Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

The 5 Best Patriotic Beers for Celebrating the Fourth of July

The Fourth of July is that time of the year when we can enjoy a hearty picnic with our compatriots as fireworks adorn the sky. We may not have large gatherings this year, but there’s one thing that will unite the American people: Craft beer. Instead of purchasing beers from companies with American-themed branding, you might as well grab these patriotic craft beers that celebrate the heritage of the United States.

Anchor Brewing Company Liberty Ale

Photo Credit: Ramiro Silva (Flickr)

Perhaps the perfect beer to drink on the 4th of July is Anchor Brewing’s Liberty Ale. It was originally brewed for the bicentennial of Paul Revere’s ride way back in 1875. (You know, that whole “the British are coming” jaunt.) Having been introduced in 1975, Liberty Ale has the distinction of being the first modern IPA and perhaps the true spark of the craft beer boom — so many other beers wouldn’t be here today without it. Honor the American revolution with a revolutionary beer.

Related Videos

Yards Brewing Ales of Revolution Series

There’s plenty of U.S. history to pull inspiration from in Philadelphia, so it makes sense that Yards Brewing has the Ales of the Revolution Series representing the founding fathers: Jefferson’s Golden Ale, Washington’s Porter, and Poor Richard’s Spruce Ale. The three brews are based on original beer recipes from George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. (Here’s a fun Fourth of July fact: They were big beer fans.) Jefferson’s and Washington’s have been brewed since 1999, so Yard’s is nearly 20 years into its patriotic ways.

Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Photo Credit: zedgekk0 (Flickr)

Sam Adams is one of the most widely known craft beer brands, and founder Jim Koch drew on patriotic roots to ensure the brewery caught on. While probably best remembered for his politicking, the real Samuel Adams — cousin of the second president, John Adams — was also a maltster following a long family line of similar occupations. Today, the namesake brewery’s flagship beer, Boston Lager, is accessible to nearly anyone and has enough flavor to keep even the snobbiest beer lovers happy on the 4th of July.

21st Amendment Brewery Brew Free! or Die IPA

Photo Credit: Scottb211 (Flickr)

Can a brewery get any more politically themed than being named after a constitutional amendment? 21st Amendment Brewery is named after the clause that ended Prohibition and allowed legal drinking in the U.S. Good thing, too, because the San Francisco brewery’s Brew Free! Or Die IPA is a great classic west coast IPA for whatever party is going down in your neighborhood on Independence Day. 21st Amendment also makes a number of other patriotic beers, including:

  • Hell or High Watermelon, a watermelon wheat beer with a depiction of the Statue of Liberty on the label.
  • Fireside Chat winter spiced ale with FDR nursing a snifter next to a fire.
  • Sneak Attack, a saison with a scantily clad George Washington crossing the Delaware.

Surly Brewing #Merica

There may be no better beer to represent America in its current state than Surly Brewing’s #Merica. This lager, featuring flaked corn, pays tribute to the many American lagers that have come before it — a style that dates back well into the 1800s. Surly first brewed the beer specifically for the 4th of July in 2015, so it only makes sense to drink it this year if you’re able to get your hands on it.

Read more: Best 4th of July Cocktails

Editors' Recommendations

10 incredible whiskey decanters (they’re not just for wine)
The best whiskey decanters you can get

Right up there with a Champagne saber or a pair of crystal glasses, a decanter is an elegant tool for the drinks enthusiast. We typically associate them with wine (and for good reason, as they can aerate and open up a tight bottle of red) but they're great for spirits too. In fact, a good whiskey decanter is a host's dream, offering a beautiful way to present and pour your favorite bottle.

You've seen them before, set atop bar carts in old black-and-white movies or on the set of Mad Men. They're a stunning way to dress up your bourbon, rye, or Scotch, and can even make a cheap-to-average bottle seem much more classy. On top of that, they really allow you to enjoy the color and viscosity of whatever it is you're pouring.

Read more
This St. Patrick’s Day, grab an Irish beer from one of these 5 craft breweries
Irish beer: Celebrate the luck of the Irish in the best tasting way possible this year
Group of happy friends drinking and toasting beer at brewery bar restaurant.

The annual celebration of St. Patrick’s Day comes with a few guarantees. Green t-shirts will be adorned with obnoxious sayings. Leprechauns will be blamed for causing mischief. And the dry Irish stout Guinness will be inescapable on tap, in bottles, and in cans from coast to coast.
Guinness is so synonymous with Ireland, it is practically the national beverage. However, this mindset overlooks the dozens of smaller craft breweries found throughout Ireland’s cities and townships, and dotted along its famously beautiful countryside. If you’re ever lucky enough to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland, enjoy your token Guinness in the airport and then head out to experience one of these independent breweries for an Irish beer you haven't tasted yet.

Galway Bay Brewery
Ballybrit, County Galway

Read more
Sip on these tasty Irish-style stouts this St. Patrick’s Day
These delicious stouts will have you feeling festive on St. Patrick's Day in no time
guiness draught

St. Patrick’s Day is here, and that means it’s time for stouts.

Specifically, St. Patty’s Day calls for Irish-style dry stouts. The depths of winter are the time for big, boozy, imperial, and barrel-aged stouts, but as spring begins to show its face, the lighter, lower-alcohol dry stouts are a way to transition to the warmer weather, but are still roasty enough to fight off the last bit of chill.

Read more