Should we split up the Top 250 Rated Beers?

+1 to breaking it up.

It would be really nice to see much more flexibility in regard to what "top 250" could be. Given the partnership with Untappd, it'd be nice if I had the option to do 250 worldwide, 250 US, and 250 norhteast/mid Atlantic. Style filters would be nice too.

I'd love for there to be a seamless way for finding "top beers" in another region whenever I travel. I wouldn't even be mad if someone called me out for how easy it already is, I'm just too lazy to figure it out.

 

I like the Top 250 as is. I live in Kansas and have managed to enjoy over 90% of the list. Trading, festivals, shares, and travel have made it an enjoyable experience. I will probably never complete the entire list (thanks Ann), but I am loving the journey!

However I would enjoy a list of year-round beers.

Cheers!

 

Just seems like you are proposing to create a new list just for the sake of creating a new list. I personally see no value added here.

One mans opinion.

 

@zid speaks for me, especially the last part about adding more interactive filters.

 

How about a "Beer Hall of Fame" list, then a "Top 250 Beers" list, with only active listings?

 

I voted in favor; some sort of modification would make the list(s) more useful.

I wonder if it might make sense to have something like three lists:

• Top 100 Year-Round/Seasonal Beers - the seasonals would be ones that breweries do every year (like, say, Anchor's Our Special Ale) rather than one-offs that happen to be released for a season.
  
• Top 100 Limited Releases - this would include beers that can also appear regularly, but for very short periods of time and in more limited quantity.
• Top "Classics" - in some ways, this would be the "Hall of Fame" for beers. While the other two would be limited to 100 beers, this list would have some criteria needed that, once met, placed the beer on the list... and retires it from competition on other lists. For example, if Our Special Ale appears on the Year-Round/Seasonal List for xx number of times, it "graduates" to the "Classics" list. Similarly if, say, Dark Lord is on the Limited releases list for xx number of times. This list would honor these consistently great beers, while making room on the other lists for new classics.

Not perfect, but what list is?

 

@Todd or mods,
Can someone speak to the process that determines a top 250 beer? I imagine it is some combination of ratings plus reviews over a certain threshold, but how does something extremely rare (or even no longer available/in production) remain on the list? I’m not a trader and I’m not trying to complete the 250 so I don’t have the same skin in the game… (but I am trying for one of each style and one from each state so go figure. Maybe if there was a “people’s 250” I’d work on that next.)

 

Maybe create a pull down tab that offers options for all three:

1. Top 250, period
2. Top 250 year-round/seasonal/available
3. Top 250 whale bottles

That way the original list stands, uncompromised. Plus you get the ability to see what’s available and tasty, and what’s not around and also tasty.

 

As a Pils or Pilsener drinker I generally have no interest in any other type of beer and a Pils deserves its own rubric for Pils Connoisseurs. I know there are "lushes" out there who will just about drink anything, but a Pils is in a class all of its own. It has allowed me to "live long and prosper."

 

I voted "no". Why don't you give everyone a participation trophy while your at it? Just another step towards the "pussification of America". Let's tie one of Lebron James hands behind his back to equalize the skills of everyone on the basketball court. Let's let Michigan get a 48 point lead against Ohio State to give them a chance at winning "The Game". No thanks - I'll take my not getting every beer just as I would rather not be spotted points against Ohio State to have the victory mean something. It's not the same when you try to "equalize" everybody.

 

What would they be split into, and why? I only have had 46 of the beers, but that doesn't keep the remaining 204 from being in the top 250!

 

The more I think about this, the lamer the excuse for change is
“these beers are too hard to get so we don’t like the top 250 list”

If you think the top 250 is “too hard” then chase the top 250 “trending”, or top 250 “new”, or top 250 “popular”. Lots of options for people to find diff list of great beers they choose to chase.

changing the top 250 (that clearly a lot of people look at and chase) because some ppl think there’s too many whales on it seems like a really poor excuse to change it

 

Part of the criteria should be whether you can shotgun the beer in its current format. If you aren't willing to chug a 750ml barrel aged adjunct stout in one sitting, how good can it really be?

 

There is no doubt you should freshen things up. Stir up the conversation with beers we can track down. Those discontinued beers have a place in some of our hearts and history is important. But lets keep the conversation rolling forward. The craft beer movement learns and grows right here on this very site. CHEERS!

 

It’s just beer.

Sure, it’s really good, and beer is fun. But the more serious it is, the less fun it becomes. Drink good beer and live your life.

 

Yes. I really believe if you can't even get a chance at the beers why should the top 5 beers be virtually unavailable. I definitely agree with @Zorro there needs to be a minimum of reviews in order to get an accurate review. I am sure those beers at the top are very good but who would know, the 200 people who reviewed them? Please

 

#5 heady topper is widely available in a lot of states now (my local grocery store is getting it about every other month). #4 BA Abraxas I traded local shellfies for $4$. Some of the beers on the top 100 are crazy whales yes, but again most can be gotten with a little time and effort.

 

Develop a baseline number of reviews for a beer to included on the list. I always found it strange that a beer with 12 reviews could be considered one of the top beers in the world. This may also address the availability issue, as a beer would need to be somewhat available to garner enough reviews.