In the interest of sparking a little Saturday night conversation and giving myself something to read while avoiding houseguests and drinking beer in my office, I thought I’d ask what everyone’s favorite beer is in the following ten style categories. I’m not even asking for your top-rated or anything, just your current favorite off the top of your head. Imagine you can only have ONE of the following beers in each style. I don’t know if my answers would be the same tomorrow, but whatever. I’ll start: AIPA: Alpine Duet IIPA: Lawson’s Double Sunshine Imperial Stout (any type): Hunaphu’s Barrel Aged Beer (any type): Bourbon County Coffee Porter (any type): HF Everett Lager (any type): Ayinger Celebrator German-brewed beer: Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen UK-brewed beer: Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout Belgian-brewed beer: Orval (tough one to choose) Wild Card (any style): Russian River Sanctification maybe? Have at it y’all!
AIPA: Toppling Goliath Zee Lander IIPA: Southern Tier Un*Earthly Imperial Stout (any type): Hoppin' Frog Boris the Crusher Barrel Aged Beer (any type): Tyranena Shaggin' in the Wood Porter (any type): Founders Porter Lager (any type): Boulevard Seeyoulater Doppelbock German-brewed beer: Weihenstephaner Vitus UK-brewed beer: Belhaven Wee heavy Belgian-brewed beer: St. Bernardus Abt 12 Wild Card (any style): Central Waters Kosmyk Charlie's Y2K Catastrophe Ale
AIPA: Anchor Liberty Ale IIPA: Alley Kat's Red Dragon Imperial Stout: Old Rasputin Barrel Aged Beer: Have yet to find one I"m fond of Porter: Toss up between Samuel Smith Taddy Porter and Brewdog's Alice Porter German Brewed Beer: Celebrator Doppelbock UK Brewed Beer: I have fond memories of John Smith Bitter Belgian Brewed Beer: Westmalle of maybe one of the Rochefort beers Wild Card: Fraoch Heather Ale from Scotland.
Hmmm, I don't have favorites for some of these styles. Mine go like this: Scotch Ale - Dirty Bastard Imperial Stout - Old Rasputin IPA - Hopslam German - Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier Lager - Brooklyn Belgian - Stone Vertical 11.11.11 Barrel Aged - Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Stout Cream Ale - Spotted Cow UK Brewed - Anything Samuel Smith Wild Card - Great Lakes Christmas Some of these change monthly, if not more often.
AIPA: Two-Hearted IIPA: Great Lakes Hop Madness Imperial Stout (any type): Hunahpu Barrel Aged Beer (any type): Consecration Porter (any type): Edmund Fitzgerald Pilsner (any type): Prima Pils German-brewed beer: Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen UK-brewed beer: Samuel Smith’s Porter Belgian-brewed beer: Westvleteren 8 Pale Ale - Zombie Dust
AIPA: Finest Kind/Union Jack IIPA: Pliny The Elder Imperial Stout: Storm King Porter: Smuttynose Baltic porter (Gonzo is close) Lager: Hoponious Union Germarn Brewed: Augustiner Helles/Paulaner Hef Tie UK: Sam Smith Oatmeal Stout Belgian: Achel Bruin Wild Card: BBC Coffehouse porter or highlife
AIPA: Bells Two Hearted IIPA: Sierra Nevada Hoptimum Imperial Stout (any type): Sam Smith's Imperial Stout Barrel Aged Beer (any type): Augustiner Helles Porter (any type): Foothills People's Porter Lager (any type): Brauerei Hoenig Lagerbier German-brewed beer: Schlenkerla Maerzen UK-brewed beer: Timothy Taylor Landlord Belgian-brewed beer: Rodenbach Alexander Wild Card (any style): Olde Mecklenburg Copper or New Glarus Two Women
AIPA: Finest Kind IIPA: Gandhi-Bot Imperial Stout (any type): Plead the Fifth Barrel Aged Beer (any type): pass Porter (any type): Zywiec Porter Lager (any type): Hoponius Union German-brewed beer: Weihenstephaner Vitus UK-brewed beer: Samuel Smith Imperial Stout Belgian-brewed beer: Duvel Wild Card (any style): NEBCO 668 (American "Belgian" Style)
AIPA -SN Ruthless Rye IPA IIPA- The Alchemist Heady Topper Im. Stout -Southern Tier Choklat Barrel Aged Beer -Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard Porter -Saranac Caramel Porter Lager -Maui Bikini Blonde Lager German Brewed -Weihenstephaner Vitus UK Brewed -Fuller's London Pride Belgian Brewed -Dentergems Witbier Wild Card -Ommegang Hennepin
I wasn't aware that "UK brewed" is a beer style At least split it into ales and stouts. Having said that , I'm surprised to see Sam Smith's represented so much. It's very much a middling sort of brewery a jack of all trades perhaps.Soundly brewed but by no means the best beers from these islands.
If Sam Smith isn't that great, you guys need to send more beer over here, because Sam Smith is definitely one of the better brands imported.
I you'll find hardly anyone from the UK that rates Sam Smith's very highly. There are dozens, if not hundreds of better breweries in the UK.
AIPA: Odell IPA IIPA: Firestone Walker Double Jack Imperial Stout (any type): Great Divide's Espresso Yeti Barrel Aged Beer (any type): Avery's Uncle Jacobs Porter (any type): Anchor Porter Lager (any type): Yuengling Lager German-brewed beer: N/A UK-brewed beer: Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout Belgian-brewed beer: Chimay Red Wild Card (any style): Ipswich Oatmeal Stout
AIPA: Fremont Cowiche Canyon Fresh Hop IPA IIPA: Russian River Pliny the Elder Imperial Stout (any type): Firestone Walker Parabola Barrel Aged Beer (any type): Fremont Bourbon Barrel Abominable Porter (any type): Ballast Point Victory at Sea Lager (any type): Ayinger Celebrator German-brewed beer: Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier/Schneider Aventinus (virtual tie) UK-brewed beer: N/A (haven't tried enough to have a favorite) Belgian-brewed beer: Saison Dupont/Westmalle Tripel (tie) Wild Card (any style): Anchorage Bitter Monk
