The 20 Best Beers In The World

Two Stanford computer scientists proved last year that beer geeks have great taste. 
Stanford University computer science post-doc Julian McAuley and assistant professor Jure Leskovec released a paper in 2013 outlining how our tastes change as we consume more products and gain more expertise.They theorized that the more experience we have, the more we will like certain products that are less accessible to beginners.

McAuley and Leskovec developed a model to help them separate "expert" users from "beginners" on a given review website.  In honor of International Beer Day, we are sharing their data for the highest-rated beers by experts on RateBeer, the largest beer-rating website, with more than 3 million beer reviews.                  
                                                      

#20 Stone's Imperial Russian Stout

Flickr/Silvatone

 

Brewed in Escondido, California, experts on RateBeer gave Stone Brewing Co.'s Imperial Russian Stout 4.215 out of 5 stars.

The brew is thick, rich, and pours black with a roasted, complex aroma of black currants, coffee, and anise.
 

#19 Bell's Batch 7000 Ale

Flickr/dkachur

 

This imperial Stout from Bell's Brewery in Kalamazoo, Michigan, was rated 4.226 by experts on RateBeer.

Brewed in honor of the brewery's 7,000th batch, it pours dark with almost no head and flavor undertones of vanilla and caramel.
 

#18 Bell's Hopslam Ale

Flickr/(...) Empório Biergarten - Beer Store

 

Another beer from Kalamazoo's Bell's Brewery, Bell's Hopslam Ale is an Imperial/Double IPA beer that was rated 4.229 stars by RateBeer experts.

Bell's used six kinds of hops to make this beer, which has floral and grapefruit notes. 

#17 3 Fonteinen's Schaerbeekse Kriek

Flickr/Bernt Rostad

 

This traditionally made Kriek brew (a type of Lambic beer fermented with sour cherries) from Beersel, Belgium's 3 Fonteinen brewery was given 4.236 stars.
Made with only malt, wheat, hops, water, and rare Schaerbeek cherries, this beer has a reddish hue with a slight sourness and fruity undertones.
 

#16 Hürlimann's Samichlaus

Flickr/Bernt Rostad

A dark Doppelbock beer from Zürich's Hürlimann brewery (now owned by Shepherd Neame), this beer earned 4.239 stars from RateBeer experts.

It's one of the strongest beers in the world with 14% alcohol by volume and is brewed only once a year on Dec. 6 in a castle in Upper Austria and aged for 10 months before bottling.
 

#15 Hair of the Dog's Fred from the Wood

Flickr/glkaiser

 

Brewed in conjunction with RateBeer, Fred from the Wood was rated 4.241 by RateBeer experts.
A Barley Wine from Hair of the Dog brewery in Portland, Oregon, this beer is aged for six months in American oak barrels and has tobacco and wood flavors.

 

#14 Deschutes Brewery's The Abyss

Flickr/The Northwest Beer Guide (aka, The Pickled Liver)

 

From the Deschutes brewery in Bend, Oregon, The Abyss was given 4.243 stars out of five by expert reviewers.

A dark Russian Imperial Stout, this beer has hints of molasses and licorice and has won numerous awards for being one of the best beers in America.
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#13 Surly's Darkness

Flickr/samhDOTnet

 

Another Russian Imperial Stout, Surly Brewing Company's Darkness was rated 4.254 out of five stars by experts on RateBeer.

Brewed in Minnesota's Brooklyn Center, the dark, chocolatey brew has 9.8% alcohol by volume and is brewed in October only.

 

#12 Westvleteren's Extra 8

Flickr/Bernt Rostad

 

Sold in a dark-brown bottle with no label and a blue cap, Westvleteren's Extra 8 was rated 4.267 by RateBeer experts.

The Belgian Strong Ale is brewed in Westvleteren, Belgium, by the monks of Trappist Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren, and is sold in small quantities from the doors of the monastery itself.
 

