Hello everyone. I did this last year and really enjoyed people's responses and other people seemed to like it as well. The spirit is what are your favorite and/or best beers that you've had in 2019. They don't necessarily need to be the ones you rated most highly, but maybe ones that stuck with you or wish you could have more of just thinking about it. I don't want to force people to fill out a form, but I made one so it would be easier to see what kind of trends form as well as and easy place for people to come back to to look at sorted results. For the form, it's in the instruction, but brewery name - (vintage if applicable) beer name will help split columns. I suppose putting beers in the form and here would let the most people see and help discussion. BEST BEER OF 2019 FORM BEST BEER OF 2019 RAW DATA & RESULTS Rules are: 10 beers They don't have to be brewed/released in 2019. Just 2019 hen you drank them. Here are mine for 2019 Transient - 2018 Canuckley - One of my favorite breakfast beers Hop Butcher - Wave Burst - IMO more interesting than any of their DIPAs because of the amount of flavor they were able to get in a <6% beer Off Color - Yuzu Fierce - Had a ton of this during the summer. So refreshing. Dovetail - 2019 Kriek - I tried to broaden what types of beer and I drank in 2019 and this stood out for me. A lovely lambic Fremont - Brew 3000 - Up there with VSOJ for favorite barrel aged barleywine Revolution - VSOR - Maple but from the barrel, not adjuncts. A delicious beer for sitting by the fire. Russian River - Intinction (Sauvignon Blanc) - Under the radar best sour from Russian River IMO Revolution - Supermassive Cafe Deth - Espresso barrel aged stout. mmm. Goose Island - 2 Year Reserve BCBS - A middle class man's 2015 Rare. Great barrel and char flavor. Alchemist - Heady Topper - Every year I like to get a 4 pack and every year it still fucking rocks. Happy Holidays and New Year
In no particular order: Goose Island - 2019 Prop Solemn Oath- Lu Gunwhale Ales - The Fun Zone Westbrook - Key Lime Pie Gose Hill Farmstead - Double Citra Half Acre - Bodem Hacienda Beer Co. - L'hiver Blend 1 Hopewell Brewing Co. - Outside Voice Side Project - Thicket Blend 2 Heirloom Rustic Ales - Ravedeath 1988 Edit: I'll fill out the form too.
Not sure if I'll get the order right from the form I just submitted because they all are quite outstanding...lol... 1. Toppling Goliath KBBS 2. Revolution Double Barrel VSOD 3. 3 Floyds Dark Lord 'Rrari Crochet 4. Revolution Boss Jacket 5. Founder's Imperial Stout 6. Revolution VSOD 7. Pulpit Imperial Cakewalk 8. Toppling Goliath Term Oil Coconut Pecan 9. Founder's KBS Espresso 10. Other Half Double Dry Hopped Mylar Bags Honorable Mentions: 3Floyds Dark Lord Chemtrailmix, Revolution Double Barrel XOD, 2019 CBS, and for mead...Viking Blod
Fou Foune 2018 - all time beer for me Cafe Deth 2-Year Reserve BCS Maplewood BA Cuppa Half Acre Dungeons - if you know, you know Half Acre Beer Hates Astronauts - big fav every year Maine Dinner Side Project Saison du Fermier #2 Off Color Gator Time Hopewell Neon - just a wonderful fruited sour
Goose / 2018 Proprietor - so much chocolate that I really really enjoyed Hop Butcher / Preserved in Three Dimensions - so many standouts that I kind of just wanted to pick one that I loved. Cruz Blanca / banana Rey Gordo - favorite beer from uppers and downers Cruz Blanca / Tarzan Boy - a notch down from the Rey Gordo but still so very good Other Half-Monkish / Aiight Chill - one of the best fruited/pastry beers I had this year. Revolution / Cafe Deth - this one has been discussed about how great it is this year Other Half-Burley Oak / All JREAM Everything - a beautiful melding that captured both breweries really well
Hill Farmstead - Double Riwaka - This was mind-blowing, reminds me of one of the early IPAs that really got me into craft beer in a way that said "wow, beer can taste like this????" Half Acre - Now & Then - my favorite non hazy local beer, maybe my favorite period. Tree House - Very Gggreennn - Similar to what really got me into craft beer, maybe better - but not in a new way to the extent Double Riwaka was. Revolution - VSOJ - I didn't drink them all before the end of 2018, so yeah, this counts! Goose Island - 2 Year Reserve BCBS - About everything I'd want in a BA stout. The well-done ones without the adjuncts are usually the best! Double Barrel was awesome too but I'm only putting one of these on here. Beachwood - Citraholic - similar to HA N&T, was great to see these get distributed here. Hill Farmstead - BA What is Enlightnement - Great mesh of pale ale and barreled saison Drie Fonteinen - Armand & Gaston - Nice that these are findable locally! Pipeworks - Premium Pilsner - Feel like I should have a lager on here, and this was the best I can remember having Other Half - All Riwaka Everything - I learned this year I have a thing for Riwaka.
