Back in 1990, there were about 250 breweries in the states. By ’94? More than 500. Today, we’re nearing 10,000. Ten. Thousand. Ten! Thousand! We’re in the middle of a beer boom, people. And we have the ’90s to thank for it.
While the 1990s might be the decade of mass-produced ice beer, it was also a major turning point in the craft beer world. It was a decade when brewers put an emphasis on quality, innovation, and creativity. It birthed iconic breweries like New Belgium, Dogfish Head, and West Coast IPA pioneer, Stone.
Let’s a take a look back at some of the best beers from the 1990s that are still produced today. Because if you’re going to throw it back to the grunge decade, it’s best to do so with a pint glass in hand.
Stone IPA
There aren’t many ’90s beers more iconic than the timeless Stone IPA. This 6.9% ABV West Coast IPA was first brewed in 1997 to celebrate the brewery’s first birthday. It was so popular that it became the brand’s flagship beer and still is to this day. Brewed with Magnum, Chinook, Centennial, Azacca, Calypso, Ella, and Vic Secret hops, it’s known for its balanced flavor profile, featuring notes of citrus peels, pineapple, caramel malts, and dank, resinous, perfectly bitter pine.
New Belgium Fat Tire
While the recipe has changed over the years, it doesn’t negate the importance of this popular beer. First brewed in 1991, New Belgium Fat Tire is a 5.2% ABV golden ale, brewed with Pale, C-80, Munich, and Raw Barley malt. It also features house ale yeast as well as Triumph, HBC-522, and Barbe Rouge hops. The result is a memorable, flavorful beer featuring notes of toasted malts, cereal grains, ripe fruit, and grassy, earthy hops. It’s crisp, malty, and perfect for every decade.
Allagash White
If you only drink one nostalgic 1990s-era beer, make it Allagash White. First introduced in 1995, this 5.2% ABV Belgian-style wheat beer is brewed with oats, malted wheat, and raw wheat. It gets its traditional flavor from the addition of coriander and Curaçao orange peel. It’s hopped with Nugget, Crystal, and Czech Saaz hops. This creates a multi-layered, complex beer featuring notes of ripe bananas, orange zest, gentle spices, and sweet wheat.
Lagunitas IPA
If you’re going to sip classic West Coast IPAs, Lagunitas IPA deserves to be added to the list. Originally brewed in 1995, this iconic beer features ingredients like Crystal, Caramel, and Munich malts. It’s hopped with Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, and Simcoe hops. This creates a 6.2% ABV known for its balanced flavor profile featuring notes of ripe grapefruit, caramel malts, citrus peels, and dank pine needles. The finish is pleasantly bitter and leaves you craving more.
Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
You can thank the folks at Goose Island for the influx of barrel-aged stouts you see today. The OG barrel-aged stout, Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, was first introduced in 1992. Arguably the most popular barrel-aged beer in America, it’s matured for months in select bourbon barrels. The result is a boozy, sublimely flavorful stout touting flavors like toasted vanilla beans, sweet bourbon, caramelized sugar, dark chocolate, and oak, depending on the year.
Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale
First introduced in 1997, Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale was the first craft beer to be canned. This iconic, year-round 6.5% ABV pale ale is hopped with Cascade, Centennial, and Comet hops. It’s well-known for its memorable flavor profile featuring a base of caramel malts followed by citrus peels, tropical fruits, and dank pine. The finish is dry, crisp, and perfectly bitingly bitter. There’s a reason it’s one of the most beloved American pale ales ever produced.
Shipyard Export
Portland, Maine is well-known for its iconic breweries. One of the most famous? Shipyard. This brewery has been producing its Shipyard Export since 1994. A 5.1% ABV golden ale that’s brewed with two-row British Pale Ale malt, Crystal malt, and wheat. It gets its hop aroma and flavor from the liberal use of Williamette, Cascade, and Tettnang hops. This creates a nuanced, flavorful brew loaded with flavors like bready malts, cereal grains, honey, and a crisp, refreshing finish.
Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale
Great Lakes is a big name in the American craft beer world. One of its most well-known beers is Burning River Pale Ale. This award-winning beer was first brewed in the early ’90s with Centennial and Cascade hops. It’s well-known for its balanced palate of flavors including grapefruit, orange peels, caramel malts, and dank pine. The finish is dry, crisp, and ends with the perfect amount of bitter, earthy pine needle flavor.
