Best Beers at Trader Joe’s: What to Buy

The best beers at Trader Joe’s for most shoppers are Simper Times Lager for value, Trader Joe’s Boatswain Double IPA for hop intensity, and Mission Street Unfiltered Wheat Beer for an easy, food-friendly pint. Availability, recipes, package sizes, and prices vary by state and store in 2026, so use the style, strength, bitterness, and occasion below as a shelf-side guide rather than a guaranteed inventory list.

If you want one dependable starting point, choose a 6-pack of Simper Times Lager when you prefer a light, inexpensive lager; choose Mission Street when you want a softer wheat beer; and choose Boatswain Double IPA only if you actively enjoy assertive bitterness and higher alcohol.

Quick comparison: best beers at Trader Joe’s

These ranges are broad retail estimates, not fixed Trader Joe’s prices. Alcohol taxes, deposits, state regulations, and local distribution can change the final shelf price. The ABV and package information should be checked on the can or bottle because Trader Joe’s contract-brewed products can change over time.

Best overall: Mission Street Unfiltered Wheat Beer

Mission Street Unfiltered Wheat Beer is the most versatile choice when you want something approachable but less plain than a standard lager. Its wheat-based profile is typically soft, lightly bready, and mildly fruity, with a hazy appearance and restrained bitterness. At approximately 4.7% ABV, it is strong enough to have flavor without becoming the focus of a meal.

Choose it for: pizza, grilled chicken, sandwiches, spicy foods, afternoon drinking, and guests with mixed beer preferences.

Main trade-off: Unfiltered wheat beer is not the best choice if you want a crisp, highly carbonated lager or a sharply bitter IPA. Sediment or yeast haze is normal; gentle handling keeps the beer from becoming unnecessarily cloudy or foamy.

Best budget: Simper Times Lager

Simper Times Lager is the practical value pick. It is designed around the familiar American lager format: light malt flavor, clean fermentation, moderate carbonation, and very low hop bitterness. A typical 6-pack gives a lower per-serving cost than single large-format bottles, making it useful for casual gatherings or keeping a few beers in the refrigerator.

Choose it for: cookouts, burgers, watching sports, beer drinkers who dislike bitterness, and situations where the beer should remain unobtrusive.

Main trade-off: Its mild profile will not satisfy someone looking for citrusy hops, roast, sourness, or strong malt complexity. At roughly 6% ABV, it may also be stronger than some competing light lagers even though it drinks easily, so check the label before treating it as a low-alcohol option.

Best for hop intensity: Boatswain Double IPA

Boatswain Double IPA is the shelf choice for shoppers who want a large, hop-forward beer at a relatively low package price. A 22-ounce bottle at approximately 8% ABV delivers both concentrated hop flavor and substantially more alcohol than a standard lager. Depending on the batch, expect resinous, citrus, pine, or tropical notes with firm bitterness.

Choose it for: IPA drinkers, strong-flavored foods, slow sipping, and sharing one large bottle rather than opening several mild beers.

Main trade-off: The large bottle can disguise how much alcohol it contains. A 22-ounce serving at 8% ABV contains about 1.47 standard U.S. drinks, using the common formula of 12 ounces at 5% ABV as one standard drink. That makes it a poor pick when you want a light, quick beer or need to monitor alcohol intake.

Best for modern hop flavor: Boatswain Hazy IPA

A Boatswain Hazy IPA is the better option when you like the fruit-forward aroma of newer IPA styles but do not want the sharpest possible bitterness. Hazy IPAs often emphasize orange, mango, passion fruit, or peach-like hop character. Their perceived bitterness can feel softer than a clear West Coast-style IPA even when the measured bitterness is not especially low.

Choose it for: spicy tacos, rich cheeses, grilled meats, and drinkers moving from pale ale into IPA.

Main trade-off: Hazy beer is sensitive to age and storage. Hop aroma fades faster than the beer’s alcohol content, so a dusty or warm bottle may taste dull, sweet, or heavy even if it is still within its printed date. Store it cold and choose the freshest package available.

Best wheat-beer alternative: JosephsBrau Hefeweizen

JosephsBrau Hefeweizen suits shoppers who want a recognizable German-style wheat-beer profile. Hefeweizen typically combines wheat softness with yeast-derived banana, clove, and mild spice notes. It is usually low in bitterness and moderate in strength, making it more expressive than a basic lager without the intensity of an IPA.

Choose it for: brunch, sausages, roast chicken, pretzels, salads, and warm-weather drinking.