Ah, missed this last year. Cool idea, nice work. 1. Kane Brewing Company - 2018 A Night to End All Dawns Coconut, Vanilla & Coffee this was actually this year's release, but they vintage date like wineries or SP. 2. Cigar City Brewing - Barrel Aged Xquic w/ Cubano Espresso I actually also had regular Xquic and Special Socks on my list, but only wanted one beer per brewery. Cigar City continues to kill it though. 3. BKS Artisan Ales - Vacation Island: Passion Fruit Colada this one knocked my socks off, and it was just an extra! 4. Side Project Brewing - Bend 1 Tête de Cuvée stunning saison, the best out of SP by far. Glad I was able to enjoy their on-site availability of all three versions of this, even though I missed out on the actual bottle sale for this year's release. 5. Angry Chair Brewing - Cognac Barrel aged Unrepentant Transgression another best beer out of a brewery that already does the given style consistently well. 6. Black Project Spontaneous & Wild Ales - Stargate: Nectarine flavor explosion. 7. Arkane Aleworks - Double Barrel Barley Wine they do a lot of pastry sours and I was not expecting to be blown away by their barleywine, but it was fantastic. 8. HOMES - 2019 Nucleate they impressed me with a ton of different beers this year, but this took the cake. 9. MoRE Brewing Co. - Barrel Aged Henna Double Rainbow the best Neapolitan beer I've ever had, including Cycle's entries in that arena. 10. Casey Brewing & Blending - One Key Double Fruited Saison had to make sure I had room on the list for this beautiful beer. Runner-up: Barrel Culture Brewing and Blending - b1 Pie Time Had a hard time leaving this off my, but draft on-site was significantly better than the bottle.
