2026 Landmark Beers
In the Summer of 2025, following the induction of the inaugural members of the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame, we began a new initiative that focused on the beers that helped make the industry great.
This initiative was created to honor individual beers that have left a lasting mark on American brewing and drinking culture, and to recognize those singular brews that have helped define, advance, or transform the craft beer movement in the U.S.
As always, in order to choose which beers might wear this mantle, these are the parameters by which they might be judged:
They helped increase awareness and popularity of craft beer in America.
They changed the way Americans looked at beer.
They introduced new and exciting beer styles in America.
They set a benchmark for the style or process
The sophomore class of Landmark Craft Beers includes these five foundational brews, as voted on by the Hall’s distinguished group of electors and advisors:
In alphabetical order, these are the 2026 Landmark Beers:
Allagash White Ale
This iconic flagship beer was launched in 1995. Many beer consumers agree that it is one of the top-tier, benchmark examples of a Belgian-style Witbier brewed in the United States. This opinion is backed by awards won in prestigious beer competitions in the U.S. and Europe (19) -more than any other Witbier in the world.
Alaskan Smoked Porter
The Alaskan Brewing Company began brewing this unique beer way before smoked beers were cool (1988). In doing so, this smoked porter paved the way for many different smoked styles that followed. In addition to being an incredible example of the style, this beer holds the distinction of winning more medals at the Great American Beer Festival than any other beer (21 as of 2025).
Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
This beer was the first-ever commercial beer to be aged in wooden barrels that previously contained a non-beer alcoholic beverage -in this case, Bourbon. It created a whole new beer style category at the Great American Beer Festival judging, and it created a whole new palette for craft brewers to use in creating new and unique beer flavors. To say that it changed the industry is a massive understatement.
Pete’s Wicked Ale
Pete's Wicked Ale is a pioneer of the American Brown Ale style that helped define the craft beer movement in the United States. Introduced in 1986, this beer with the English Bull Terrier on the label, reached near cult beer status following its GABF awards in ’87 and ’88. It is, and will probably remain, the only contract-brewed beer to be named a Landmark Beer.
Russian River Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Elder is an iconic, highly-rated Double (Imperial) India Pale Ale introduced around 1999. It features an elevated 8.0% ABV and a whopping 100 IBUs, and it’s known for its balance of intense hop bitterness and layered maltiness. Pliny helped popularize the West Coast Double IPA style and is widely considered a benchmark for that style.