Top 50 Beers in America

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Per Zymurgy magazine, the official publication of the American Homebrewers Association:

1. Russian River Pliny the Elder
2. Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
3 (tie). Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
3 (tie). Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout
5. Bell’s Hopslam
6. Stone Arrogant Bastard
7. Sierra Nevada Celebration
8 (tie). Sierra Nevada Torpedo
8 (tie). Stone Ruination
10. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
11. Stone Sublimely Self Righteous
12. Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine
13. Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
14 (tie). Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter
14 (tie). Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale
16 (tie). Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
16 (tie). New Glarus Belgian Red
18. North Coast Old Rasputin
19. Bell’s Expedition Stout
20 (tie). Deschutes The Abyss
20 (tie). Left Hand Milk Stout
20 (tie). Odell IPA
20 (tie). Samuel Adams Noble Pils
20 (tie). Surly Furious
20 (tie). Troegs Nugget Nectar
26 (tie). Rogue Dead Guy Ale
26 (tie). Samuel Adams Boston Lager
28. Anchor Steam
29 (tie). Bear Republic Racer 5
29 (tie). Ommegang Three Philosophers
29 (tie). Oskar Blues Ten Fidy
29 (tie). Three Floyds Alpha King
29 (tie). Three Floyds Dark Lord
34 (tie). Avery Maharaja
34 (tie). Dogfish Head Indian Brown
34 (tie). Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron
34 (tie). Three Floyds Gumballhead
38 (tie). Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA
38 (tie). Lost Abbey Angel’s Share
38 (tie). New Belgium La Folie
38 (tie). New Belgium Ranger
38 (tie). Oskar Blues Old Chub
43 (tie). Ballast Point Sculpin IPA
43 (tie). Great Divide Yeti
43 (tie). New Belgium 1554
43 (tie). Russian River Blind Pig
43 (tie). Ska Modus Hoperandi
48 (tie). Alesmith Speedway Stout
48 (tie). Dark Horse Crooked Tree
48 (tie). Green Flash West Coast IPA
48 (tie). Summit EPA
48 (tie). Victory Prima Pils

Michigan representing well with Bell's, Founders, and Dark Horse. Anyone had Russian River Pliny the Elder?

[Screw_Michigan]

Jesus, another list?

Rack Bell's.

EDIT: Hey dick, you got a link for that?

[jiminphilly]

here we go:

[Dinsdale]

here we go:

:dins:

Got that right, Jim.

Since Rogue Dead Guy made the list, they obviously need to find people with some functioning taste buds and do another survey.

And putting a barleywine on the list makes it an even bigger joke. I've had Sierra's barleywine, and it's pretty much just as awful as everybody else's barleywine. People drink that shit to get drunk fast, not because it embodies any of the great flavors of a craft beer.

I've had some stuff from Russian River, bot not the Pliny stuff. But they're generally a good brewery.

From reading that list, you'd think Stone (also an accomplished, reliable brewer) freaking invented beer or something.

I've also yet to taste anything from New Belgium that didn't taste like it wasn't scooped staight out of a portapotty at a county fair.

[Goober McTuber]

I never make any lists.

Apparently you didn't wind up in the right people's mouths.

[King Crimson]

Pliny rarely even makes retail space in Boulder. when it's available, all the employees have bought it all already. if i didn't have a connect, i'd never have had it. and, even still, only 3 times and not in over 8 or 9 months.

if it was 1992, i might get on board with Sierra Nevada's cluster of rankings. now, no. Sam Adams? GTFO. New Belgium is overrated. i don't get the love affair with the Oskar Blues beers around here as much, either.

rack Avery in Boulder. always on sale at the venerable Liquor Mart.

[Goober McTuber]

It seems to me a pointless exercise to ask home brewers to rate beers on a national scale. I imagine that most of them vote for a number of beers confined to their local region, as well as more widely distributed brands like Stone, Sierra Nevada, etc. Hard for the bigger micros not to dominate.

[smackaholic]

To even attempt to pick a "best" beer is ridiculous as taste is quite subjective.

But, fuggit, i'll play.

Thomas Hooker munich style lager on tap at some yuppie bar in blueback square in west hartford. Had a few there about a year or so ago. Best damn beer I ever had. I later bought a sixer of the stuff at the local packy. It was good, but, not even close to the stuff on tap.

I think it has quite a bit to do with the drinker, how he's feeling , what he's had to eat that day and the weather. Fukk, i will even admit to enjoying a cold rice light after walking 36 holes in 93 degree weather.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

if it was 1992, i might get on board with Sierra Nevada's cluster of rankings. now, no. Sam Adams? GTFO.

