Posted in Beer News

Untappd releases the Top 10 most checked in beers of 2017. Guess which style dominated…

Popular beer rating app Untappd has released the top 10 beers consumers checked into in 2017. One style continues to dominate the list.

Despite light lager dominating overall sales in the United States (we’re looking at you Bud Light), topping Untappd’s list capturing 193,988 check-in’s is a session India pale ale – Founders All Day IPA. The Grand Rapids, Michigan based brewery debuted the hoppy session beer in 2011, and has since added 15-packs of cans, as well as 19.2oz single cans.

The state of Michigan claims second place as well with Bell’s Two Hearted Ale. This American IPA classic had a big 2017, unseating Russian River’s Pliny the Elder as the nation’s best commercial beer according to the American Homebrewer’s Association member’s poll. Pliny has held that honor for the previous 8 years.

The third spot is occupied by America’s oldest brewery – Yuengling. Their Traditional Lager was checked in 176,391 times in 2017. Judging by the shade (and terrible spelling attempts) thrown at Yuengling, it would seem that some folks have come to the conclusion that the brewery shouldn’t be considered craft beer, “because lager sucks”. Here’s the twist for those naysayers – Yuengling holds the number one spot as the largest craft brewery. Not only are they still family owned and operated (since 1829), but their annual production is less than the Brewer’s Association defined cut off of 6 million barrels.

The 4th largest craft brewery New Belgium holds the 4th and 5th check-in spots with Voodoo Ranger and Fat Tire respectively. Voodoo Ranger has spun off into a series of variants over the past year. (Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze just hit shelves this month.) The amber ale Fat Tire is not only a staple many craft beer fans, but a gateway into craft for thousands.

Interestingly, Scottish craft brewer Brewdog and their #1 selling Punk IPA made the top 10 as the only foreign brewery to crack the list. That is – if you still count them as foreign. Brewdog opened the doors to their first production facility in the United States in 2017, located in Ohio.

Founders KBS, the brewery’s famous and highly sought after barrel-aged imperial stout boasts 120,249 check-ins and is the only dark beer on the list.

Dogfish Head (#14 in sales volume), Stone Brewing (#9 in sales) and Cigar City all round out the top 10.

It comes as no surprise that the India pale ale continues to dominate the craft side of the beer industry, claiming 7 out of 10 of top 10 check-ins last year. That leaves just one amber ale, one amber lager, and a barrel-aged stout in the group.

The obvious conclusion? America still loves their hops, and we doubt that will ever change.