Best Beers of 2012

Admittedly, I'm probably the worst beer blogger on the planet.  It's been over a month since my last entry, which is not how I envisioned this blog going.  Finding time to sit down and organize a post has been challenging.  I have some new ideas for the blog which I will make an effort to launch in the coming year.  I will likely have less full beer reviews and begin doing a series called "quick sips" which will be a cliffs notes version of a beer review.  This type of article will likely be more conducive to my hectic lifestyle and should yield more blog activity.

I have been thinking a lot about what were the best beers I consumed in 2012.  This year has been a phenomenal beer drinking experience.  From special releases, to locals, to festivals, to bottle shares and tastings....I've had a plethora of incredible opportunities to enjoy some of the best beer on the planet.  Many beers have changed my mind about styles I typically didn't think I would ever enjoy.  There's no point in trying to rank my favorites of the year because that task is simply too daunting.  So here are the best beers I was able to have this year:

1.  Founders CBS:  Had this a couple times this year.  First time was at Dark Lord Day 2012, second was on tap at Twenty Taps Anniversary party, third time was during the Bears first game of the season.  Epic does not even  begin to do justice to how good this beer is.  Phenomenal combo of flavors between coffee, chocolate, and maple sweetness.  It's probably the best beer I've ever had in my life.

2.  Alchemist Heady Topper:  Speaking of the best beers I've ever had in my life, this gem from a small brewery in Vermont also Tops that list (no pun intended).  Bursting with dank hops this canned beer delivers a hop punch that is reminiscent to a 1980's Mike Tyson uppercut.  Probably the best DIPA I've ever had.  Even better than....

3. Russian River Pliny the Elder:  When a week or so fresh, this beer rivals Heady Topper for that top spot of DIPA's.  This one is pure IPA perfection.  Packed with Citrus hops and a nice dose of pine and tropical sweetness, it's a more complex IPA than Heady Topper.

4.  Stone Ruination 10th Anniversary:  This was a difficult bottle to track down, but I was lucky enough to grab a handful of them.  The citra hopping of this beer vaults it into top beer status for me.  It's a palate wrecker.  Fantastically bitter and hopped to the extreme.  I wish this would be a regular offering from Stone. Probably the best beer I've ever had from them.  I miss it.

5.  Three Floyds Dark Lord:  Enjoyed this bottle on my birthday.  Incredibly complex with substantial depth of flavors that progress and change as I drank it.  Took me an hour and a half to drink the bottle.

6.  Founders KBS:  Had my first one during a Skype session with my sister and brother in-law from Colorado.  Had one a couple nights ago as well.  This beer is magnificent.  Oak, bourbon, vanilla, chocolate,  and coffee flavors do an awesome dance on the palate.  Aging nicely also.

7.  Westbrook Citrus Ninja Exchange:  You all know I am a fan of the grapefruit heavy IPA's.  This one probably possessed the most grapefruit flavor I've had in a beer...ever.  Thanks to Mike from Westbrook for making it possible for me to get my hands on this one when I was in South Carolina.

8.  Russian River Supplication:  This beer began to change my mind about Sours.  Enjoyed it twice this year with my wife who also shared in the enjoyment.  Aged in Pinot Noir barrels with cherries, this thing is as dynamic a beer as I have ever had.

9.  Bells Java Stout:  The perfect example of a coffee stout for me.  Have had it multiple times in the past couple months.  The coffee is so massive.  One of the most under appreciated coffee stouts around.

10.  Flat 12 Brandy Barrel Aged Walkabout Pale Ale:  Enjoyed this at the Flat 12 anniversary party.  Definitely one of my favorites along with Van Pogue.

11.  Goose Island Bramble Rye Bourbon County Stout:  So far it's my favorite BCS variant.  Had it twice this year and it was better the second time.  The stout has an awesome combo of Bourbon, rye, blackberry, raspberry, and chocolate.  Such a phenomenal beer.  Opened my eyes to stouts that have a good tartness to them.

12.  Firestone Walker Wookey Jack:  Black IPA perfection.

13.  Bells Kalamazoo Hopsolution Ale:  Couldn't believe it when I had it a couple months ago, but I liked this better than Bells Oracle, which also is a top beer of the year.  This one surprised me.  Loaded with citrus hops and a nice light mouthfeel, I felt like I could drink it all night long.  That wasn't going to happen, though, because earlier that night I was lucky to have....

14.  Bells Black Note:  This one was better on tap than it was from a bottle.  The bourbon and vanilla creaminess really popped on tap.  What a great BA stout.

15.  Jackie O's Dynamo Hum:  One more sour to remember.  Loaded with Raspberry, Oak, and lemon.  This one was complex and tart as hell.  Definitely left an impression.  Many thanks to Scott for allowing me the opportunity to sample one of the best sours I've ever had.

16.  Oskar Blues Devian Dales IPA:  Probably my favorite beer from Oskar Blues.  Awesome citrus and pine flavors.

17.  Three Floyds Rye Da Tiger:  Double version of Rye Da Lighting.  It's everything I want in an Imperial Rye IPA.  Complex hop flavors with a nice rye spice.  Would like more Rye but that's being nit-picky.  Glad to see FFF decide to make this their standard December release.

18.  Sun King Pappy Van Muckle:  Wee Muckle aged in Pappy Van Winkle barrels.  Incredible smoothness and depth of flavor.  This beer is pure gold....just wish I could get more of it.

19.  Fat Heads Head Hunter IPA:  Another IPA that surprised me with how great it is.  Awesome citrus and pine flavors.  Incredibly drinkable.  Could easily be an every day drinking beer.

