American Craft Beer Hall of Fame Announces 2026 Class of Landmark Beers

August 19, 2026 - The American Craft Beer Hall of Fame is proud to announce the second annual class of Landmark Craft Beers, continuing its initiative to recognize and honor individual beers that have left a lasting mark on American brewing and drinking culture, defining and advancing the craft beer movement in the United States.

The initiative recognizes beers not simply because they became popular or commercially successful, but because they changed the industry around them, leaving a mark that echoes forward into today. These are beers that introduced drinkers to new flavors and styles, influenced new generations of brewers, pioneered new techniques, or helped to redefine what craft beer can be.

“Craft beer in America wasn’t only built by people. It was built on the foundations laid by beers of singular importance and influence,” explained Marty Nachel, President and Founder of the Hall. “We want to recognize the impact those beers had on what we drink, but also on how we look at beer itself—what it is, what it can be, and how we talk about it. That’s what these Landmark Beers represent.”

The 2026 class of Landmark Craft Beers includes five influential beers, as selected by the Hall’s distinguished group of electors and advisors:

Russian River Pliny the Elder – The beer that helped create and define the modern style of Double IPA, Pliny the Elder became a benchmark for hop-forward brewing and helped demonstrate that intensely aromatic, bitter, and flavorful IPAs could achieve both critical acclaim and passionate consumer demand.

Allagash White – A landmark American interpretation of Belgian-style Witbier that introduced generations of drinkers to an entirely different tradition of brewing and drinking. Its accessibility, consistency, and distinctive character helped expand the American craft beer palate beyond the hop-forward and malt-driven styles that dominated much of the early movement.

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout – A groundbreaking beer that helped establish bourbon barrel-aging as a major force in American craft brewing. By introducing the barrel to modern craft beer, it added a new tool to the toolbox of an industry that had long been dominated purely by hops, yeast, and malt. Eagerly awaited each year, it set a new standard for limited-run, highly sought-after beers.

Pete’s Wicked Ale – One of the defining beers of craft brewing’s early national expansion, Pete’s Wicked Ale helped bring flavorful, independently produced beer to a much broader American audience and demonstrated the potential for emerging craft brands to compete for attention on a national stage. It was among the first beers to marry the importance of both quality and marketing, working together to create dedicated craft beer drinkers.

Alaskan Smoked Porter – A pioneering American interpretation of smoked beer that connected modern craft brewing with traditional techniques and ingredients. Its longevity, acclaim, and distinctive use of locally smoked malt helped establish it as one of the enduring classics of American craft beer. One of the most awarded beers in American history, it continues to be a stalwart and inspiration to this day.

The second class follows the inaugural Landmark Craft Beers recognized in 2025: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Anchor Steam Beer, Celis White, and Anchor Liberty Ale. Together, the first two classes illustrate the breadth of beers, styles, techniques, and ideas that have shaped the development of American craft beer.

Each beer recognized through the Landmark Craft Beers program will be featured on the Hall of Fame’s website with historical context and reflections on its impact on American beer and brewing culture.

New Landmark Craft Beers will continue to be announced annually, building an ongoing record of the individual beers that helped shape the history of American craft brewing. Nominations are open to the public and evaluated with input from the Hall’s electors and advisors, including beer historians, brewers, writers, and industry veterans.