The other day I wrote about my failed 101/1001 list. I had a tough time trying to comprehend how little I achieved over the course of 1,001 days. But I didn’t fail at everything I set out to achieve. Some goals I actually accomplished. One of the things I was proudest of was my alcohol consumption. Not only did I drink a record amount of whiskey in the almost three years between the start and end dates of my Day Zero project, but I drank a ton of beer. At last count, I consumed 217 new beers during my 1,001 days. That number, of course, does not include all the beers I had while I was too drunk to remember what I was consuming, and it also does not include beers that I’d already tasted before. My day trips to AleSmith where I filled up growlers of Nautical Nut Brown Ale don’t count. Dozens of Gold Room specials don’t count. Most of the stuff at the Dogfish Head tasting and the beer tasting event at the Music Box didn’t count. Still, on average, I drank a beer that was entirely new to me at least once a week. I’m proud of that.
I have pretty discerning taste when it comes to beer, so I would say that I only tried beers that I knew were going to be good. Of those 217 bottles or pints I purchased, I’d say less than 10 were bad. That means almost all of them were varying degrees of good. It makes the prospect of ranking the ten best beers very difficult. So instead of paring down my list of 217 to 10 beers, I’m going to make it slightly easier on myself and rank the fifty best beers I’ve consumed over the course of the last 1,001 days.
Basically this is an excuse for me to boast about all the good beers I’ve had in the past three years. And if I had one complaint, it’s that brews from Bell’s (MI), Three Floyds (IN), and Founders (MI) rarely make it out to either coast. I guess I’m spoiled by California’s microbrewery scene, but some of the best pints in America are being served up in places that don’t distribute outside the midwest. Wah.
Special thanks to Stephen in Japan, Old Man Neill, Brad in Knoxville, Jeffrey in Brooklyn, Louise (my love!) from Denmark, Seth in Folsom, Bennett, Michael in Sacramento, Erik in LA, Dianne in Austin, and anyone else I’m forgetting who might have donated money for me to use to get drunk. In one hand it feels wrong to take money from people and turn around and buy booze with it, but on the other hand it feels great. Plus you always get a “Getting Drunk On Your Donations” post as a personal thank you from me, so…I guess what I’m trying to say is…keep those donations coming!
The Thirty Best Beers I Consumed During My Day Zero Project
The best way to rank these would just to use the Ratebeer.com ratings from the various reviews I’ve written over the past 1,001 days. Rather than describe every single one, I’ll choose a few from each rating (they ranged from 3.8 to 4.3) and try to highlight some different styles. In case you’re wondering, the highest rating (out of 5, I think?) that I’ve ever given a 4.4, which was granted to Bell’s Kalamazoo Stout and Bell’s Expedition Stout. Until I started my Day Zero project, the highest non-Bell’s beer was Goose Island Bourbon County Stout (4.3).
50. Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout – Imperial Stout – Stone Brewing Co.; Escondido, CA – Hard to believe they also made a bourbon barrel-aged version of this beer. It was probably mind-blowing. (3.8)
49. Stone 08.08.08 Vertical Epic – Belgian Strong Ale – Stone Brewing Co.; Escondido, CA – (3.8)
48. Lost Abbey Inferno Ale – Belgian Strong Ale – Port Brewing/Lost Abbey; San Marcos, CA – Served cold from bottle. The cork was difficult, wasn’t it, person-below-me-who-just-wrote-that? Anyway…the beer poured hazy amber with a large white head that left good lacing. Aroma of spices and fruit. Flavor was also spicy and very sweet. Definite presence of cloves. Thin mouthfeel. A nice beer. One of my friends (not a beer person) commented, “This beer tastes like pot.” (3.8)
47. Avery Ale To The Chief – American Strong Ale – Avery Brewing Company; Boulder, CO – (3.9)
46. Alaskan Smoked Porter – Smoked – Alaskan Brewing Co; Juneau, AK – (3.9)
45. The Bruery White Oak – Barley Wine – The Bruery; Placentia, CA – “Served cold at Brewfest, Los Angeles. Opaque yellow pour with a nice white head. Aroma of vanilla, spices and (duh) oak. Faint hop flavor with some alcohol presence and sweet malts. Yum.” Brewfest in LA was kind of a failure last year, but this was far-and-away the best beer I had there. It was like a sigh of relief. Definitely buy this if you ever see it at your local liquor store. (3.9)
44. Stone 09.09.09 Vertical Epic – Belgian Strong Ale – Stone Brewing Co.; Escondido, CA – (3.9)
43. Port Brewing High Tide Fresh Hop IPA – India Pale Ale (IPA) – Port Brewing/Lost Abbey; San Marcos, CA – (3.9)
42. Harviestoun Ola Dubh (12 Year Old) – Old Ale – Harviestoun; Central Scotland – “Served from bottle. Pours very dark brown with no head. Aroma is malty, with chocolate notes, raisins, and more. Flavor was smokey, with a hint of whisky. More roasted malts. A mildly bitter finish. Low carbonation. Medium bodied. Weird brew. Would drink it again.” A few of these turned up on my list, but they’re kind of expensive so I didn’t try them all. The initial runs were aged in casks used to mature Highland Park 12 year Old, 16 year old and 30 year old whiskeys. (3.9)
41. Allagash Black – Foreign Stout – Allagash Brewing Company; Portland, Maine – (3.9)
40. Smuttynose Imperial Stout – Imperial Stout – Smuttynose Brewing Company; Portsmouth, New Hampshire – (3.9)
39. Lagunitas Sonoma Farmhouse Hop Stoopid – Imperial/Double IPA (IIPA) – Lagunitas Brewing Company; Petaluma, CA – (3.9)
38. Hair Of The Dog Doggie Claws – Barley Wine – Hair Of The Dog Brewing Company; Portland, OR – 2008 bottle. A very interesting brew. I was told that it should be left to age, and would better with age, but I’m not typically one to cellar beers. So, I consumed it upon returning to my home. This was the most tasty, drinkable Barley Wine I have ever encountered. I usually have a hard time consuming them, but this one was great. Citrus aroma and sweet caramel malts. Fresh hops up front and ends sweetly with a slight hint of alcohol. Very good! (3.9)
37. Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron – American Strong Ale – Dogfish Head Brewery; Milton, DE – (4.0)
36. AleSmith Wee Heavy Scotch Ale – Scotch Ale – AleSmith Brewing Company; San Diego, CA – (4.0)
35. Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout – Imperial Stout – Nøgne Ø; Grimstad, Norway – Above all else, there were two breweries I discovered during this drinking adventure that have grown to become two of my favorite brewers in the entire world. They are Nøgne Ø and Mikkeller. You’ll see these names appear multiple times on this list, and there are even more that didn’t make it. If you see these brews, you must buy them. That is my command. (4.0)
34. Avery Mephistopheles Stout – Imperial Stout – Avery Brewing Company; Boulder, CO – (4.0)
33. Port Brewing 2nd Anniversary – Imperial/Double IPA (IIPA) – Port Brewing/Lost Abbey; San Marcos, CA – (4.0)
