25 Best Washington Beers to Drink in 2026

Washington beer is inseparable from Yakima hops, but the state’s best breweries also excel at precise lagers, rich dark ales, seasonal pumpkin beers, and inventive non-alcoholic releases. This 2026 ranking gathers 25 packaged beers that show the range from Seattle and Burlington to Spokane.

Bodhizafa IPA
#1 in this roundup
Beer profile

Bodhizafa IPA

Brewed by Georgetown Brewing Company

StyleAmerican IPA
ABV6.9%
Beer detailMandarin orange, grapefruit, tropical fruit, light resin, and a dry, polished finish.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

Georgetown's modern Seattle flagship remains a benchmark for aromatic, balanced Northwest IPA.

BAR NOTES

Bodhizafa layers mandarin orange, grapefruit, tropical fruit, and a flicker of pine over a lean malt base. Its saturated aroma and controlled bitterness explain why this Seattle flagship remains so dependable.

Drink it as fresh as possible in a clean tulip or IPA glass. Spicy fried chicken, fish tacos, and sharp cheddar all meet the citrusy hops without smothering the beer’s crisp finish.

Dark Star
#2 in this roundup
Beer profile

Dark Star

Brewed by Fremont Brewing

StyleImperial Oatmeal Stout
ABV8.0%
Beer detailRoasted coffee, dark chocolate, caramel, oats, and a smooth warming finish.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

Fremont's foundational imperial stout combines serious roast with unusual softness and balance.

BAR NOTES

Dark Star leads with espresso, bittersweet chocolate, caramelized malt, and faint dried fruit. Oats round the texture, keeping the substantial roast and alcohol from turning the stout coarse or overly sharp.

Let the pour warm briefly in a snifter before pairing it with smoked brisket, chocolate cake, or aged Gouda. The rising temperature reveals malt depth that disappears when the beer is served refrigerator-cold.

Crikey IPA
#3 in this roundup
Beer profile

Crikey IPA

Brewed by Reuben’s Brews

StyleAmerican IPA
ABV6.8%
Beer detailCitrus, pine, tropical fruit, clean malt, and a firm West Coast hop finish.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

A Ballard-brewed IPA that connects classic Northwest bitterness with contemporary fruit-forward aroma.

BAR NOTES

Crikey delivers grapefruit peel, pine, orange, and tropical fruit with enough clean malt to keep its bitterness composed. It reads as unmistakably Pacific Northwest without feeling stuck in an earlier IPA era.

Serve it fresh and moderately cold with a peppery burger, grilled salmon, or spicy wings. A wide-rimmed glass gives the hop aroma room, while fatty food softens the resinous finish.

Schwarz Lager
#4 in this roundup
Beer profile

Schwarz Lager

Brewed by Chuckanut Brewery

StyleSchwarzbier
ABV4.5%
Beer detailToasted bread, cocoa, light coffee, restrained hops, and a dry lager finish.
Brewed inBurlington, Washington

Chuckanut proves dark color need not mean heaviness in this precise German-style lager.

BAR NOTES

Schwarz Lager offers toasted bread crust, cocoa, light coffee, and gentle herbal hops in a surprisingly nimble body. Clean fermentation keeps every dark-malt note distinct rather than muddy or burnt.

Pair it with bratwurst, roast chicken, mushrooms, or a pretzel with mustard. A tall lager glass showcases the ruby highlights and lively carbonation that make this dark beer especially refreshing.

Field to Ferment
#5 in this roundup
Beer profile

Field to Ferment

Brewed by Fremont Brewing

StyleFresh Hop Pale Ale
ABV6.0%
Beer detailFresh-cut citrus, green hop character, soft grain, and a vivid harvest-season finish.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

A harvest release built around Washington hops moving rapidly from field to fermenter.

BAR NOTES

Field to Ferment captures the bright, fleeting character of freshly harvested Washington hops: citrus peel, green resin, flowers, and a lightly grassy edge. The pale malt stays intentionally quiet beneath that harvest aroma.

