Time for the year-end lists! I always enjoy looking back and re-living some of my favorite beers and beer moments of the year. Here goes: Favorite new (to all or just to me) local beers: Indeed Day Tripper Summit Saga Town Hall Twisted Jim Surly Brett Liquor (maybe my #1 of the year) Fitger's Framboise Beers of Fame I ticked: Westvleteren XII ('03 was sublime, '11 was meh.) Heady Topper Founders CBS (bottle>tap for me) Out-of-market faves: Alpine Nelson Bruery Sour in the Rye Russian River Row 2 Hill 56 Allagash Confluence On tap gems: Goose Island Dominique Great Lakes Rally Drum Red Bells Barrel Aged Cherry Stout (In the running for best of the year) Watering hole of the year: Buster's on 28th. Great bartenders, good events, gave me two free Kwak glasses just because I asked. Liquor store that stole the most of my money: The Ale Jail Favorite beer-travels experiences: The Mellow Mushroom, Charleston, SC, Papago Brewing, Scottsdale, AZ I really tried to limit this post, but dang, I drank a lot of tasty beer this year. What were some of your favorites? (Feel free to customize your categories).
Favorite new (to all or just to me) local beers: Indeed Day Tripper Indeed Jalapeno beer! Surly Abrasive Surly Brett Liquor Fitger's BA Ed Fitz Beers of Fame I ticked: Green Flash West Coast IPA Lagunitas Hop Stoopid Russian River Blind Pig (Personal Favorite) Out-of-market faves: Apple Brandy Hunahpu Blind Pig New Glarus IIPA CITRA Chocolate Rain Bligh's Barleywine! On tap gems: Bell's BA Batch 9000 Surly Brett Liquor Lagunitas Tank 7 (mistake beer) Had this at Muddy Waters and was blown away Woodford Reserve Barrel Aged Darkness w/ Vanilla Beans (Whoa) Watering hole of the year: Bryant Lake Bowl or Muddy Waters. Buster's is definitely up there for me as well. Liquor store that stole the most of my money: Can't disclose secret beer buying locations Favorite beer-travels experiences: The Central Waters Anniversary Party was absolutely amazing. Free 1414 on tap, nothing can beat that.
Thanks for the post and getting me to think about what an amazing beer year this was for me. Only my second year in the "game" so almost everything on my list was new to me. Favorite new (to all or just to me) local beers: Barley John Dark Knight Returns TH Czar Jack TH Tumaltuous Rare Surly Oak Aged Tea Bagged Abrasive Steel Toe Before The Dawn Beers of Fame I ticked: Bruery Chocolate Rain Bruery Black Tuesday Cantillon Blabaer Cigar City Hunahpu Westy XII - 40 year old bottle Out-of-market faves: Founders CBS Bells Black Note Lost Abbey Deliverance Sam Adams Utopias Goose Island King Henry On tap gems: CBS - Tilias & Happy Gnome Goose Island BCS - Busters Black Note - Busters Surly Oak Aged Tea Bagged Abrasive - TH Tap (went back later in the day for another glass of it) Bells Bourbon Barrel 9000 - Busters Watering hole of the year: Buster's (shocker based on my on tap gems list, right) Favorite beer-travels experiences: Black Friday at Goose Island Clybourn and Darkness Day
Favorite new (to all or just to me) local beers: Indeed Day Tripper Indeed Midnight Ryder Surly Mild Surly Bandwagon Steel Toe Before The Dawn Indeed Haywire Summit Saga Fitger's BB Edmund Fitz Beers of Fame I ticked: Westvleteren XII ('03 was sublime, '11 was meh.) Heady Topper Founders CBS Pliny Kate the Great Framboise for a Cure Blacknote Cantillon Lou Pepe Kriek Out-of-market faves: Alpine Pure/Exponential Hoppyness Bruery Sour in the Rye Russian River T25 Dogfish Head Bitches Brew Dogfish Head 120 Minute 2008 Bourbon County Cascade Strawberry On tap gems: Goose Island 08 BCBS Cantillon Rose De Gambrinus Townhall Barrel Monkey Townhall Fresh Hop Townhall Citra Pale Ale Watering hole of the year: Buster's on 28th, Pizza Luce St Paul or Bryant Lake Bowl, lots of exceptional beers poured. Liquor store that stole the most of my money: Firkins or Highland Park Haskells. Favorite beer-travels experiences: no real beer travels, but enjoyed some nice beers up at Fitgers and some nice beers at JL Beers in Fargo.