32. Hair Of The Dog Ruth – American Pale Ale – Hair Of The Dog Brewing Company; Portland, OR – (4.0)
31. Ballast Point Victory At Sea – Imperial/Strong Porter – Ballast Point Brewing Company; San Diego, CA – My trip to the Ballast Point brewery in 2009 was one of the highlights of my booze-drinking year. And this was one of the best things I tasted all day, between there and whatever Pizza Port we went to for lunch afterwards. Served cold from tap at brewery. A “coffee vanilla imperial porter,” this beer literally tasted like cold coffee infused with alcohol. Nicci said it was “heavenly thick, syrupy, coffee and chocolate!” I thought it was the second best brew they made. Since I’m not a coffee drinker, the dominant flavor would have to grow on me for me to drink it regularly. (4.0)
30. Stone Cali-Belgique IPA (Cali België) – India Pale Ale – Stone Brewing Co.; Escondido, CA – (4.0)
29. Hair Of The Dog Fred – Barley Wine – Hair Of The Dog Brewing Company; Portland, OR – (4.0)
28. Brooklyn Intensified Coffee Stout – Imperial Stout – Brooklyn Brewery; Brooklyn, NY – (4.0) – Served on tap at Ginger Man (NYC) in 2009. I was very pleasantly surprised by this beer. For the most part, I have been underwhelmed by Brooklyn Brewery in the past. This one poured black with a thin tan/brown head. Flavor of roasted malts, coffee and chocolate. Excellent creamy taste, huge amounts of cocoa and coffee. A Good session beer that is heavy without being too heavy. (4.0)
27. Nøgne Ø Two Captains Double IPA – Imperial/Double IPA (IIPA) – Nøgne Ø; Grimstad, Norway – (4.0)
26. Stone 13th Anniversary Ale – American Strong Ale – Stone Brewing Co.; Escondido, CA – (4.0)
25. Deschutes The Abyss – Imperial Stout – Deschutes Brewery; Bend, OR – Although note a huge licorice fan, the oak flavor of this beer impressed me a lot. Very rich, very refined, I bought a bottle thinking I would simply enjoy it on a cold night by myself and wound up pouring tastes for any friends who happened to be nearby. Just fantastic. (4.0)
22. Hair Of The Dog Adam – Traditional Ale – Hair Of The Dog Brewing Company; Portland, OR – Batch number 70. Served cold from bottle. Pours jet black (no light comes through) with a huge tan-colored head. In fact, the head unexpectedly overflowed my pint glass. The aroma is thick with burnt malts and raisins. Super-sweet flavor is rich with chocolate, wood, and vanilla. A shockingly powerful beer with a wholly unique flavor. A beer this fine could only be consumed along an entire sleeve of Chips Ahoy cookies. (4.0)
21. Russian River Pliny The Elder – Imperial/Double IPA (IIPA) – Russian River Brewing; Santa Rosa, CA – This one was a truly intriguing beer. Served cold from a bottle. Dark gold pour with a small white head that leaves good lacing. The aroma was described by someone as a “citrus bouquet,” it was definitely rich in pine and citrus hops. It tasted unlike any IIPA I’ve had before — very complex. Flavor was heavily hopped with some malts to balance it out, but the finish is nice and bitter. Very cool, highly recommended. (4.0)
20. New Belgium La Folie – Sour Ale/Wild Ale – New Belgium Brewing Company; Fort Collins, CO – This beer came highly recommended by a friend and it did not take very long to find out why. Afterwards, when he told me it was brewed by New Belgium, I was shocked. This is all about taste. The sour notes are so brilliant, truly unlike any beer I’ve had before. Awesome. I’ve since turned at least a half-dozen friends onto it. Thanks Andy! (4.1)
19. Port Brewing Santas Little Helper – Imperial Stout – Port Brewing/Lost Abbey; San Marcos, CA – (4.1)
18. Great Divide Hercules Double IPA – Imperial/Double IPA (IIPA) – Great Divide Brewing Company; Denver, CO – (4.1)
17. Port Brewing Hop 15 – Imperial/Double IPA (IIPA) – Port Brewing/Lost Abbey; San Marcos, CA – (4.1)