This is a freshness-first beer, so choose the newest package available and drink it promptly. Pair it with grilled sausages, herb-roasted chicken, or simple pizza that will not obscure the hops.

Contact Haze
#6 in this roundup
Beer profile

Contact Haze

Brewed by Elysian Brewing

StyleHazy IPA
ABV6.0%
Beer detailRipe peach, citrus, tropical fruit, soft wheat, and restrained finishing bitterness.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

Elysian's hazy IPA favors juicy aroma and a smooth body while retaining useful structure.

BAR NOTES

Contact Haze brings peach, orange, mango, and soft grain across a rounded body. Its bitterness stays restrained, but enough citrus pith remains in the finish to prevent the beer from tasting sugary.

Pour it into a clean tulip while the package is fresh, then match it with Thai curry, pepper jack, or a spicy fried-fish sandwich. Those flavors amplify its fruit without flattening the hops.

Pilsner
#7 in this roundup
Beer profile

Pilsner

Brewed by Reuben’s Brews

StyleCzech-Style Pilsner
ABV5.4%
Beer detailCracker malt, fresh bread, floral hops, firm bitterness, and a crisp lager close.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

A polished lager that gives malt, bitterness, and fermentation equal attention.

BAR NOTES

Reuben’s Pilsner balances cracker-like malt and fresh bread with floral, lightly spicy hops. Firm bitterness arrives cleanly, then exits without roughness, showing how much character a carefully made pale lager can carry.

Serve it cold in a narrow pilsner glass with schnitzel, fried oysters, potato chips, or a fresh pretzel. Clean glassware matters here because delicate malt and hop aromatics expose stale residue immediately.

Fresh Hop Lush
#8 in this roundup
Beer profile

Fresh Hop Lush

Brewed by Fremont Brewing

StyleFresh Hop IPA
ABV7.0%
Beer detailMango, citrus, evergreen, green hops, and a saturated but controlled harvest finish.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

The fresh-hop version of Lush turns Yakima harvest character into an intensely aromatic seasonal IPA.

BAR NOTES

Fresh Hop Lush adds a just-picked green edge to the beer’s mango, citrus, and evergreen profile. The result feels vivid and seasonal, with aromatic intensity that packaged hop products cannot fully duplicate.

Buy it close to release and keep it cold; fresh-hop character fades quickly. Grilled pork, spicy tacos, and aged cheddar are sturdy enough for the hops while leaving the harvest aroma intact.

Robust Porter
#9 in this roundup
Beer profile

Robust Porter

Brewed by Reuben’s Brews

StyleRobust Porter
ABV5.9%
Beer detailChocolate, caramel, roasted coffee, dark bread, and a creamy dry finish.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

An award-winning porter that delivers deep malt flavor without imperial strength or excess sweetness.

BAR NOTES

Robust Porter layers cocoa, caramel, roasted coffee, and dark bread into a smooth, medium-bodied pour. Its roast is assertive enough to satisfy stout drinkers but stops short of an acrid finish.

Allow it a few minutes to warm, then pair it with smoked meat, charred mushrooms, chocolate brownies, or nutty cheese. A nonic pint emphasizes the beer’s easygoing pub character.

Märzen Lager
#10 in this roundup
Beer profile

Märzen Lager

Brewed by Chuckanut Brewery

StyleMärzen
ABV5.5%
Beer detailToasted bread, biscuit, light caramel, restrained hops, and a smooth amber finish.
Brewed inBurlington, Washington

Chuckanut's autumn lager showcases rich continental malt through exceptionally clean fermentation.

BAR NOTES

Chuckanut Märzen centers toasted bread, biscuit, and restrained caramel rather than sweetness. Precise lager fermentation and a dry finish keep the copper-colored beer inviting through an entire stein.

Pair it with roast pork, grilled sausages, pretzels, or a sharp mustard. Serve it cold but not icy in a mug, allowing the layered malt aroma to emerge as the beer warms.

