Monday, March 12, 2007

Summer of Beer's Top Beers

I guess this isn't really an official beer blog until I rank my top however-many beers. I realize that these are bound to change- and probably drastically- as I consume many more great brews in the near future.

REVAMPED VERSION (2/16/09)

Pale/Amber Ales
BJ's Piranha Pale Ale
Russian River Lap Dance Pale Ale
Troegs Nugget Nectar
Three Floyds Gumballhead

IPA's
Russian River Blind Pig IPA
Russian River IPA
Ballast Point Sculpin IPA
Alpine Duet
Alpine O'Brien's IPA
Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye
Bear Republic Racer 5
Sierra Nevada Celebration
Stone IPA
Firestone Union Jack IPA
Green Flash West Coast IPA

Double/Triple IPA's
Russian River Pliny the Younger
Russian River Pliny the Elder
Alpine Pure Hoppiness
Stone Ruination IPA
Green Flash Imperial IPA
Hair of the Dog Blue Dot

Browns, Porters, and Stouts
Dogfish Head Indian Brown
Deschutes Black Butte Porter
Rogue Mocha Porter
Stone Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean
Sam Adams Holiday Porter
Founder's Breakfast Stout
Founder's Kentucky Breakfast Stout
Deschutes The Abyss
Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout
Southern Tier Choklat

American Belgian-Style
Russian River Damnation
Russian River Perdition
Allagash Tripel Reserve
Alesmith Horny Devil
Lost Abbey Red Barn
Lost Abbey Carnevale
The Bruery Trade Winds Tripel
The Bruery Saison Rue
The Bruery Saison de Lente
Stone Vertical Epic 08.08.08

Brewer's Art Resurrection
Ballast Point Brother Levonian Saison
Allagash Interlude

Belgians
St. Bernardus Tripel
Affligem Blond
Saison Dupont
De Struise Pannepot Old Fisherman's Ale
Orval
Brasserie Des Rocs Triple Imperiale

Sour
Russian River Sanctification
Russian River Temptation
Russian River Toronado 20th Anniversary
Russian River Consecration
The Bruery Cuvee Jeune
Rodenbach Grand Cru
Cantillon Lou Pepe Kriek (+ everything else Cantillon)

Lagers
Moonlight Reality Czech Pils
Sly Fox Pikeland Pils

Miscellaneous
Port Brewing Older Viscosity
Lost Abbey Cuvee de Tomme
Lost Abbey Bourbon Barrel Angel's Share
Lost Abbey Red Poppy
New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red
Schneider Aventinus
Weihenstephaner Hefe-Weisse
Stone Double Bastard

Top 5 or 7 Overall
1.
Russian River Pliny the Younger
2. Moonlight Reality Czeck Pilsner
3. Russian River Blind Pig IPA
4. Alpine O'Brien's IPA
5. Alpine Pure Hoppiness
5. Russian River Pliny the Elder
(6. Stone Ruination)
(7. Russian River Sanctification)


5 comments:

Mattias said...

Oh, so you think pliny is better than the pig?, interesting.

I would say the other way around. But it might be true. It seems that Russian River is doing a very good job, when you have 6 out of 25.

And I agree with you; when I tasted blind pig IPA in Denmark 2 year ago, you could spot a winner from the start. Seems that everything they do is very good, but I have to say as a European that the belgian style beers are still best in Belgium and are not my favorites, I'm more into the IPAs, Double IPAs etc.

Might be something to do that we have been drinking Belgian beers alot longer than the newer US micros, so that you have passed that stage long before the US got into the Belgian era.

Steve said...

Yeah, personally I would order a Blind Pig over a Pliny the Elder on most occasions, but that's not to say Elder isn't one of my favorite DIPA's. I haven't drank a ton of authentic Belgian beers, I've probably had more American Belgian-style ales... so I dunno. Eventually I will have many many Belgian ales, when I get around to it, and I'm sure I will get a much better overall feel for Belgian beers. But regardless, I love the taste of Russian River's Belgian style beers (Sanct, Perdition, redemption) as well as The Lost Abbey's Belgian inspired ales.

Anonymous said...

I really like your list. I love Russian River Beers. The Rodenbach Grand Cru is actually my favorite beer, though it is almost impossible to find. I was able to get one out of my friend at the Suffed Sandwich. I am plesantly suprised to see the Trade Winds on your list. I Know the Rue's from the bruery. I have been working with them on some cheese pairings for their beers, we have had some great results. Anyways, keep up the good work. Cheers-Craig

Beer Goggles said...

What! No Damnation?!?!

I too agree with much of your list, but you must throw in the Damnation somewhere for a great Strong Belgian Golden Ale.

You really can't go wrong with Russian River and if you ever get the chance, I definitely recommend you go to the Santa Rosa Brewery for a mind blowing experience.

They have a sampler set (of everything they have on tap), which our server called "Around the World!" Getting thirsty, just thinking of it...

Keep up the great work (Wait, drinking beer is work?
I want that job...)!

Steve said...

Beer Goggles - Russian River Damnation is on my list under American made Belgian Style Ales. It's a great beer, and like for many others, the first Russian River beer I ever tried. Friends and I have been up to Santa Rosa a couple times to visit their brewpub. We stay at the Hyatt which is less than a mile away and within perfect walking distance to the pub. Makes for a fun few days spending it all at the Pub. :D