From my Untappd ratings, so generally a heavy lean towards stouts... Bottle Logic Fundamental Forces (b1) Weldwerks Bananas Foster Medianoche Central Waters Ardea Insignis Revolution VSOJ (took me a while to finally track it down) Phase 3 Curvature b1 Weldwerks/Horus Midnight Eagle Toppling Goliath Barrel Slayer (price be damned, it's good) Goose Island Double Barrel Bourbon County Weldwerks Medianoche Premier Vol 1 Last spot is a tie from my 2 highest rated IPA's- Other Half All Citra Everything and Trillium Big Bird
First time trying in 2019 beers (not in any particular order except for #1): Beer:Barrel:Time (BBT) b3 from Side Project King JJJuliusss from Tree House Very GGGreennn from Tree House Genealogy of Morals (2018) from Hill Farmstead 'Rrari Crochet (Dark Lord variant) from 3Floyds Lou Pepe Framboise '13 from Cantillon Derivation 13 from Side Project Memoria from Hill Farmstead Modem Tones aged in Bovine Outline Barrels from Modern Times Autumna from Hill Farmstead
Tough to narrow down top 10 but here goes, in no particular order except BA Cake Walk landslide #1 for me #1 Pulpit Rock - BA Cake Walk Makes me drool just thinking about, one of the best ever Half Acre - Double Barrel Benthic Love Apple Brandy BA Beers Phase Three - Curvature b1 Hazelnut & Ghana Cocoa Nibs I love hazelnut stouts Maplewood - Cuppa Hazelnuts I love hazelnut stouts 3 Sons - Mooore Rare Scoop All 3 flavors so well balanced Bottle Logic - Paisley Cave Complex Amazing liquid BA Blueberry Muffin Eagle Park - Big BOTM's Double Vanilla Now that is an amped dreamiscle! Edmund's Oast - Order of Magnitude Wasn't expecting anything as I never heard of it but I def want more of this Hudson Valley - Apothesis first Sour IPA, impressively balanced GI - Prop 19 Delicious
Some that stick out in my mind: 3 Fonteinen Oude Kriek Revolution Project Sanctuary #9: Double Barrel XO Lynott’s 2017 Stout Phase 3 Full Frame Afterthought Tradition & Twist Phase 3 Pressed Maple Decadent Wildberry Sorbet Gose 450 North SLUSHY XL Fruit Basket Hop Butcher Your Wish is Granted Side Project Saison du Fermier (Blend #2) Perennial Abraxas 2019
These are the best beers I can remember from 2019: - Goose Island 2-year Reserve (This is my #1, others are in no particular order) - Hailstorm VZS 2019 - Trillium DDH Congress Street - BBT 2017 - More BA Double Rainbow - More Arketype French Silk - Dovetail Vienna Lager - J Wakefield Miami Madness - Mikerphone BA Press Play - Revolution VSOJ
Parish DDH Ghost in the Machine Bissell Brothers - Here's to Feeling Good all the Time Other Half - DDH Double Citra Daydream Saint Errant - Green Clouds Alvarado Street - One Giant Leap Burley Oak - Double Carrot Cake JREAM Half Acre - Vanilla Benthic Maplewood - BA Cuppa Cinnamon Coconut Aslin - Boston Angry Chair - Coconut Fionn Honorable Mention: Weldwerks - Midnight Eagle, Dancing Gnome - Infinite Highway
These are mine: Firestone Walker - Napa Parabola More Brewing - Barrel-Aged Henna - Chocolate Praline Macaroon Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen - Armand'4 Oude Geuze Lente (Spring) Revolution Brewing - Straight Jacket Barrel No. 3420 Brouwerij Boon - Boon Oude Geuze A L'ancienne Vat 92 Pipeworks Brewing - The Coconut Jones Dog - Bourbon Barrel-Aged Allagash Brewing - Coolship Resurgam Revolution Brewing - Strawberry Jacket Drake's Brewing - The Void Phase Three Brewing - Curvature - Ghana & Ecuadorian Cocoa Nibs All stouts, barleywines or wild ales...no IPA's. Interesting (to me, at least)!
I still haven't tried this one, and missed out on this twice in the last 2 months. I was in a bar in FL that had off sale cans/bottles, and they had a bunch of GITM (as well as some other stuff I wanted like Pirate Noir and Fantome saisons). I decided to have a few at the bar first, then realized I was late for a dinner reservation and ran out, but forgot to buy the bottles before I left. Then a month later, I got to a bottle share late, and they had already cracked and finished it. Still waiting.
