ISO: Outstanding new beers released in 2020

The Alpha and Omega
East Sixth Brewing
A blend of barrel-aged and non BA Imperial Stout

East Sixth is a rename of Rebel Kettle brewing after one of the owners left with the name. This was one is the first big BA beers they did under the new name. They also canned it in 12 ounce cans, which RK rarely did. The beer is phenomenal, readily available to those who want it here. (It's even sitting in the cooler at my local bottle shop.) You can read the reviews for details but having a local brewery produce an easily attainable, outstanding beer makes my 2020 just a little better.

 

Wheatland Spring Corn Crib - It looks like I'm the only one to have reviewed this one so far on the site, but there have been two releases of this beer this year. Some background first, it was brewed to celebrate the centennial of the Corn Crib on the Wheatland Spring farm. The brewery is focused on creating "landbier" which to them means aspiring to use as much estate and regional grain as possible, partnering with farmers with a similar vision as them.

Anyway, Corn Crib is freaking phenomenal. It features a blend of Estate-grown Wheat, Malted Virginia Corn, Virginia 6-Row, and Maryland 2-Row Barley. Layered with classic, German Magnum and Spalt hops before it was finished with contemporary Hallertauer Blanc. It has a beautiful floral herbal lime zest, lemongrass, heather character. I could drink it all the time. This beer has quickly become a local beer circle favorite.

 

Founders KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge just hits every soft spot in what makes for a great flavored BBA stout. Very well balanced with all of the flavors that I like in a beer like this.

 

La Cumbre's Siren Song, an imperial red ale aged in rye barrels.

 

Epic Big Bad Baptist Sextuple is pretty outstanding to me.

 

That's easily my favorite of their 2020 lineup and probably my favorite since double and triple.

 

Gold: Thoughts Without A Thinker by Keeping Together. This is a 5.8% saison brewed with oranges, early gray tea and saffron. This is a world class saison in appearance, aroma and taste. So glad Averie Swanson set up shop here late last year. Full review link. (4.5 / 4.75 / 4.5 / 4.5 / 4.75)

Silver: KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge by Founders. This seemed to be the most popular widely distributed beer in the NBW/WBAYDN threads. An excellent balanced stout, the whole greater than the sum of parts, perfect mouthfeel / texture, full rich and creamy body, Full Review Link (4.5 / 4.0 / 4.75 / 5.0 / 4.5)

Bronze: Maintains & Shapes, a collaboration by Revolution Brewing & Hop Butcher For The World. A 5.5% "Illinois Recreational Lager. This is a well crafted beer, Pilsner backed by bold and pleasant tropical fruit and floral notes, perfect Summer Beer. Full Review Here. (4.0 / 4.25 / 4.75 / 4.25 / 4.5)

 

Central Waters' Brewer's Reserve Brandy Barrel Barleywine was a highlight for me. Plenty of runners up, it has been another in a long line of great years for beer. Cheers to beer and BA.

 

Not technically "new", but yet is, this years Deschutes Jubelale is super smooth and sooooo very easy to drink.

 

Sierra Nevada 40th Hoppy Anniversary Ale

Bell's Leaves of Grass Series: V, VI, VII

But I guess all the above just miss qualifying according to the collective.

 

Bravo Brewing Company of scenic Pascoag Rhode Island brewed a Helles Lager named Helles Lager early this year, I had one on draught at the brewery in March before you-know-what hit the fan. I tried not to give it too high of a review score based on it being my 1st brewery fresh Helles. It was an eye opener. Cheers.

 

Fire & Fury by Clandestine has just a little heat from the chilies, a massive flavor from the brown malts, and packs a wallup that kind of sneaks up on you.

 

ditto on the Sierra Nevada 40th. I probably bought 2 cases of it a six pack at a time, and I tend to mix it up a lot more than that, never repeating a six pack for months. (I'm doing the same thing with Celebration; it's like Sierra Nevada is my personal brewery of the year, for the first time since about 1992)

Other than that, Bierstadt Lagerhaus' export lager, Gottscheer, which I sure as shit hope wasn't a one-off, this summer.

Can't remember when Liquid Mechanics Lucid AF came out; if it was fall 2019 never mind, but I think I first had it in like January or February of this year--Covid makes that seem like 5 years ago-- so that would qualify.

 

I’ve got two beers that were excellent AND had a noble mission behind them.

Sierra Nevada Dankful. Between this and the 40th Anniversary beer, SN has been rocking this year. I loved both but it’s been a while since I was really excited about a SN beer. Dankful changed that in a hurry. From the first sip it struck me as having a classic profile with some modern rounding of the sharp edges. Yeah, it just misses the numeric cutoff with an 89, but c’mon they’re donating a million bucks to charity.

Black is Beautiful. Not quite sure how to classify this since I couldn’t try the Weathered Souls original. I did have some incredible local versions and from what I heard, WS provided a great base recipe. More importantly, they put a spotlight on the issue of inclusion and representation in the industry while doing a LOT of good for hundreds of worthy organizations.
In what has been a catastrophically difficult year, it’s inspiring to see these places making the world a better place through great beer.

 

Bell’s Leaves of Grass VI Salut au Monde a Kellerbier and VII Spontaneous Me a Wild Ale.
Ellison’s Four Horseman, a BA Stout.

 

I could provide a very long list lots of 1-off beers from small local brewers and all of the weekly one offs fro the big dogs that don't distribute Trillium/Tree House etc. but I'll name some of my favorite 2020 released beers that are more readily available to more people on shelves:

DFH Campfire Amplifier - Very tasted milk/sweet stout. DFH new offerings have been fairy pedestrian as of late but this beer seems to be a step up IMO

Sloop - No Tan Line NEIPA - They started distributing to MD recently so figured their distribution footprint is big enought to mention this one.

Lawson's Finest Liquids - Little Sip - Great standard strength IPA and NOT a session IPA so don't worry about it being hop water or low cal. Really enjoyed this one.

Bitburger/Sierra Nevada - Triple Hop'd Lager - Just a well made beer. Labeled as an IPL.

Allagash - Crosspath - Belgian Pale Ale really dialed in nicely with a little funk going on as well. The world needs more Belgian pale ales and Belgian IPAs.

Oskar Blues - BA20 Vol 1: All Monde - They did wonders with this 12.5% stout.. Great job!

DFH/Rodenbach collab - Vibrant P'Ocean - Ok I'm bending the rules a little as this one was added on 12/19/19, but close enough for me...great funky/bretty fruit beer.

Founders KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge - Very solid and enjoyed more than recent KBS offerings.

 

The brew that immediately comes to mind is Blessed by Anchorage. My goodness what a decadent beer. A stout that explodes with flavors of German Chocolate Cake, caramel, vanilla, and coconut. Delicious. Expensive though.