Yeah, the ranking is pretty suspect. Dins alone has 7 microbreweries in his basement with better beer.

[Trampis]

[lispy gasp] No Fat Tire???[/lispy gasp]

I drank a lot of Widmers IPA this past winter and I liked it.

Sam Adams Noble pils, didnt care for it.

That Russian stuff is supposed to have 11%+ abv right?

[indyfrisco]

It seems to me a pointless exercise to ask home brewers to rate beers on a national scale. I imagine that most of them vote for a number of beers confined to their local region, as well as more widely distributed brands like Stone, Sierra Nevada, etc. Hard for the bigger micros not to dominate.

Went to Buffalo Wings & Rings over lunch. Didn't even eat half the Gyro. I'm just not that into lamb, and I've had it many a time from the street shop in Chicago to lamb chops at Fogo de Chao. Just always hate it, but it looks so good I always feel I need to give it another try. The onion rings were solid though. I think they use a panko breading. Crunchier than hell and tasty.

Anyhow, I saw they had Bell's Two Hearted (my new fave beer) on the bottle menu, and they had Leinenkougal's Summer Shandy (wifey's new fave) on tap. I'm thinking the wife and kids and I will be eating there at some point very soon.

[indyfrisco]

I think it has quite a bit to do with the drinker, how he's feeling , what he's had to eat that day and the weather.

Let's see...drove a forklift all day with ear plugs in, worked a 10 hour shift, pouring down rain so I stayed in and nibbled on the wife's clam. Yep...nothing would beat a Rice Lite about now.

-Whitey

[Screw_Michigan]

Fogo de Chao.

They have one in the District. Is it worth the money? I heard if you go, you have to clear your schedule for the night because you stuff yourself so full you can't/don't go anywhere afterward.

[indyfrisco]

Fogo de Chao.

They have one in the District. Is it worth the money? I heard if you go, you have to clear your schedule for the night because you stuff yourself so full you can't/don't go anywhere afterward.

I'll tell you the time to go. I used to do this when I lived in Dallas.

Come NCAA tourney time, we always took a half day off on the first round and went to a sportsbar to watch the games. My last 3 years there, we got in early and took off at 10:45 and headed to Fogo. $35 for lunch menu whereas it is $50 for the dinner menu. I always said fuck the salad bar. Been to Fogo (or Texas de Brazil which is the same thing) probably 20 times at least. I've not eaten one morsel off the salad bar. I eat the steaks, chicken, pork, sausages, etc. Yeah, we would eat until we were stuffed, and then hit the sports bar and drink cocktails and watch the games. Too full to drink beer. Usually around 2 PM the first shit came. 5 PM for the second. By 8 PM the 3rd and you are ready for some bar food and beer. After all is said and done, $30 cab ride home and do it all again the next day.

[Screw_Michigan]

Nice story, bro. I've heard from others there, too. DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING BUT THE MEAT. Sin, KC Scott.

[indyfrisco]

I personally like Texas de Brazil a little more than Fogo. Less stuffy atmosphere. Meat is just as good. More variety cuts and types (ex: bacon wrapped).

Click the link and look at the meat entree menu. The flash show of all the types tells you all you need to know.

http://texasdebrazil.com/

[Goober McTuber]

We have a Brazilian steak house here in Madison called Samba. $25 for lunch, $35 for dinner. I understand what you’re saying about the salad bar, but some of the stuff there is phenomenal. Fantastic food all the way around. Brazilian? That reminds me, I need to make another waxing appointment.

[indyfrisco]

I believe at Fogo or Texas de Brazil, they have a Salad Bar only option for like $20 or so. It does LOOK like the most amazing salad bar I've ever seen. They have great looking cheeses and smoked salmon, albeit ROTTEN! ('sup Dins?)

I just can't eat a whole lot at one time, and if I'm paying $50 for a meal, I'm eating dessert first and only and that is the fine selection of steak/pork/etc.

[Carson]

the District.

Keep trying to paint that turd, Rembrandt.

[Cuda]

here we go:

Got that right, Jim.

Since Rogue Dead Guy made the list, they obviously need to find people with some functioning taste buds and do another survey.

And putting a barleywine on the list makes it an even bigger joke. I've had Sierra's barleywine, and it's pretty much just as awful as everybody else's barleywine. People drink that shit to get drunk fast, not because it embodies any of the great flavors of a craft beer.

I've had some stuff from Russian River, bot not the Pliny stuff. But they're generally a good brewery.

From reading that list, you'd think Stone (also an accomplished, reliable brewer) freaking invented beer or something.

I've also yet to taste anything from New Belgium that didn't taste like it wasn't scooped staight out of a portapotty at a county fair.

