Looking at the top 100 beers I can't help but notice beers from brewers that are relatively new to the scene (considering the beer brewing scene has been around for 1,000s of years), at least since the year 2000. So what beer is the next to surface as truly phenomenal? And does it have anything to due with limited availability? Any guesses on what style may be trending?
Barrel aged Black IPA brewed with Brett. Or a BA Cascadian Dark Ale with Brettanomyces. Or a hopped up sour dark ale aged in barrels. Whatever the hell you want to call it, but that thing.
A quadra IPA that only serves out of a food truck converted into a pico brewery. Travels around the nation, brewing right in front of the customer. Every time it packs up and travels to a new location there is a mile long convoy salivating for the next 4 oz pour.
I have tasted 2 coffee forward hoppy pales and I believe this style could take off. It is absolutely delicious, though I don't know how hard it is to make them taste as fine as what I had. After all, they both were done by Jeff O'Neil.
Pipeworks Ninja vs Unicorn is a great beer and already getting lots of love. I extra it to people whenever I can and it never disappoints.
I have no reason to support it, but I'm thinkin' imperial red's like Dirty Hippie. It's a tough style to do well, but are mighty tasty.
There's a simple formula to figure this out: First, choose your "base" style: DIPA; IRS; Quad; Lambic Next, choose your adjunct: citrus/tropical fruit; coffee, vanilla, bourbon, chocolate; dark fruit, rum; other fruit/blueberry, raspberry, etc. Finally, choose your gimmick: new hops combination/IBU level; Brett or other wild yeast; barrel-aging; limited release, rarity ...now you just have to hit the right mix of any of these elements and viola! There's your next "acclaimed" beer.
I really like soured barrel-aged beers with a stout/porter base (i.e. Tart of Darkness, Sour Black). I'd be interested in seeing more of these on the market.
