Which beer is the best? That's a question that's almost impossible to answer. However, the popular gastronomic site Taste Atlas has tried to create a ranking of the best European beers and beer styles.
People on the Taste Atlas site rated different beers on a tourist scale from one to five stars. The more stars, the better the beer.
6th place: Lambic
This traditional Belgian beer style has its roots in Brussels and the Pajottenland region. It's made from wort containing at least 30% wheat and undergoes spontaneous fermentation—without the addition of cultivated yeast. Local, naturally occurring wild yeasts and micro-organisms from the brewery's environment handle the fermentation, giving lambic its unique and often unpredictable character.
Due to its wild and variable nature, different batches are often blended. This process leads to the creation of a style known as gueuze, where young and aged lambics are combined to produce a more harmonious and balanced beer.
Rating: 4.1 out of 5
5th place: Tripel
Belgian tripel is a highly drinkable beer with a higher carbon dioxide content and relatively high alcohol content, usually ranging from about 7% to 10%. It features a golden-yellow color and a strong aromatic profile, blending spicy, fruity, and subtly malty notes.
This beer style traces its origins to monastic brewing, where the first tripels were brewed as stronger, celebratory beers. Today, they are among the most well-known and distinctive Belgian beer styles.
Rating: 4.2 out of 5
4th place: Bavarian Beer
“Bavaria has been one of the most significant beer-producing regions for centuries, and all Bavarian beers are brewed in accordance with the Bavarian purity law from 1516,” says TasteAtlas. The foundation is high-quality ingredients, mainly sourced locally. A specialized scientific institution also monitors the quality of the beer and its ingredients.
Today, Bavaria is home to more than 600 breweries, accounting for nearly half of all breweries in Germany. Bavarian brewers produce over 20 million hectoliters of beer annually.
Rating: 4.2 out of 5
3rd place: Munich Beer
Munich beer has a long-standing tradition, and locals take great pride in it. According to TasteAtlas, beer with this designation can only be brewed in Munich breweries following a traditional recipe and using pure, natural ingredients. Mainly water from their own wells, quality malt, and carefully selected hops are used.
These beers are celebrated at the most famous beer festival in the world—Oktoberfest, attracting about seven million visitors worldwide every year.
Rating: 4.2 out of 5
2nd place: Czech Beer
Czech beer is quite a broad term, covering beers brewed in the Czech Republic with protected geographical indication (PGI). About 14 breweries use this designation for more than 80 beer brands.
A typical trait of Czech beer is often a higher content of residual (non-fermented) extract. Compared to foreign beers, it also typically features a deeper color, higher bitterness, and a different pH value, contributing to its distinctive flavor profile, as noted by the BeerResearch site.
Rating: 4.3 out of 5
1st place: Trappist
And the first place? Maybe a surprise for some. Trappist beer represents a unique category, encompassing various beer styles brewed in Trappist monasteries, as noted by TasteAtlas.
Trappist beers are internationally certified and can only be produced by Trappist abbeys. Currently, there are six such monasteries in Belgium and two in the Netherlands, while Italy, Austria, England, France, the USA, and Spain each have one certified Trappist brewery.
For beer to bear the Trappist label, it must be brewed in the monastery's immediate vicinity, with monks overseeing the entire production process. The sales proceeds are not used for commercial profit—they are returned for monastery needs or used to help the poor.
Rating: 4.4 out of 5
