrel-aged pastry stouts, and more—and they all have varying flavor profiles, colors, and alcohol strengths.

Stacker compiled a list of the best stouts from California using data from BeerAdvocate. A maximum of 5 stouts per brewery were included. Accompanying each stout is its brewery, its rating on BeerAdvocate, the stout type, and its ABV. Are you interested in expanding your horizons past the most mainstream of the stouts? Check out the best stouts brewed in your very own state.