16. Stone/Nøgne Ø/Jolly Pumpkin Special Holiday Ale – Spice/Herb/Vegetable – Stone Brewing Co.; Escondido, CA – Special holiday ale brewed with spices. Chestnuts, Juniper Berry, White Sage and Caraway seed. Served cold from bottle. Aroma is spicy with hints of pine and caramel. Pours amber with a tan(ish) head. Very spicy flavor, medium-bodied and very mildly malty. A great collaboration, now sadly “retired.” (4.1)
15. Mikkeller Big Worst Barley Wine – Barley Wine – Mikkeller/De Proefbrouwerij; Copenhagen V, Denmark – (4.1)
14. Pizza Port Old(er) Viscosity – American Strong Ale – Port Brewing/Lost Abbey; San Marcos, CA – There are two related beers that I consumed, the Old Viscosity (a beautiful dark ale that has all the trappings of a stout without technically being one) and Older Viscosity, its 100% bourbon barrel aged cousin. Aged in Heaven Hill barrels for six months. Ungodly. (4.1)
13. Stone Smoked Porter With Vanilla Bean – Porter – Stone Brewing Co.; Escondido, CA – This was a special tap at Lucky Devils in LA during “Beer Week.” I hungrily ordered a pint and was so happy that they still had some available. The aroma was exactly what I anticipated, but the vanilla bean flavor didn’t translate as much in the taste as the scent. Focusing helped, but it still tasted mostly like Smoked Porter. I ordered a second glass just to make sure. The vanilla didn’t provide a knockout blow, but it was definitely very good. (4.1)
12. Nøgne Ø #100 (Batch 100) – Barley Wine – Nøgne Ø; Grimstad, Norway – Confusingly, I was told that this was an IPA. I didn’t give it a second thought at first, because the bottle clearly said “India Pale Ale” on it. But when I got home and researched the beer, I found out it was a barley wine. Weeeeird! (4.1)
11. Russian River Blind Pig IPA – India Pale Ale (IPA) – Russian River Brewing; Santa Rosa, CA – (4.1)
10. AleSmith Nautical Nut Brown – Holy God damn, if this is not the greatest session beer ever brewed, I don’t know what is. While Nicci was away in Alabama I would drive to San Diego almost every week to refill my growler. Then I’d come home and sit alone in my room and drink, because I didn’t want to share this gem with anybody. I could drink this forever and not grow tired of it. (4.1)
09. Dogfish Head Bitches Brew – Imperial Stout – Dogfish Head Brewery; Milton, DE – You know if there was going to be any Dogfish Head beer on this list, at least one was going to make the top ten. Considering I’ve tried pretty much every conceivable brew that they bottle, it would have to take something new and exciting to really shock me. Bitches Brew did it. I couldn’t get a sense of the honey in either the aroma or taste, but there were wonderful chocolate and coffee notes that more than made up for it. Nice, warming and smooth. It’s becoming really hard to find bottles (nowhere in LA that I know still has any), but if I find one I will most definitely cherish it. (4.1)
08. Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast – Stout – Mikkeller/Nøgne Ø; Copenhagen V, Denmark – Made by Mikkeller, brewed at Nøgne Ø. Does it get any better? This one was delicious. Served cold from bottle. Jet black. Reddish head. Aroma of coffee. Flavor is coffee and cream, very smooth and quite drinkable. Just a really good stout, easy to consume and tasty. Very highly recommended. (4.1)
07. Lost Abbey Serpents Stout – Imperial Stout – Port Brewing/Lost Abbey; San Marcos, CA – I was very excited to see this beer available at a local store. Served cold from bottle. Pours jet black with a large tan-colored head. Aroma is largely chocolate. Flavor is very bold, with huge amounts of dark chocolate and coffee. The finish is somewhat bitter, there is a hint of warmth from the alcohol. Good carbonation makes it easy to drink. Very yummy imperial stout. (4.2)