20.  Three Floyds Zombie Dust:  A Best Beer list is not complete without Zombie Dust.  This american pale ale actually should be listed as an IPA according to style guidelines, but FFF generally bucks style guidelines.  Loaded with citra hops and is as drinkable as any beer I've ever had.  I can confirm that I have consumed over 100 of these this year....and I never get tired of it.

There are many many many other awesome beers I had in 2012.  In 2013 I am looking forward to enjoying more of the beers I already know that I love and sticking more to those standards that we take for granted.  Of course I'm going to be on the lookout for interesting trades and special releases, but won't do near as much of that in 2013 as I did in 2012.

What were some of your best beers of 2012?  What are you looking forward to in 2013?

Cheers!!

Beer Style #2: American IPA

Imagine, if you will, an American Pale Ale hopped up on steroids.  This is basically how I describe an American IPA to people.  APA's, if you recall from my previous post, have good hop character to them, but American IPA's the hops are kicked up several notches.  The flavor profiles can range from citrusy to herbacious to tropical fruits and so on.  Often some earthiness and floral tones to them as well.  The aromas of an IPA are incredibly intoxicating.  Common aromas again are citrus, pine, tropical fruits, and floral.  The aroma is what pulls you in to the beer.  There are few things beer that I like better than the aroma of a fresh, juicy IPA.  The color of an IPA can also be quite broad in range.  They can be a golden yellow to a deep amber color.  Many of them have a nice orange color to them.    .

IPA's really showcase the hops.  English IPA's are not as hoppy as American IPA's.  I remember trying Greene King IPA when in England last summer and my initial impression of it was that it was fairly light and the hops were minimal.  American IPA's also are medium bodied and have a nice malt backbone which holds the flavors together beautifully.  They often have a bitter finish, which is really what puts new IPA drinkers off.  Definitely an acquired taste, but once you get to the point where you appreciate an IPA, it is very likely to become your go-to style of beer.  This might be why the IPA is one of the most popular styles of beer in the craft beer world.

So what are some of my recommended IPA's....let's take a look:
1. Bells Two Hearted Ale:  A classic in the style and consistently one of the best rated IPA's in the world.  This is the beer that got me into IPA's and is always a good go-to beer.
2. Founders Centennial IPA:  Featuring the Centennial Hop in the very best ways.
3. Triton Railsplitter IPA:  Local from Indianapolis, this one packs an awesome hop punch with fantastic bitterness.  One of my favorites.
4. Ballast Point Sculpin IPA:  Another one that is consistently rated one of the best in the world.  But you won't find it in Indiana.  Definitely worth trading for or ordering online if you can find it.
5. Sun King Grapefruit Jungle IPA:  One of my favorite local Sun King brews.  Comes out twice a year and actually there is a tapping party for it on 8/30.  Amazing grapefruit flavor.  Crisp and refreshing.  Well crafted beer.
6. Surly Furious:  Possibly the best IPA I've had.  Can only get it in Minnesota. Again, very much worth trading for if you haven't had it.
7.  Stone IPA:  A classic west coast IPA and one of the most popular out there.
8.  Odell IPA:  Bold and complex.  Nicely bitter.  Not available in Indiana, but it's out there.
9.  New Belgium Ranger IPA:  A great starter IPA.  This beer renewed my faith in New Belgium as a brewery.

10. Three Floyds BrooDoo:  Only available in October, this fresh hopped IPA is one of my favorites from Three Floyds.  Be on the lookout for this one, don't miss it.
11. Fat Heads Head Hunter IPA:  Recently won an award for best in style beating out Sculpin IPA.  Massively hopped.  Can't get it in Indiana, but Ohio has it....and who doesn't love a road trip?
12.  Dark Horse Crooked Tree:  Definitely lives up to its description, crisp and dry.  Featuring the hops with a solid bitterness.  Great brew from Dark Horse out of Michigan.

Need some variation in your IPA life?  Well, there are some creative spins out there on IPA's.  Black IPA's, Rye IPA's, Red IPA's, and White IPA's have all really taken off in popularity.  Black IPA's are dark in color with roasted malts.  Rye IPA's are made with copious amounts of Rye malt.  Red IPA's are simply hopped up Red Ales.  White IPA's usually have a bit of funk to them. It's interesting to see brewers using creativity to create some of these spins on a traditional IPA.  Examples of these styles include:

1.  Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale:  Probably one of the best Black IPA's I have had.
2.  Firestone Walker Wookey Jack:  Not available in Indiana, but worth trying if you make it to Illinois or California.  Incredible Black IPA.
3.  Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye IPA:  Don't sleep on this Rye IPA from Sierra Nevada.  It's really tasty.
4.  Troegs Nugget Nectar:  Is it an amber or an ipa? Always a debate.  For me I consider it a red IPA.  Seasonal from Troegs in Pennsylvania.  Just a quick trip to Ohio when it comes out and this could be yours.
5.  Grand Teton Pursuit of Hoppiness:  Strong ale or IPA?  In my opinion it's an IPA.  My second favorite to Nugget Nectar.  This hoppy red delivers all the goods.
6.  Anchorage Brewing Galaxy White IPA:  Massive funk and complexity....if that's your thing.

Of the variants, I would say that I enjoy them all, except White IPA's.  Generally they have been too funky for me.  My favorite IPA is Surly Furious and my favorite IPA variant is the Wookey Jack from Firestone Walker.

One more thing about IPA's.  One of the most important thing to consider when buying one of these hoptacular beers is freshness.  Check those bottle dates.  If it's old (3-4 months) or has dust on the bottle on the shelf, please pass it by.  Hop flavors fade over time and nothing is more disappointing that an IPA that has lost its hop punch.  So get those IPA's fresh if you can.  Look for a future post dedicated to the Double IPA.  What are your favorite IPA's?


Cheers!!