Stouts are one of the most beloved styles in craft beer. And with so many worthy variations out there, even attempting to come up with a definitive list might be dismissed as sheer recklessness on our part. But that’s never stopped us in the past.

So here are 5 more brilliant stouts that you need to get your hands on…

Earl – Hill Farmstead Brewery (Greensboro, VT) – Names after the brewery’s grandfather’s brother (who once owned the land that Hill Farmstead now stands on, Earl is a balanced and brilliant 7.2% Coffee Oatmeal Stout that serious beer geeks deservedly covet. Worth the pilgrimage to Vermont.

Sierra Nevada Stout – Sierra Nevada Brewing (Chico, CA) – From a brewery most widely known for their hop-forward IPAs, Sierra Nevada Stout is sometimes overlooked – but it absolutely shouldn’t be. Relatively sessionable (5.8% ABV), yet rich and roasty, this west coast take on the traditional, is dark malted and aggressively hopped.

Velvet Merlin – Firestone Walker (Paso Robles, CA) – Velvet Merlin is a decadent 5.5% Oatmeal Stout that’s brimming with robust cocoa/espresso aromas and subtle American hop nuances.  Rich dark chocolate and roasted coffee flavors accentuate a creamy mouthfeel and dry finish, to create a perfectly balanced yet full-bodied stout.

Yeti Imperial Stout – Great Divide (Denver, CO) – A multi-year GABF award winner Great Divide’s Yeti more than lives up to its mythical name. Weighing in at an unapologetic 9.5% ABV, this massive Imperial is rich with deep caramel and toffee tones and roasted out of its mind.

Double Shot – Tree House Brewing (Monson, MA) – Neither as sessionable as Sierra Nevada’s stout or Firestone Walker’s Velvet Merlin, nor as big Great Divide’s Yeti, Tree House Brewing’s pungent Double Shot is a 7.6% Coffee Stout, brewed to straddle both worlds. Total Awesomeness.