06. Avery The Maharaja Imperial India Pale Ale – Imperial/Double IPA (IIPA) – Avery Brewing Company; Boulder, CO – One of the best Imperial IPAs I have ever tasted, and the IIPA has been one of the toughest styles for me to enjoy to this point in my life. It took a while for my to appreciate strong, hoppy beers but recently I have become something of a convert. Served cold from bottle. Pours a nice amber color with a big off-white head. Aroma is unbelievably hoppy. Flavor is bitter but balanced well with sweet malts. Great medium body, good carbonation, and a fantastic hop finish. Would highly recommend, and will drink pretty much whenever/wherever it is available. You were right, Ian. (4.2)
05. Harviestoun Ola Dubh (30 Year Old) – Old Ale – Harviestoun; Alva, Central, Scotland – Bottle 03622 / September 2007. Served cold. The aroma contains strong notes of vanilla and wood with some roasted malts and a hint of scotch. Some claim a whiff of tobacco is present, but my nose isn’t that well trained. It poured oil black with a very thin, tan head. Very light carbonation. The flavor is smokey and sweet. It seems to embody all those elements of the aroma plus a few more. i’ve tasted many, many beers aged in oak or bourbon barrels, but this is by far the strongest wood taste I have ever experienced. Full bodied. Long, smooth finish with only a hint of bitterness. Wow. (4.2)
04. Founders Breakfast Stout – I had tried some Founders beers at the Extreme Beer Festival in Boston five or six years ago, and a few of them were imperial stouts. When I first saw that amazing bottle (the baby eating out of a bowl with a spoon) my eyes widened. I was amazed and super-stoked. Served cold from a 12oz. bottle. Pours black with a good brown head. Aroma is all chocolate, coffee and caramel. One of my favorite beer aromas ever, maybe. The taste matches up well with the scent. Great chocolate/coffee flavor, with a tiny hint of hops. Creamy mouthfeel, a touch of alcohol at the very end. One of the better imperial stouts I have ever consumed. (4.2)
03. Ølfabrikken Porter – Baltic Porter – Bryggeriet Ølfabrikken (Gourmetbryggeriet); Roskilde, Denmark – Recommended as one of the best porters a beer nut had ever tasted, and I am one to agree with him. Served cold from 22oz. bottle. Porus very dark brown (probably black) with a small light-brown head. Aroma of chocolate, sweet malts and a touch of alcohol. Flavor is sweet, rich and full. Somewhat creamy with a very slightly bitter finish. Hell, if they all tasted this good I wouldn’t have to drink any other style of beer. (4.2)
02. Deschutes Jubel 2010 – American Strong Ale – Deschutes Brewery; Bend, OR – Fantastic, delicious, flavorful and invigorating. Pours very dark brown with a thin tan head. Aroma is loaded with malts and the presence of alcohol is quite noticeable. Flavor matches the aroma’s profile. Not much of a hop backbone, come to think of it, not much in the way of hops at all. Sweet, caramel flavor with a hint of roasted goodness. I’m very, very happy I was able to find and enjoy this beer. Well done, Deschutes. (4.3)
01. North Coast Old Rasputin Anniversary Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout – Imperial Stout – North Coast Brewing Company; Fort Bragg; CA – To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Old Rasputin, a small batch was aged for 9-months in some 12 year-old bourbon barrels. 11.2% ABV. I don’t know if I’ve rated a beer higher in my recent years tasting beer. This is one of the most delicious, savory stouts I have ever encountered. Pours black with a brown head that is quite thick. The aroma is rich with coffee, chocolate, caramel and vanilla. Huge oaken flavor with roasted malts, vanilla, bourbon, mocha…it’s an amazing flavor combination. Very soft and easy to drink. I think I might be in love. (4.3)
With my goal for the next Day Zero project to try another 190 new beers (or 5 new beers per month), who knows what the hell I’ll discover this time around. Stay tuned. Oh, and by the way, the worst beers I tasted in the past 2.5-3 years were Budweiser Chelada, Pacifico Clara, Blue Moon Full Moon Winter Ale, Bare Knuckle Stout and Blue Moon Honey Moon Summer Ale. Pocono Blonde Ale sucked, too.
Waylon Jenings – Rave On
Professor Longhair – Rum And Coke
Apples In Stereo – Stay Gold