Winter Ale
#11 in this roundup
Beer profile

Winter Ale

Brewed by Fremont Brewing

StyleWinter Ale
ABV8.0%
Beer detailToffee, dark bread, caramel, citrusy hops, and a warming seasonal finish.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

A sturdy cold-weather ale where rich malt and Northwest hops share the same frame.

BAR NOTES

Fremont Winter Ale combines toffee, dark bread, caramel, and a touch of dried fruit with citrusy, resinous hops. The hop structure prevents the strong seasonal malt profile from becoming cloying.

Serve it cool in a tulip alongside roast beef, glazed ham, aged cheddar, or bread pudding. Its higher strength rewards slower drinking, and a little warmth opens the caramel and fruit notes.

Hazealicious IPA
#12 in this roundup
Beer profile

Hazealicious IPA

Brewed by Reuben’s Brews

StyleHazy IPA
ABV6.0%
Beer detailPineapple, mango, orange, soft grain, and a plush low-bitterness finish.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

A fruit-forward hazy IPA with enough finishing shape to remain lively rather than sweet.

BAR NOTES

Hazealicious brings pineapple, mango, and orange across a soft, hazy body. Its fruit impression comes from hops rather than added sweetness, while a subtle pithy edge keeps the finish from drifting flat.

Drink it young in a tulip with spicy noodles, grilled shrimp, or a salty grilled cheese. Keep cans refrigerated, since warm storage quickly dulls the aromatics that define this style.

Night Owl
#13 in this roundup
Beer profile

Night Owl

Brewed by Elysian Brewing

StylePumpkin Ale
ABV6.7%
Beer detailPumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, toasted malt, and a dry spiced finish.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

One of Elysian's defining pumpkin beers balances actual squash and familiar baking spice.

BAR NOTES

Night Owl combines pumpkin with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and toasted malt in a firmly beer-like frame. The spice is recognizable without turning the finish into liquid potpourri or dessert syrup.

Pair it with roast turkey, butternut squash, pork chops, or ginger cookies. A standard pint at cool cellar temperature lets the spices open while preserving enough carbonation for balance.

Stay Frosty
#14 in this roundup
Beer profile

Stay Frosty

Brewed by Reuben’s Brews

StyleCold IPA
ABV6.3%
Beer detailCitrus, tropical fruit, light grain, crisp fermentation, and a dry hop-forward finish.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

A cold-fermented IPA that pairs modern hop aroma with unusually lean, lager-like drinkability.

BAR NOTES

Stay Frosty channels citrus and tropical hops through a lean, highly attenuated body. The cool fermentation and light grain bill sharpen the finish, giving the beer a distinctly crisper outline than most hazy IPAs.

Serve it fresh and cold with fish tacos, fried chicken, or a peppery burger. A narrow IPA glass concentrates the aroma while reinforcing the brisk carbonation and dry finish.

Grapefruit IPA
#15 in this roundup
Beer profile

Grapefruit IPA

Brewed by Fremont Brewing

StyleFruit IPA
ABV6.3%
Beer detailFresh grapefruit, citrus hops, light pine, clean malt, and a bright pithy finish.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

Real grapefruit intensifies the citrus already present in a classic Northwest IPA structure.

BAR NOTES

Grapefruit IPA layers fresh grapefruit aroma and pith over citrus-forward hops, light pine, and clean pale malt. The fruit tastes integrated rather than candy-like because its bitterness echoes the hop finish.

Drink it fresh with ceviche, grilled salmon, spicy tacos, or goat cheese. Avoid an aggressively chilled glass; a modest rise in temperature makes the grapefruit and hop aromatics far easier to distinguish.

Fresh Hop Double Crush
#16 in this roundup
Beer profile

Fresh Hop Double Crush

Brewed by Reuben’s Brews

StyleFresh Hop Double IPA
ABV8.0%
Beer detailFresh citrus, green resin, tropical fruit, sturdy malt, and a warming harvest finish.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

A high-impact harvest beer that compresses fresh Washington hop character into a double IPA.

