Your Favorite Beer from 2017

CBS

 

Top 5 in no particular order:

-BAA '17
-Prop '17
-Medianoche '17
-Black Magicks (green/blue wax)
-Okie Paradise

 

Bought bottle retail, Bell's Oatsmobile.

Bought and drank draft, Helles Bock, Khoffner Brewery, Fort Lauderdale.

 

Rushing Duck's Bless The Corners (Honey Bourbon).

 

I just bought some CBS so that will surely be included but this my list for now. This was a big year for stouts which, due to a long and probably boring story, I'd previously unwisely stayed away from.

BCBS
The Abyss
Ten FIDY - Bourbon Barrel Aged
Dark Apparition
Founders KBS
Old Stock Cellar Reserve
Barrel Aged Lunatic Blonde
Saison Bernice

 

Cycle Sunday

 

No doubt that the Sierra Fresh Hop 12 pack is outstanding. At the same time, their Snow PAck Variety is dam good as well. The Coffee in that variety pack is sooo goood.

 

Schlafly Ibex Cellar Imperial Coffee Stout

 

My favorite new to me:

Off Color 15 feet: a 3.5% smoked wheat beer? Yes, please! Would be a regular in my fridge if they made it more often.

Bells Oatsmobile: I thought this had the perfect balance for a pale ale - will be buying this regularly.

Sierra Nevada- all 4 in the fresh hop pack (ok - celebration is not new to me, but the canned version is :-)

(Edit - Jai alai: finally got a chance to try it- great old school IPA)

The one I returned to most often;

Brooklyn Sorachi Ace- this one keeps growing on me, but is hard to find by me- seems like I'm one of the few who buys this in the western suburbs of Chicago- I'll need to order a case, just to keep it on hand

 

Bearded Iris (in Nashville) Attention Please! DDH w/ Vic Secret & Mosaic. A standout in a world currently overflowing with NE IPAs.

 

Woof, just one? That’s tough

My top 5 in no particular order:

Stone Mikhail — really caught me by surprise that it was a shelfie. Returned to the store and bought them out.

Epic Baptista — nothing to be said.

BCBS — nothing to be said.

CBS — lives up to the hype.

BA Ten Fidy — this years barrels are fantastic.

And for IPAs... the Dare Mighty Things series by The Brewing Projekt.

 

The ones that stand out off the top of my head. A combo of new releases and new to me beers in no particular order...

Cycle DBV Rare DOS
FB Last Buffalo in the Park
BL FOb3
TG Fire Skulls & Money
Treehouse Bright w/Nelson
GI Rare 15
Untitled Art Florida Weiss
CW Black Gold, Ardea, and 19
Oddside Rye Hipster Brunch

My hands down #1 favorite of the whole year: Bell's BA Expedition. This beer is goddamn perfect IMO!

 

My favourite beer has been a local brew, Trailway Hu Jon Hops, for the past few years. We don't get many American IPA's around here so I guess I can't really relate to most people here on BA, but I truly think that Hu Jon Hops could roll with the best of the best. It's just so packed with flavour that many IPA's that I've tried since pale in comparison.

My favourite that I tried for the first time in 2017 would easily be Murphy's Irish Stout. As you might be able to tell from my avatar, I really enjoy Guinness and Stouts/Porters in general. Unfortunately, the only Irish Stouts that I've had are Guinness, O'Hara, and Murphy's, but Murphy's completely blew the other two out of the water and truly changed my perception of what (IMHO) the pinnacle of traditional Stouts is.

 

Going to stretch it a bit. Last January, did a little gathering of some folks, 14 or so. Sierra Nevada Bigfoot. An 18 year vertical going back to 1998. Perfect size group to get a small pour out of each bottle. All drinkable except for the 2006 drain pour, Had floaties and sinkies. Remarkable in the fact that the early ones were twist off caps. Cellar temp dark closets are great for beer storage.

 

Wow--going back through my ratings, I'm just now realizing how damn long of a year it was, even in regards to my own thoroughly enjoyed beer adventures.

There were other beers I technically rated higher, but I think my absolute favorite drink of 2017 was Kane's Sunday Brunch. So delicious and so simple yet complex, for what it is. Unbelievably incredible.

As an aside, I can't help but notice the huge list of coffee stouts in this thread--sorry I couldn't help buck that trend this year

 

Kentucky brunch brand stout 2016 was by far the best, had one for my wedding and domed it myself... Minus the little pours a couple family members tried.

 

Various NEIPAs from many brewers (litterally too many to list..its splitting hairs / there are so many great ones I've had this year)
Crooked Stave Silly Cybies
Cycle Thursday

I've been rating beers since 2010 and over 2,200 beers total, and I seem to be giving out more high ratings in 2017 than all 6 years previous. You'd think I'd be more critical with so much history. I just think beers are getting exponentially better overall and I'm narrowing my focus to only seeking out the better/best ones nowadays.

 

Fundamental SUMMATION ... is by far. Kind of under rated as well compared to come of the hyped up whalez. It is 3 sons and bottle logic gloriousness

 

So underwhelming this go around. Have you had many beers this year? SO many blow this one of the water easily...