Here are mine in no particular order: Parish - Ghost in the Machine Untitled Art / Angry Chair - BA Chocolate Vanilla Maple Imperial Stout Goose Island - Prop 2019 Phase 3 - Curvature Ghana and Ecuadorian Cocoa Nibs More - BA Henna Chocolate Praline Macaroon Toppling Goliath - Mornin' Latte 450 - Silver Nuggets Other Half - BA Pastrytown Corridor - Family Bine Phase 3 - Pressed Vanilla Yeah I guess I'm a sucker for pastry stouts.
no particular order, with some "how i came-across-it info". modern times - mt ultra set (pdx league member tasting, they sold guest passes) modern times - dragons mask vanilla rye (was included in the MT ultra flight) p3 - curvature b3 (proved to be worth waiting in line for) pure project - corylus w/ vanilla (fobab show-killer) floodland van (sharing is caring) gi prop 19 (fobab is always a great bcs preview) sp D11 (DLD) cycle mooore rare scooop (DLD + taproom bottle on-site)
To be fair, only 3.5 of them are from Illinois (BS at Binny's for absurd price), and I wouldn't call any of them super-easy pickups. I haven't had any of yours unless BBTb1 counts.
No particular order. Despite going though 1 years worth of Untappd, I could really only come up with six standouts. Maybe I didn't drink enough beer this year... Witch's Hat - Boysenberry Ghost Pepper BA Night Fury Ellison - Gravitational Attraction Ellison - Force of Gravity Goose Island - 2yr BCBS Reserve Pipeworks - Cognac BA Jones Dog (before it got infected of course) Founders - Underground Mountain Brown Props to Ellison for making this list twice. They are killing it with the Gravity series. Honorable mention to VSOJ, which would have made the list, but I had it late in 2018.
My best “wow” beer Firestone Walker Napa Parabola i thought 2019 VSOR was very good New Glarus Berliner Apfel was excellent
Half acre apple brandy benthic More frooted marbles Hubbards cave BA French toast Half acre loss of light Tree house king Julius Triptych tarnt cherry bomb Alvarado daiquiri island banana Monkish enter the fog dog Transient vanilla kamigoye Goose island Apple cart stout
In no specific order for beers had first time this year: Prop 19 DDH Ghost in the Machine Double Dose Benthic Traxxx Night Fury Los Lenadores - tap and bottle this beer was fantastic Rye Medianoche (or Rye Reserve...either will do) Assassin 19 Boss Ryeway Select: Cuvee de Grace Bodem AJ's Stout 2019
I lived in Europe for part of 2019 so I got to have a lot of crazy beers for cheap at different breweries. Don't want this thread to come off as a dick measuring contest so I wanna preface by saying my broke ass has no room to be flexing $300 beers in front of everyone without some context. Cantillon - Magic Lambic Cantillon - St Lamvinus Crand Cru Cantillon - 2004 Gueuze Goose Island - Triple Barrel BCBS Funk Factory - Biere de Coupage Funk Factory - Four Winters Mikkeller - Pantao Westvleteren 12 New Glarus - Summer Sour 3 Sheeps - Cuvee Blend 2019 Honorable mentions: I moved to Wisconsin and all 3 of New Glarus' Belgian Red, Raspberry Tart, and Serendipity have single handedly made me not regret that decision.
Temptation-Russian River Sip of Sunshine-Lawsons DFPF-J Wakefield Carpe Diem-Madhouse (des moines) Cafe Americano-Cigar City Straight Outta the Labratory-Equillibrium Imperial Double Fruited Marhsmallow Raspberry Hill-Southern Grist Strawberry Marbles-More Dark Lord Brozerker-Three Floyds Heady Topper
Best beers I had in 2019- Bottle Logic Red eye November Fundamental Forces Hop Butcher Normalize the Signal Bughouse Square (best beer I had this year) Snorkel Squad Goose Island 2019 2 Year Reserve (what bcbs used to be IMO) Natural Villain (when I get sick of big beers this somehow is light and crisp enough to be actually drinkable for a lager) The quality levels of beer is so high right now that a lot of solid things I have had this year just aren’t memorable enough to buy again.