Main trade-off: The yeast character is distinctive rather than neutral. If you dislike banana-like esters, clove, or a cloudy pour, Mission Street or a clean lager will be a safer purchase.

Best seasonal choice: Trader Joe’s rotating lager or specialty release

Trader Joe’s seasonal beer selection changes more than its core beer lineup. A rotating lager, amber ale, Oktoberfest-style beer, or winter release can be the best buy when you want a style-specific occasion beer rather than a permanent refrigerator staple. Seasonal packages often provide more malt character than Simper Times while remaining less bitter than IPA.

Choose it for: holiday meals, fall gatherings, tasting a limited release, or comparing malt-forward styles.

Main trade-off: A seasonal product may not return in the same form, and its contract brewery, ABV, and package size can change. Read the current label rather than relying on a previous year’s description.

How to choose by bitterness, strength, size, and occasion

A useful price calculation

Compare packages by cost per 12-ounce equivalent, not only by sticker price. For example, a $3 22-ounce bottle costs $1.64 per 12-ounce equivalent: $3 divided by 22, multiplied by 12. A $8 six-pack of 12-ounce beers costs $1.33 per 12-ounce serving. The 22-ounce bottle is cheaper to buy at the register, but the 6-pack is cheaper per comparable serving and offers more flexibility.

Alcohol strength changes the comparison further. A 22-ounce bottle at 8% ABV contains 1.47 standard-drink equivalents, while a 12-ounce beer at 5% ABV contains one. Compare both package cost and ABV when deciding whether a large-format IPA is a value or simply a concentrated purchase.

What to check on the shelf

• Read the current ABV: Do not assume every Trader Joe’s beer is around 5%. Double IPAs and some seasonal releases can be much stronger.
• Check the package date when available: Hoppy beers lose aroma with age, while lagers may remain more stable but can still taste stale.
• Inspect the package: Avoid badly dented cans, leaking bottles, damaged caps, or beer stored in direct sunlight.
• Match size to the occasion: A 6-pack suits several drinkers or multiple days; a 22-ounce bottle is better for sharing or deliberate sipping.
• Account for sediment: Wheat beers may contain yeast. Pour slowly, and stop before the final sediment if you prefer a cleaner glass.
• Use a glass when flavor matters: A clean pint or tulip glass releases more aroma than drinking directly from a cold can.

For a first purchase, the safest two-beer strategy is one 6-pack of Mission Street or Simper Times plus one single Boatswain bottle if you want a stronger comparison. That gives you a session-strength, low-bitterness option and a hop-forward example without committing an entire package to a style you may not enjoy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best beer at Trader Joe’s for someone who dislikes bitter beer?

Start with Simper Times Lager for the cleanest, mildest profile, or choose JosephsBrau Hefeweizen for more yeast and wheat character. Mission Street Unfiltered Wheat Beer is another good middle ground. Avoid Double IPA and other strongly hopped releases until you know you enjoy bitterness.

Which Trader Joe’s beer has the highest alcohol content?

Boatswain Double IPA is commonly among the stronger widely available Trader Joe’s beer options, at approximately 8% ABV. Seasonal and limited beers can vary, so the label on the current bottle is the final authority. A high-ABV beer can contain substantially more alcohol even when the package costs less than a 6-pack.

Are Trader Joe’s beers brewed by Trader Joe’s?

Trader Joe’s private-label beers are generally produced by contracted breweries rather than in a single Trader Joe’s brewery. The producer and recipe may differ by product, region, and release. For the most accurate information, read the brewery, importer, and production details printed on the current package.

Is a 22-ounce Trader Joe’s beer a better value than a 6-pack?

Not automatically. Divide the price by the number of ounces, then multiply by 12 to find the 12-ounce-equivalent cost. A 22-ounce bottle may have a lower upfront price, but a 6-pack often costs less per serving and is easier to portion across several occasions.

What is the best Trader Joe’s beer for a party?

Simper Times Lager is the safest broad-audience choice because it is familiar and low in bitterness. Mission Street is better if you want a little more flavor while remaining food-friendly. For a mixed group, buy mostly lager or wheat beer and only a small number of IPA singles for guests who specifically prefer hops.

Why can the same Trader Joe’s beer taste different from one purchase to another?

Trader Joe’s uses contract brewing and may source beer from different breweries or update a recipe, package, or seasonal release. Storage time and temperature also affect flavor, particularly in hoppy beers. Compare the ABV, label description, production information, and package date instead of assuming every release is identical.