BAR NOTES

Fresh Hop Double Crush amplifies citrus, green resin, tropical fruit, and just-picked hop aroma over a sturdy malt base. Its strength adds warmth, but the harvest character remains the main event.

Choose the freshest can you can find and share it from a tulip with sharp cheddar, sticky ribs, or spicy barbecue. Time is the enemy of its vivid green-hop aroma.

Cucumber Lime Gose
#17 in this roundup
Beer profile

Cucumber Lime Gose

Brewed by Fremont Brewing

StyleGose with Cucumber and Lime
ABV4.5%
Beer detailFresh cucumber, lime zest, gentle tartness, coriander, salt, and a crisp finish.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

A culinary gose that turns cucumber and lime into a focused, highly refreshing summer beer.

BAR NOTES

Cucumber Lime Gose offers cool cucumber, vivid lime zest, gentle acidity, coriander, and a restrained saline note. The additions feel purposeful because the light wheat base gives each flavor room.

Serve it very cold with ceviche, oysters, tacos, or a cucumber salad. A stemmed glass preserves carbonation and focuses the fresh produce aroma, especially during warm-weather drinking.

The Great Pumpkin
#18 in this roundup
Beer profile

The Great Pumpkin

Brewed by Elysian Brewing

StyleImperial Pumpkin Ale
ABV8.4%
Beer detailRoasted pumpkin, caramel malt, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and warming alcohol.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

Elysian's stronger pumpkin ale builds genuine squash and spice into a substantial autumn pour.

BAR NOTES

The Great Pumpkin brings roasted squash, caramelized malt, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and warming alcohol. Greater strength provides enough malt depth to support the spice rather than simply making it louder.

Pour it into a tulip and let it warm beside roast pork, pumpkin pie, blue cheese, or bread pudding. The generous alcohol and spice make a smaller, slower serving the most rewarding approach.

Apollo Squatch
#19 in this roundup
Beer profile

Apollo Squatch

Brewed by No-Li Brewhouse

StyleJuicy Haze IPA
ABV6.0%
Beer detailOrange, peach, tropical fruit, soft grain, and a smooth low-bitterness finish.
Brewed inSpokane, Washington

A Spokane-brewed hazy IPA that delivers the Squatch series' fruit character at approachable strength.

BAR NOTES

Apollo Squatch presents orange, peach, and tropical fruit over a soft grain base with restrained bitterness. At six percent, it offers the series’ juicy profile without the heat of its imperial siblings.

Serve it fresh in a tulip with spicy chicken, curry, or citrus-dressed seafood. Refrigerated storage protects the hop aroma, while a clean glass keeps the soft body from seeming heavy.

Imperial Squatch
#20 in this roundup
Beer profile

Imperial Squatch

Brewed by No-Li Brewhouse

StyleImperial Juicy Haze IPA
ABV9.0%
Beer detailMango, orange, peach, soft malt, and a warming full-bodied finish.
Brewed inSpokane, Washington

A powerful hazy IPA that scales No-Li's juicy fruit profile into a slow-sipping imperial format.

BAR NOTES

Imperial Squatch concentrates mango, orange, and peach in a full body supported by noticeable malt and alcohol. Its sweetness is substantial, yet enough hop character remains to keep the finish moving.

Split the can or drink it slowly from a stemmed glass with blue cheese, spicy ribs, or a rich burger. A few minutes of warming broadens the fruit while revealing its strength.

Juicy Squatch
#21 in this roundup
Beer profile

Juicy Squatch

Brewed by No-Li Brewhouse

StyleImperial Haze IPA
ABV9.5%
Beer detailPineapple, mango, citrus, rounded malt, and a dense warming finish.
Brewed inSpokane, Washington

No-Li's biggest hazy Squatch pushes tropical hop saturation into double-IPA territory.

BAR NOTES

Juicy Squatch layers pineapple, mango, citrus, and rounded malt in a dense imperial hazy IPA. Its nearly double-digit strength shows, but broad tropical aroma prevents the beer from becoming one-dimensional.