#11 Russian River's Supplication

Flickr/nhudson2367

 

Russian River Brewing Co.'s Supplication is a Sour Ale that was rated 4.275 out of five by RateBeer experts.

It's aged in used pinot noir barrels from local Sonoma County wineries for 12 months with sour cherries, and has a lot of carbonation with a tart, complex flavor.
 

#10 Hair of the Dog's Adam

Flickr/walknboston

 

Hair of the Dog brewery's Adam Traditional Ale is brewed in Portland, Oregon, and rated 4.277 out of five stars.

It's a recreation of a historic beer style from Dortmund, Germany, and was brewed in memory of Adam Kerchival who the beer was named after.

 

#9 Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout

Flickr/Bernt Rostad

 

Rated 4.283 out of five by experts on RateBeer, this Imperial Stout is brewed in Chicago at the Goose Island brewery.

It's aged for two years in 18-year-old bourbon barrels and has chocolate undertones with 13% alcohol by volume.
 

#8 Russian River's Temptation

Flickr/nhudson2367

 

This Sour Ale from Russian River Brewing Co. was rated 4.284 out of 5 by RateBeer experts.
Temptation is brewed at the Russian River Santa Rosa, California, brewery, and is a blonde ale aged for nine to 15 months in Chardonnay barrels for a tart, medium-bodied brew.
 

#7 Russian River's Pliny the Elder

Flickr/jpimburgio

 

This fresh-flavored Double India Pale Ale from Russian River Brewing Co. was rated 4.289 out of five by RateBeer expert users.

It's a blend of citrus, pine, and fresh hops, and has become something of a legend around the country for its balanced taste and dry finish.

 

#6 Founders Brewing Co.'s KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout)

Flickr/]3lizzard

 

This Imperial Stout from Founders Brewing Co. is made in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and rated 4.29 stars out of five by experts on RateBeer.

It's brewed with coffee and chocolates to give it a very dark, rich flavor, and cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels.
 

#5 Three Floyds Brewing's Dreadnaught Imperial IPA

Flickr/donosborn

 

Three Floyds Brewing's Dreadnaught beer is made in Munster, Indiana, and was rated 4.3 out of five by RateBeer experts.

This extremely hoppy ale has a complex flavor profile that includes overtones of mango and peach aromas to keep it from tasting too bitter.

#4 Bell's Expedition Stout

Flickr/Bernt Rostad

 

This Bell's Brewery Imperial Stout is made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and was rated 4.34 out of five stars.

It's a pitch black brew that has a brown head and a roasted coffee aroma for a sweet, malty flavor.

#3 AleSmith's Speedway Stout

Flickr/superspak

Brewed in San Diego, California, at the AleSmith Brewing Co., Sweedway Stout is an Imperial Stout that was rated 4.372 out of five by RateBeer experts.
With 12% alcohol by volume, this full-bodied beer was brewed with coffee for an added kick and is a strong, toasted beer.
Ratings on RateBeer are out of 5, and factor in aroma, appearance, taste, palate, and an overall score. "Experts" are defined by the Stanford University study as RateBeer users who are assigned the highest experience level based on volume of reviews and how their ratings compare to other "experts." Click here to learn more about the methodology.

#2 Three Floyds Brewing's Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout

Flickr/jbrookston

 

One of Three Floyds Brewing's most famous beers, Dark Lord is a Russian Stout that's brewed with coffee, molasses, and honey. It's rated 4.279 stars by RateBeer experts.

Dark Lord is sold only on Dark Lord Day, or the last Saturday of April. Only 6,000 bottles are made, and customers have to buy presold tickets because of past crowd-control problems.
 

#1 Westvleteren's 12

Flickr/chemmie

 

And the No. 1-rated beer on RateBeer according to experts is Westvleteren's 12 with a 4.499 out of five rating.

Brewed by the monks of Trappist Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren in Belgium and sold weekly from the doors of the monastery, 12 has no label with a simple yellow cap.

The only ingredients are yeast, hops, malt, sugar, caramel, and water.

Megan Willett | Business Insider