Hello Everyone,
What's the best new-to-you beer you've had this year?
I'm going to say mine is Ballast Point's Sculpin, which friends of mine have been raving about for at least a year now. I'm not typically an IPA kinda guy but, damn, this beer sold me on IPA's. Very nice flavor and pairs with pretty much all the stuff I like to make for dinner.
Close runner up - the Bruery's Tart of Darkness. Dear goodness, such a lovely, tart, aromatic beer.
Best sour: still Fou Foune ;)
Best IPA: one of Alpine's offerings, probably Nelson or Hoppy Birthday
symbolism: Have you tried the grapefruit (now being bottled/ canned) or habanero (draft only) variants of Sculpin?
Harpoon UFO White. This beer just tastes so good to me. I order it whenever I go to my local sports bar!
This is a new beer that Brasseurs illimités (From St-Eustache, Quebec) released this summer. It is crazy good. The best IPA I've ever tasted.
I'm from England so I don't know how popular it is over in America but Sierra Nevada pale ale is excellent!
Stone IPA... or Tommyknocker's Pick Axe Pale Ale... it's a tie...
I love their Imperial Stout. I haven't seen this one around but I'll definitely pick it up if I come across it.
The Serra Nevada Torpedo is pretty good too. Readily available in California.
You should give some of their others a try. Their Southern Hemisphere Harvest is a good one. I don't see it that often outside of Chico but it is worth a try if it shows up.
I don't drink much, don't know if it counts, But I really Enjoyed Mulled Woodchuck Cider. Usually I just drink Pabst or Leinekuguels.
My favorite is a locally brewed beer in New Zealand called Wild Buck which is a Golden Ale/Blond Ale beer.
There are a great many great beers, some are interesting, novel even quirky but my vote would go to a good stand by beer. What I mean is a beer you can rely on being a good pint. Some beers to sip others you quaff. My goto beer for refreshment and taste would be Tribute from the ST.Austell Brewery.
www.staustellbrewery.co.uk
http://i57.tinypic.com/23rjnfq.jpg
I just had Decadent Imperial IPA. 10% and delicious out of Colorado. But Project Dank by La Cumbre in Albuquerque has got to be my favorite so far. Logan needs to make a road trip to New Mexico. The craft beer scene is rediculous out here.
Habanero variant? sounds delicious. I will have to find some.
I recently tasted some new beers. Somehow someone laid hand on a couple of bottles of Westvleteren twelve (I live in the Netherlands). It was very good, but I can't reliably say how much of that was placebo effect. It had a fantastic feel to it and the taste was superb. Very easy to drink with good recognizable tastes of fruits and nuts. The aroma was mouth watering and when I finished it and knew It would be some time before I would taste it again that made me sad :(
earlier this year I had an Punk IPA which stayed with me, so that one also is a contender.
I also found a small brewery in Rotterdam (Kaapse Brouwers) whose brews I enjoy.
All in all the Westvleteren is the winner which is not that surprising since it is the only world class beer in this list.
Ps: I may be able to send Logan some Westvleteren when I can get my hands on some? Possibly, maybe? Dunno if he would want me to...
I haven't had enough stouts this year.