Use a small tulip and pair it with spicy barbecue, pungent cheese, or a peppery burger. Freshness still matters at this strength, because fading hops expose sweetness and alcohol quickly.

Festbier
#22 in this roundup
Beer profile

Festbier

Brewed by Reuben’s Brews

StyleFestbier Lager
ABV5.5%
Beer detailFresh bread, light toast, floral hops, clean fermentation, and a crisp golden finish.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

A bright modern festival lager designed for full-steins drinkability rather than heavy caramel.

BAR NOTES

Festbier emphasizes fresh bread, light toast, and gentle floral hops in a clear golden body. It is leaner and paler than old-fashioned American Oktoberfest beer, making the finish cleaner and more repeatable.

Fill a mug and pair it with bratwurst, roast chicken, pretzels, or alpine cheese. Moderate cold preserves the lager snap while still allowing its delicate continental malt aroma to emerge.

Party On IPA
#23 in this roundup
Beer profile

Party On IPA

Brewed by Reuben’s Brews

StyleNon-Alcoholic IPA
ABVLess than 0.5%
Beer detailCitrus hops, light tropical fruit, lean grain, brisk carbonation, and a dry finish.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

A hop-forward non-alcoholic option that keeps IPA aroma and bitterness in an easygoing package.

BAR NOTES

Party On IPA delivers citrusy hops, light tropical fruit, lean grain, and brisk carbonation without standard IPA strength. Its dry outline helps the non-alcoholic beer avoid the wort-like sweetness that can plague the category.

Serve it very cold and fresh with tacos, pizza, or salty snacks. Because aroma does most of the work here, refrigerated storage and a clean, wide-rimmed glass make a meaningful difference.

Non-Alcoholic Orange Wit
#24 in this roundup
Beer profile

Non-Alcoholic Orange Wit

Brewed by Fremont Brewing

StyleNon-Alcoholic Witbier
ABVLess than 0.5%
Beer detailOrange peel, coriander, soft wheat, lively carbonation, and a bright citrus finish.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

A citrus-led alcohol-free wheat beer that favors classic witbier refreshment over imitation strength.

BAR NOTES

Non-Alcoholic Orange Wit combines orange peel, coriander, soft wheat, and lively carbonation. The familiar witbier structure suits lower alcohol especially well because spice and citrus provide character without requiring a heavy malt base.

Pour it cold into a wheat-beer glass with brunch, grilled fish, salad, or soft cheese. A gentle swirl awakens the citrus, but leave sediment behind if you prefer a cleaner texture.

Punkuccino
#25 in this roundup
Beer profile

Punkuccino

Brewed by Elysian Brewing

StyleCoffee Pumpkin Ale
ABV6.0%
Beer detailCold-brew coffee, pumpkin, cinnamon, toasted malt, and a roasty spiced finish.
Brewed inSeattle, Washington

Coffee and pumpkin meet in one of Elysian's most distinctive seasonal experiments.

BAR NOTES

Punkuccino blends cold-brew coffee, pumpkin, cinnamon, and toasted malt into a roasty autumn ale. Coffee adds bitterness and aroma that check the squash and spice, producing a surprisingly coherent hybrid.

Let it warm slightly in a stemmed glass beside cinnamon rolls, chocolate cake, or vanilla ice cream. The pairing works best after dinner, when coffee roast and dessert-like spice feel intentional.

KEEP THE FLIGHT GOING

Keep your Washington beer trail going

From Seattle hop showcases and Yakima fresh-hop releases to precise lagers and richly roasted dark beers, Washington offers another worthwhile pour in every direction.

Karl S
BEHIND THE BAR

Written by Karl S

Lead marketer, brewer, dad, and husband. Pretty much an all-round awesome guy. Self proclaimed coffee addict who's been home brewing beer (among other things) for 25+ yrs. Also an aspiring pro-brewer and micro-brewery owner!

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