Best Beer in the World

Forgot to mention, if it was up to me it would be St. Bernardus abt 12.

 

The best beer in the world is the one in your hand.

 

Heady, Pliny (Elder and Younger), Westy 12, St. Bernardus Apt 12, BCBS (and the variants), King Henry, Cantillon beers of legend and fame.

 

This beer and to be honestly nothing is even close. Deuces

 

Not stuff I haven't had, but Rochefort 10, St. Bernardus Abt 12, and Orval. Three of the best beers in the world are readily available almost everywhere in the US. Crazy, huh?

 

All I can tell you are the best beers I've ever tasted: Courage Russian Stout (1993 and earlier), Harvey's Imperial Stout, Klosterbräu Maibock, St Bernardus Abt 60th Anniversary Edition, Schultheiss (Schönhauser Allee) Berliner Weisse, Aventinus, Pretty Things 1832 XXXX (first brew) and Tetley's Mild.

 

I've had Westy 12 twice this year and have another in the fridge. It's pretty good especially on the nose but its pretty awkward on the taste - sweet and alcoholic but not body. I've had a number of other beers like it lately, specifically quads, that did about the same thing for me. Fun to drink but not worth the hype and for a regular schmuck like me not worth the hassle and expense in procuring. My beer of the year is the Trader Joe's 2012 Vintage Ale. It's made by Unibroue in style that's right in their wheelhouse: spiced Belgian brown ale (Christmas/holiday ale style). Totally dilectable, I finished my case a few weeks ago.

 

If you want body on that beer, take it out of the fridge and let it return to room temp (well, not quite <58F). I can't understand why people drink stouts and Belgian ales straight out of the fridge... Not saying you do, but you did mention it's in the fridge now... YMMV

 

I drank both at their proper temperature at the time. I store most of my beers in the fridge (I also have a wine locker I put others in).

 

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

 

I wouldn't recommend that, personally. I think those lists give a very niche view of beer, one in which most of the best beers are from a few styles (e.g. IPA, imperial stout) and have huge alcohol contents. You miss out on huge areas of the beer world - where's the lager, for instance?


I think that really, there are beers that are widely seen as classics and you could tell your friend what some of those are, but to narrow things down to a consensus on a handful of beers that are the best in the world? I don't think you can. Even in the beer geek bubble it's difficult - Heady Topper is ranked number 1 here, but only number 32 on Ratebeer.

 

Perhaps you should rank them into styles. It would be a bit strange, to my opinion, to say that KBS is a better beer than Pliny.

To answer this topic; I think Trappistes Rochefort 10 is a legendary quad and should be on that list.

 

There should be a top beer for every style, and since there are over 100 recognized styles I think there would have to be a list somewhere with the top example of every style that people could discuss and vote.

Of course it would change periodically. If only we could convince someone to start such an undertaking.

A lot of work, needs two men probably (women drink far less beer), and a lot of cooperation too, so brothers would be ideal.