In the UK, a few 'craft beers' started popping up.
But independently, the UK's beer industry had already been expanding and improving anyway by then for a few years. And CAMRA had made sure it hadn't gone completely stale (bunch of weirdos mind).
If it's the top end, it's Belgium and it's not close.
The benefit to the US is the breadth. I can get a good pilsner in a number of breweries here but an authentic Czech pilsner would be superior, etc etc.