That list looks pretty much like you might expect -provided you were expecting a list that people paid to be listed on.

Kinda like the way Car of the Year always seems to be awarded to a certain magazine's biggest advertiser that year

[mvscal]

A garbage list complied by douchesicles who would know good beer if it was shot up their asses under high pressure.

I got over my infatuation with hopmonsters and BIG ALCOHOL beers in about six months. These people (and American craft brewing in general) need to fucking grow up.

[BSmack]

A garbage list complied by douchesicles who would know good beer if it was shot up their asses under high pressure.

I got over my infatuation with hopmonsters and BIG ALCOHOL beers in about six months. These people (and American craft brewing in general) need to fucking grow up.

That take was money. I'll take something that tastes good over something that is 7% ABV and tastes like shit any day of the year.

[Mikey]

One thing I really appreciate about Stone is that when you go to their bistro they feature more beers than just their own. Like about 100 in bottles and maybe 30 or 40 drafts, including a lot of local micros that you might think of as their competition.

http://www.stoneworldbistro.com/beer/draft.asp
http://www.stoneworldbistro.com/beer/bottles.asp

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

A garbage list complied by douchesicles who would know good beer if it was shot up their asses under high pressure.

I got over my infatuation with hopmonsters and BIG ALCOHOL beers in about six months. These people (and American craft brewing in general) need to fucking grow up.

That's a fair take. I just know that beer lists are usually a pretty good way to stir up some shit in this joint.

[smackaholic]

bought a 12 of SA's summer sampler yesterday. just finished off a latitude 48 IPA. not bad. goes down real easy, but the bitter aftertaste ain't really my thing.

[mvscal]

I'll take something that tastes good over something that is 7% ABV and tastes like shit any day of the year.

Yeah. A little balance and subtlety goes a long way. I generally prefer Euro beers. They've been at it a lot longer and didn't have their brains blown out during Prohibitition. I like the Brits for ales and the Germans for lagers. One area where American micros do excel is in brewing quality stouts. Of course none of them made that shit list but I would add:

Anchor Porter from Anchor B.C.
Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout from Anderson Valley B.C.
Obsidian Stout from Deschutes Brewery

I'm in the process of mauling a sixer of Anchor Porter right now. It's a fucking gorgeous brew.

[smackaholic]

i stopped at my buddy's house this afternoon after helping him put up some sort of giant umbrella thingy at a school playground.

after being in the sun all day, was really in need of a beer. looked in the fridge. i can of mic ultra.

better than nothing. i think.

guzzled it down and thought, hmmmm, bet that wasn't on the list. the fukking garden hose i was drinking out of all day had way more taste.

[smackaholic]

just had another sample of the SA summer sampler.

rustic saison.

what a gax fukking name. but, damn, what a tasty beer. could drink A LOT of this stuff on a day like today.

i suppose those hopheads and ABV tards that mvscal mentioned would pooh pooh this as not complex enough, but, i like it. one of my favorites from sam yet. winter lager still my favorite though.

[smackaholic]

I just got back from the packy myself. Found a warm 12 pack of Ipswich sampler, of which two are the dark ale and two are the stout. So at least that's there once it chills.


Also got a six of Brooklyn Brown Ale. Nice stuff.


In reserve, I have a few bottles of North Coast Old Stock Ale, which I was kind of sipping at last night, as some could undoubtedly tell by my habit of posting more utter nonsense than is usual after a few doses.


Just going to sit back and drink coffee while I cure my flashy new cheapo Brinkmann smoker. Maybe light off a few fireworks in between ciggarettes.

the only possible use i can think of for cigs, convenient firework lighter.

[mvscal]

And for that matter, I'm considering making runs to Va. every so often for my fix, as I think a carton of Marbs down there is half what we pay up here. I think there's places where you can get a carton for less than 35 bucks. An enterprising indivdual can have themself a good little side income at that kind of price.

No fahkin' shit.

[Goober McTuber]

A little balance and subtlety goes a long way.

You should try to incorporate this idea into your posting style.

Nah.

[Goober McTuber]

A garbage list complied by douchesicles who would know good beer if it was shot up their asses under high pressure.

I got over my infatuation with hopmonsters and BIG ALCOHOL beers in about six months. These people (and American craft brewing in general) need to fucking grow up.

That take was money. I'll take something that tastes good over something that is 7% ABV and tastes like shit any day of the year.

Agreed. And I'll take something that tastes good and has a 7% ABV, just because I can.

[Shoalzie]

An obligatory RACK Bell's...

Can't say I've ever tried Expedition Stout...I'm becoming a bigger fan of dark beers so I'll have to check it out.