Im gonna go in a different direction and put up a recommendation for Half Acre Bodem as "regular/house beer" of the year. Of course Ive had some whalez and rare stuff; this is a different category. For Half Acre to finally get on board the haze train in 2019 and kill it with a super accessible hybrid bitter/sweet beer like Bodem was amazing. Bridge between hazy and traditional west coast pale, super tasty crushable beer, the Daisy Cutter of 2019. And only $9 a four pack!
These are in no particular order. But if they were, all four of those Ellison bba stouts would be on the top of the list. Ellison hit it out of the park with those beers. Brewery Vivant Wizard Burial Ground Bell's BBA Expedition Bell's Saturn Ellison Gravity Flux Ellison Quantum Gravity Ellison Force of Gravity Ellison Gravitational Attraction Superstition Straw Berry White Grimsby Hollow Raven Heart Bells Two Hearted Founders Breakfast Stout Odd Side Rye Hipster Brunch Stout Transient Buckley Founders KBS Espresso Prairie Ales Bourbon Paradise
Some beers which I've enjoyed this year. (NvU)vHaze - Would I have guessed this was a hazed up version of NvU without knowing beforehand? No, but a great beer on its own merit. (NvU)vThe Cryo - Really enjoyed this take on NvU. Hope they do this one again in 2020. Softly Spoken Magic Spells - Drank it when it first dropped in our market. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Have never seen it again, sadly. Superstructure - Long live the WCIPA! BA A Surprise Left - 2018 release which was drinking very well late this year. On the drier side of the spectrum which is my preference. No additives present (shockingly for them, yes) and none needed. Helles - enjoyed many of these from Dovetail during the summer. Looking forward to doing the same in 2020 (along with the Hefe. Need the Koslch canned in 2020 please!) Double Barrel X.O.D. Rye - Would loved to have had another glass of this. A perfect beer for contemplation, which was not possible that night. Celebration - A classic which is drinking exceptionally this year imo. And at ~$1 a bottle, makes me question a lot of beer purchases I've made during the period it's been available.
This is totally off memory, but here are the beers I truly remember enjoying this year (and I no longer trade or partake in many shares, so most of mine will be local). In no particular order: GI Shamrock Stout (had this actually been labeled BCS, it would have been one of my top variants ever) Midnight Orange (I loved it from the get go) Dovetail Pilsner (please put this into cans already) PW Infinite Galaxy PW Galaxy Unicorn (continues to be one of the easiest drinking IIPAs I’ve had) FFF Broo Doo (possibly my favorite batch to date) SN Celebration (an annual staple) Strawberry Jacket (batch 1 was one of my single favorite Rev brews ever) Cafe Deth ‘19 (I understand why some think it’s too one-note-coffee-forward, but for me, on top of this base, it’s one of my favorite coffee stouts ever) Runner up: HA Benthic ‘19
1. Spruce Pilsner- Shorts Brewing Company 2. Celebration- Sierra Nevada 3. ME-MI- Old Nation Brewing 4. Mule Beer- Shorts Brewing Company 5. Hoodoo- North Peak Brewing 6. Good Humans- Shorts Brewing Company 7. Superfluid- Shorts Brewing Company 8. Pineapple Intremo- Old Nation Brewing 9. Single Hop Project #1- Old Nation Brewing 10. Liberator- Shorts Brewing Company
Now that we are actually into 2020 I have better distance to say, for 2019: 1. Cerebral (Foeder) Vienna Lager 2. Half Acre Bodem IPA 3. Logsdon Spontane Blanc 4. Weldwerks Loral DDH Juicy Bits 5. Aecht Schlenkerla Helles Lager ..... keepin' it to 5. (yes yes, some of these are not "new" to 2019, just new to me)*
CW Crew Drive Brut Pilsner (a go-to) HA Bodem (another go-to) Founders Underground Mountain Lakefront BA Beerline 2019 (what I hoped VSOJ was going to be but wasn't) Pipeworks Schwarzbier Bramble 18 Driftwood Fat Tug IPA de Garde Violet Premiere BCBS Reserve Rye SN BA Vintage Bigfoot
