Michael Jackson's World-Class Beers

I hope this is the case, I would hate to have missed the chance to try these beers in at their best.

 

Yes.

I like that you called me "Clark" lol

Sorry if that sounded snarky, but it was a sincere answer to your question, "Which still deserve a spot and which do not? Why?" ...but perhaps with not enough elaboration as to why...

30 years is a long time. The current craft-drinking crowd has been exposed to 30 years of new beers (plus beers from 1986 that are still brewed) in a period of growth for the craft beer culture (globally, I'd guess, but in the US for sure) - so there's been a far greater accessibility to a vastly different and diverse array of beer, with far greater accessibility. I think that the relevance of the beers that currently hold a top spot is far greater than the relevance of those from a list from ~30 years ago.

 

You both bring up good points (of course), but that list was one man's opinion (correct me if I'm wrong herrburgess). You can't simply "scrap the whole list and start over" and arrive at the same place (Michael's Jackson's list) for obvious reasons. That man's opinion should remain in the light however outdated it might be.

 

I second this. Definitely some good reading. And an added bonus is that this discussion reminded me that I hadn't picked up some Duvel in quite some time. Remedied that issue last night. It was better than I remembered. Great stuff.

 

Comparing his list to today's list is like asking who is better, Michael Jordan or Lebron James. Isn't it enough to say they were each the best in their era?

 

Yes, my post was a vote for the value of the list regardless of the date due to the authorship. (Not that a dated list is somehow invalid anyway.)

 

Well, whether the list is from 1986 or if it was updated for the 1994 edition, we're still talking about a different generation of beer drinkers and beers, and the list today is the more relevant list: to "stand the test of time" you must still hold top 10/25/50/100/whatever status in the present. If something from MJ's list is on the current list, then that is a beer that has stood the test of time. If it's not still on the list then it hasn't. MJ gave us 27 beers. Looking at the top 27 (on the site) right now, only the Westy is listed. In fact, that's the only one from his list still in the top 100 (then I stopped scrolling). So my new answer to your original question is Westy, because it is currently still ranked as one of the top 100 beers in the world.

 

Yeah, I agree, but @herrburgess is asking which still deserve to be top beers. And I'm saying, just the ones that still are.

 

Oops, then I apologize. I made up my own question then - sorry - didn't even pick up on it.

In that case, they are all still world-class, because they represent examples of the best that certain styles can be

 

Yes, I did post something like that sometime ago. Goodness knows what the eventual findings were from the thread though I still maintain that Chinay Blue is a noticably different beer than it was before the late 80s. It also doesn't age like it once either. As for our tasting memory, I like to think I remember flavour profiles pretty well though I also know there are times when my recollections are way off base.

 

l would consider those Belgians to all still be world class. The other country's beers not so much (but I haven't had all the Deutsch beers)

 

What? I just told you why. See, this is where you lose me and I start thinking you just want to argue.

Current top beers from MJ's list? Only one. Westy. Rationale: it's the only one on the current list.
But that wasn't your question. My bad. Addressed it.
Which are still world class? All. Why? They are exemplars of their styles.

A beer can be world-class and not be a top (10/25/100/250) beer.

 

For the time most of these were very hard to find......fast forward to say 95 and the selection was triple what it was then.