As many of you know, I’m a beer aficionado (or, as it’s more commonly known, an alcoholic). I like to try new craft beers, and do so regularly. And because of my crippling OCD, I keep lists of what I’ve tried and how it was, just in case I’m at a bar and they have a bunch of beer on tap but I can’t remember which ones I’ve already tried.
In November of last year, upon completing my Day Zero Project, I shared my fifty favorite beers out of the 217 new ones I consumed during the previous 1,001 days. On March 15th my new Day Zero Project began, and in the nine months since I’ve consumed 68 beers I’ve never had before. Not bad, considering my goal is to try five new brews per month. That puts me on pace to drink 272 beers before the Project ends. Hey, why not shoot for 300!
Anyway, here are the 10 best beers I’ve consumed during 2011. There are going to be a lot of California microbrews on this list because the scene here is booming right now and since bar and restaurant owners are being annoyingly dogmatic about serving local beer right now it means distribution of East Coast and Mid-West beers sucks, or is relegated to bottles at specialty liquor shops, which is much more expensive than going to a bar down the street and paying four bucks for a beer brewed in Eagle Rock. You know? Anyway, I’ll be as honest as possible and if that means it’s all CA beers, oh well. (Hint, it won’t be)
The Top Ten Beers I Consumed During 2011
Honorable Mention: Dogfish Head Red & White, Sierra Nevada Outta Town Brown, Great Divide Belgian Style Yeti, Ballast Point Sculpin (nitro), Stone Smoked Porter with Chipotle, Ommegang BPA, Mikkeller Single Hop Warrior IPA, Pizza Port Pseudo IPA, Stone/Pizza Port Highway 78 Scotch Ale, Eagle Rock Solidarity (nitro), The Bruery Autumn Maple, Stone Belgo Anise IRS, Stone Vertical Epic 11/11/11, Samuel Adams The Vixen, Rogue Chatoe Pumpkin Patch Ale, Mikkeller I Beat yoU, Drakes 1500.
10. Drakes Denogginizer – Silver Medal winner for Imperial India Pale Ale, Great American Beer Festival 2009. Besides Jolly Roger, this is probably Drake’s most renowned beer. An Imperial (or Double) IPA, Denogginizer is a big bold beer hopped with an abundant amount of Simcoe and Amarillo with a touch of Ahtanum and Chinook. Mashed with Crystal malt and Caramalt for color and flavor to help balance out the hop assault. Denogginizer is also Drake’s most powerful regular offering, at a whopping 10% alcohol by volume!
09. Drakes Geyser Brau – English style IPA. Floral aroma, hints of malt and toffee. Medium bodied. Mild, toasty, earthy flavor. Slight bitter hop finish that lingers nicely.
08. Ballast Point Habanero Sculpin – On tap at the IPA Fest in Redondo Beach, then again a few months later on tap at Blue Palms and most recently at Mohawk Bend. It’s a bit of a quirky, kitschy choice based on the habanero infusion but seriously it’s a fantastic flavor and they nail the chili spice perfectly. The citrus notes of the beer are balanced well by the crazy spicy finish.
07. Great Divide Anniversary Wood Aged Double IPA (17th) – Based on our most award-winning beer, Denver Pale Ale, this copper-hued treat is a celebration of everything Great Divide does best. Plenty of malty sweetness provides a backdrop for earthy, floral English and American hops, while French and American oak round off the edges and provide a touch of vanilla.
06. North Coast Old Stock Cellar Reserve Bourbon Barrel – Old Stock Cellar Reserve is a one-time, small batch, limited release that has been aged in oak whiskey barrels. The aging process gives this world-class beer an added layer of complexity. A memorable drink that should be enjoyed as a completely unique offering. 2009 vintage, 13.7% ABV.
05. BrewDog Mikkeller I Hardcore You – I Hardcore You is a 9.5% Imperial India Pale Ale, an international collaborative effort between 2 of Europe’s most rock ’n roll brewers. This beer is a blend of BrewDog’s Hardcore IPA and Mikkeller’s I Beat You. After the blending, the beer was then dry hopped a further twice. Making I Hardcore You a beer which has been dry hopped four times, or maybe even six times. We kinda lost count.
04. The Strand Single-Hop Double IPA – I drink a lot of beers and I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a single hopped double IPA before. It makes sense in theory, use one variety of hops but do so very, very liberally. The Strand brewed up only 5 gallons of this beer and it sold out pretty quickly on Thursday. Amber color, floral aroma, small head and little carbonation, thin body, hop flavor starts up front and lasts well beyond the finish. This was one of the more bitter IPAs I tasted.
03. Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout – Crack open Yeti Imperial Stout’s sophisticated sibling — Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout. Although these beers come from the same clan, they have entirely different personalities. Aging on a blend of French and toasted oak chips infuses a subtle oak and vanilla character into Yeti’s already intense chocolate, roasted coffee malt flavor and hugely assertive hop profile. Who says you can’t tame a Yeti? 75 International Bittering Units (IBUs).
02. Pizza Port (Carlsbad) Bourbon Barrel Aged Night Rider – Black beer with a grainy aroma rich with sour bourbon notes. Insanely smooth, with flavors of sweet milk, chocolate, cereal, vanilla and bourbon. Finish reminiscent of creamy coffee with a touch of alcohol warmth.
01. Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch Weasel – Brewed by Mikkeller at Nøgne Ø, Norway. This imperial Oatmeal stout is brewed with one of the world’s most expensive coffees, made from droppings of weasel-like civetcats. The fussy Southeast Asian animals only eat the best and ripest coffee berries.Enzymes in their digestive system help to break down the bean. Workers collect the bean-containing droppings for Civet or Weasel Coffee. The exceedingly rare Civet Coffee has a strong taste and an even stronger aroma. Ingredients : Water, malts, hops, yeast and Vietnamese ca phe chon coffee.
Hobart Smith – Drunken Hiccups [MP3]
