If you drink beer—any beer—you’re probably familiar with the craft beer explosion that began in the late 2010s, and you likely fall into one of two camps: IPA warrior or lager loyalist. The great thing about a beer-related revolution is that there is no wrong side. Whatever your preference, cheers to you.
The brewery business is indeed a revolution by many counts. According to the Brewers Association, the number of breweries in the United States grew by 567% from 2003 to 2023—all while beer consumption, on average, was declining. For the first time since 1999, beer shipments fell below 200 million barrels in 2023, making it the lowest amount of beer consumed in the U.S. in a generation.
Like all revolutions, this began as a desire for change—as an overthrow of the old and the monopolistic. When combined, Anheuser-Busch InBev and Molson Coors (formerly MillerCoors), two of the largest beer companies in the world, comprised roughly 72% of total beer sales in the U.S. around 2013. A decade later, that share dropped to 65.7% in 2023, with smaller brewers claiming a larger share.
With a taste of the innovations and variety coming out of craft breweries, consumers are demanding a higher-quality product—and are willing to pay more for it. Over the last decade, between May 2014 and May 2024, beer prices have risen 21% overall.
But how can you determine the best craft beers in an increasingly crowded market? If you’re curious about the most popular beers in your home state, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated beers in Mississippi using ratings from BeerAdvocate. A maximum of five beers per brewery were included.
Read on to plan your next local beer tour!
Note: Photos of each beer are included where available from BeerAdvocate; otherwise, stock images are shown.
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#15. Vanilla Pecan
– Rating: 3.58 (13 ratings)
– Type: English Brown Ale
– ABV: 4.50%
– Brewery: Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate
#14. Coffee Shoppe
– Rating: 3.67 (12 ratings)
– Type: Sweet / Milk Stout
– ABV: 6.00%
– Brewery: Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate
#13. Gulf Sour Series – Blueberry Crumble
– Rating: 3.74 (11 ratings)
– Type: Berliner Weisse
– ABV: 5.70%
– Brewery: Chandeleur Island Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate
#12. Good Bug
– Rating: 3.79 (11 ratings)
– Type: American Blonde Ale
– ABV: 4.50%
– Brewery: Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate
#11. Lil’ Miss Sour
– Rating: 3.82 (27 ratings)
– Type: Wild Ale
– ABV: 5.50%
– Brewery: Chandeleur Island Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate
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#10. Ole Buddy
– Rating: 3.96 (10 ratings)
– Type: New England IPA
– ABV: 6.20%
– Brewery: Chandeleur Island Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate
#9. Timber Beast
– Rating: 3.94 (519 ratings)
– Type: Imperial IPA
– ABV: 9.00%
– Brewery: Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate
#8. Gulf Sour Series – Lovebug
– Rating: 3.99 (21 ratings)
– Type: Fruited Kettle Sour
– ABV: 6.00%
– Brewery: Chandeleur Island Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate
#7. Gulf Sour Series – Guava Jelly
– Rating: 4.02 (17 ratings)
– Type: Fruited Kettle Sour
– ABV: 6.00%
– Brewery: Chandeleur Island Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate
#6. Altered Beast
– Rating: 4.01 (23 ratings)
– Type: New England IPA
– ABV: 6.10%
– Brewery: Southern Prohibition Brewing
– Read more on BeerAdvocate
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#5. Soul Glo
– Rating: 4.05 (32 ratings)
– Type: Saison
– ABV: 8.40%
– Brewery: Southern Prohibition Brewing
– Read more on BeerAdvocate
#4. Cream Stout
– Rating: 4.13 (12 ratings)
– Type: Sweet / Milk Stout
– ABV: 5.40%
– Brewery: Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate
#3. Space To Face
– Rating: 4.22 (21 ratings)
– Type: New England IPA
– ABV: 5.90%
– Brewery: Southern Prohibition Brewing
– Read more on BeerAdvocate
#2. Crowd Control
– Rating: 4.22 (203 ratings)
– Type: Imperial IPA
– ABV: 8.00%
– Brewery: Southern Prohibition Brewing
– Read more on BeerAdvocate
#1. Paradise Lost
– Rating: 4.27 (74 ratings)
– Type: New England IPA
– ABV: 8.10%
– Brewery: Southern Prohibition Brewing
– Read more on BeerAdvocate
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states and Washington D.C.
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