5 Favorite Beers by Region

My particular favorites from the Midwest so far are:

Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Stout
Three Floyd's Dark Lord
New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red
New Holland Dragon's Milk
New Glarus Dancing Man Wheat

 

Also from the Northeast, but my palate guides me in a slightly different direction...

1. Heady Topper (surprise, surprise)
2. Allagash BBA Curieux
3. Maine Beer Co. Lunch
4. Jack's Abby 2nd Anniversary
5. Night Shift Ever Weisse

Based solely on personal experience, of course. Lawson's, Tree House, HF, and more than a few others undoubtedly deserve a slot on any "Best of the Northeast" list as well.

 

Great Lakes region:

FFF Vanilla Bean Dark Lord
FFF Zombie Dust
Dark Horse BBPt5
Bell's Black Note Stout

Last one is a tie between GI BCBS and New Glarus Wild Sour Ale

 

Its really hard to nail down 5 from the Midwest.

 

Agreed. It's also a pretty nebulous guideline here as favorite could mean favorite whaley beers, or favorite shelf beers. I of course chose to go more of the former while you chose more the latter (of which, I cannot disagree with any of your choices either, all great beers)

 

from the mid west( Just have to do breweries )
Surly
New Glarus
Steel Toe
FFF
Bells

 

Same here, especially when there are limited variations to certain beers such as TTT Dark Lord or Goose Island Bourbon County. Your list is really solid too.

 

It isn't easy from the northeast either if you avoid the obvious choices of HF, Lawson's Finest. Alchemist, Ommegang, Allagash.

Jacks Abby
NEBCO
Pretty Things
Smutty
Treehouse
Idle Hands

On and on it goes. Pretty active just in New England. Heck, even in Massachusetts there lots happening.

 

This is an interesting question and got me looking at the top beers per region lists. Something in there gets my attention and that is the inequality of votes per region. Is there any spreadsheet gurus out there that can break that info down into a graph?

 

THread started

 

Pacific (Southern California) -

Shelf beers:

Alpine - Duet (kind of shelf)
Stone - Espresso Russian Imperial Stout
Ballast Point - Victory At Sea
Port - Mongo
Lost Abbey - Red Poppy

 

I've lived in the Northeast my whole life, and could never pick 5 from up there. 5 from each state is a challenge. Living in Louisiana now, my 5 favorite beers from the southern region would probably be:

1. NOLA Mechahopzilla
2. Lazy Magnolia Timber Beast
3. Lazy Magnolia Backwoods Belgian
4. Abita 25th Anniversary Vanilla Double Dog
5. Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale

There's still a ton I want to try though, so this is to be continued for sure!

 

I think its hard to nail 5 down from any region. This entire country brews awesome beers from all over now.

 

The best beers in New England (Not counting NY) are

1 The Alchemist Heady Topper
2 Lawson's Double Sunshine
3 Hill Farmstead Abner
4 Tree House Julius
5 Jack's Abby Hoponius Union

And I'm a stout lover.

Honorable mention to anything Allagash related.

 

From New England that I can get regularly, or at least semi-regularly;

Cambridge Brewing Flower Child
Maine Beer Lunch
Smuttynose Robust Porter
Berkshire Coffeehouse Porter
Ipswich Oatmeal Stout

 

I'm in the mid Atlantic region.
Southern Tier- Choklat
Ommegang- Hennepin
Saranac- Caramel Porter
Boak Beverage- Two Blind Monks Ale
Ommegang- Ommegang(Abbey Ale)

 

Yards Love Stout
Nugget Nectar
Ottos Irish stout
Victory Prima Pils
Sly fox Pils
PA is a bastion of Awesome beer!

 

New England (What I have tried):

1. Heady Topper
2. Somer Weisse
3. Curieux
4. FV 13
5. Lunch