Favorite new (to all or just to me) local beers: Steel Toe Size 11 Longbeard Winter Wheat Commander Mankato Original Chimney Sweep Hop Dish Midnight Ryder Beers of Fame I ticked: Fuller's London Porter Out-of-market faves: Tramp Stamp Double Old Thumper Ale Organic Farmer Brown Ale Four(#4) by Upright Brewing is my favorite of the year Bourbonic Plague Cuvee Des Jacobins Rouge Favorite beer-travels experiences: Sort of limited this year. But the visit to Toppling Goliath ranks one of the best I have had in recent times. Reminded me of the pleasant, intimite experiences of past travels that are missing, and never will be experienced in the twin cities.
Favorite new (to all or just to me) local beers: Easy Rider Day Tripper Morning Wood Auroch's Horn (on Rhubarb) Cherry Bean Saga Beers of Fame I ticked: None really Out-of-market faves: (Most On Tap & Enjoyed Locally) White Rajah Ol Chub Left Hand Milk Stout (Nitro) Ten Fiddy Osiris Pale Ale Daisy Cutter Artic Panzer Wolf Topless Wytch Jai Alai Favorite Local Watering Hole: Don't get out in the cities much but probably Groveland Tap. Favorite beer-travels experiences: Three Floyds taproom. Great people watching, great food & great beer.
Favorite new (to all or just to me) local beers: Indeed Day Tripper (Or just about anything Indeed) Toppling Goliath Pseudo Sue (It takes me the same amount of time to get to TG as TH so local to me) Toppling Goliath Naughty 90 Surly Bandwagon Summit Saga Toppling Goliath Mornin' Delight Out of Market Favs: NG Enigma NG Serendipity Cigar City Cucumber Sasion Hoppin Frog BORIS and BA BORIS 3F Alpha King Stone Ruination 10 Beers of Fame I ticked: Pliny CW 1414 Brooklyn Black Ops Black Note On Tap Gems: KBS (Randomly on Tap at Haute Dish) TH Three Hour Tour Favorite Local Watering Hole: Tap House Beer Store that Stole the Most of my Money: Andy's in Roch France 44 in the cities Favorite Beer Travel-Related Experience: Great Taste of Midwest
Favorite new local beers tried this year: Indeed Daytripper Town Hall Pint Club Ale Steel Toe Before the Dawn Steel Toe Size 11 Out of market new Favorites: Shorts huma Lupa IPA Crooked Stave Sentience Boneyard Hop Venom Beechwood BBQ Melrose IPA and Hop Ninja Pizza Port Bacon and Eggs Beers of Fame: Isabelle Proximus (thanks ShadesofGray) Apple Brandy Hunaphu (thanks Alex) Darkness Vertical (thanks Lobo and others at DD) Utopias Splinter Black BA Autumnal Fire (-at Firkin Fest) On tap gems: Bb Batch 9000 Black Note KBS Stone 10th Anniversary Ruination Watering Hole: Town Hall and Town Hall Tap Beer Stores: SLL France 44 Beer Travels: Firestone international Beerfest GABF Was an awesome year. Finally met the Mn BA crew, got involved in BIFs and had some awesome trips and experiences. Looking forward to 2013!
Local Favorites 2012 (in order) Surly Wet - simcoe Summit Unchained Abbey Ale Lift Bridge Hop Dish Indeed Midnight Ryder Brau Bros Rye Wyne - does 2011 vintage count? Summit Unchained Old 152 Summit Saga Schells Chimney Sweep Dave's Brewfarm Matacabras - not sure if this is new for 2012 but it was the first I've had it Wow us Minnesotans are spoiled
You were correct to question it, its not new. My first time having it was 2 years ago and I love that beer.
Favorite new (to all or just to me) local beers: Summit Saga Town Hall Mango Mama Surly Bandwagon Fulton Worthy Adversary Brau Brothers BB Quad Beers of Fame I ticked: Heady Topper Founders CBS Cantillon Iris Hunahpu’s CW1414 FFF Dark Lord BCBS Rare Out-of-market faves: Alesmith Speedway Stout Ballast Point Sculpin FW Parabola FW Double Jack Eclipse EC18 On tap gems: 2008 BCBS Cantillon Rose De Gambrinus Bell’s Black Note Town Hall Three Hour Tour Dark Horse BBPtF CW1414 Watering hole(s) of the year: Happy Gnome, Muddy Waters, Groveland Tap Liquor store that stole the most of my money: Thomas Favorite beer-travels experiences: Brought back a good haul from Boston, and managed to try some interesting beers in New Zealand this year! A great year of beer for me, got to try a lot of fantastic beers, went to some awesome tastings, and met some great BA’s. Just had my first kiddo, so this year might be a little less exciting on the beer front, but it will definitely be a different kind of exciting. Hope everyone else had as good a year as I did, and here’s to a great 2013!
