Top 5 favorite beers...(regular & limited)

[KPP]

You see the "top 5, 10" threads etc for cigars all the time. Never seen one here for brews...and w/ all the craft brew, BOTL'O beer project fever going around lately, I thought this would be interesting....not to mention difficult, due to all the different styles not to mention the quality of both Domestic & Foreign craft beers....

So how about a top 5 for regular release, and then a 2nd top 5 for limited/small batch stuff......so that way folks who don't have access to some of the more limited stuff, can at least still see what might be good to grab/try next time they hit the market....and that might actually still be there on the shelves.

 

[vivalanation734]

Duchess
Jai Alai ipa
Cigar City Sea Bass
Arrogant bastard
Bells amber ale


No order.

 

[usmcpurcell]

Regular brews:

Double Bastard
Dead Guy Ale
Bitburger
Ayinger Celebrator Bock
Old Speckled Hen

Get back to you on the LE stuff.

 

[KPP]

Well here's mine...actually this is invoking more thought than I had anticipated...LOTS of beers to think through! The regular were harder than the limited, as I just don't drink all that much limited stuff (due to access I guess, and partly price as well)...

Regular:
Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA
Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
Hopworks Urban Brewery IPA (these guys aren't very well known, but suspect that will change...they make some damn nice beer)
Deschutes Blacke Butte Porter
Oskar Blues Ten Fidy (between this and Great Divide YETI for an everyday RIS)

Limited/Small Batch:
RR Pliny the Elder
Deschutes Abyss
Founders KBS
Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale (this one surprised me, but I'm honestly going to be upset if they don't figure out a way to keep making this)
BOTL'O Beer American IPA (shameless plug for the BOTL Brewers 3..lol)


I've got a lot of more research to do on the Belgian front, as you can see from my list. Just picked up a Chimay Variety pack, and plan to give those 3 a try as I've never had. Most that I have sampled, has been too small size to make a call one way or the other.

 

[cvm4]

I'm going to love to see how the west & east coast differ with the varied beers & availability of them all.

In no particular order, I'd drink these without hesitation.

Yazoo Hop Project
Moylans Hopsickle
La Trappe Tripel
Trappistes Rochefort 8
Founders Breakfast Stout

This would be my almost perfect lineup. Gives you a great mix of IPA/Imperial IPA. You have a solid Belgians and a Stout for when I'm in the mood for one.

 

[cvm4]

I've got a lot of more research to do on the Belgian front, as you can see from my list. Just picked up a Chimay Variety pack, and plan to give those 3 a try as I've never had. Most that I have sampled, has been too small size to make a call one way or the other.

Check out the Trappistes 6/8/10 varieties, St. Bernardus 12/8/6 varieties and Chimay Blue/Red/White labels. Also, Ommegang makes some very solid Belgian offerings! But, I get lost in the foreign languages of all the Belgian beers :rofl: Sooner or later I'll get a better understanding of them all.

 

[danthebugman]

Fun idea :thumbsup:...

Regular Release (in no particular order cause it really depends on my mood):
1. Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat
2. Boulevard Dark Truth
3. Big Sky Moose Drool
4. New Belgium Fat Tire
5. New Belgium Ranger IPA

Seasonal or Limited Release (again, no particular order):
1. Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti
2. Boulevard Saison-Brett
3. Schlafly Pumpkin Ale
4. Schlafly Irish Style Extra Stout
5. Schlafly Imperial Stout

I feel like I've missed several of my favorites with these lists...maybe it should be extended to top 10 on each :laugh:. I've met very few craft beers that I didn't like. In fact last night I was at dinner for a friend's birthday and was having a hard time choosing between a coke or beer. We were at a Japanese steakhouse and they don't have a very good selection of beer, but went ahead with a Miller Lite...boy was I disappointed! Never realized how much the difference was in craft beer. I mean I knew, but never was it more clear than at that moment. Anyway I'm rambling so there ya go...be interested in seeing what everyone else puts.

Dan

 

[KPP]

Check out the Trappistes 6/8/10 varieties, St. Bernardus 12/8/6 varieties and Chimay Blue/Red/White labels. Also, Ommegang makes some very solid Belgian offerings! But, I get lost in the foreign languages of all the Belgian beers :rofl: Sooner or later I'll get a better understanding of them all.

Had the Bernadus 12, and a few Ommegang offerings (3 Phils & Hennepin)....all very good. Had the 3 Phils in the largest quantity, and enjoy it. The Trappistes and Chimay have been high on my list for a while now...and will do the Chimay tasting over the Holidays and make a fun night out of that...

I'm already regretting not having a Belgian on my list....I suppose if it were Summer those would have replaced at least one of my Stout/Porter choices..lol. I only really do Stouts in the late fall/winter.

 

[TheDudeAbides]

This is nigh impossible but:
Regular:
Lagunitas Maximus IPA
10 Barrels S1nistor
Great Divide Yeti
Laughing Dog Dogzilla black IPA
Oakshire Overcast espresso stout

Limited:
Rogue Old Crustacean (circa 1998): I toasted my wife with this at our wedding 7 years ago. Not the re-release, but an original bottle from '98. My favorite beer all time, for taste and emotional reasons.
Lagunitas Sucks: This is the pleasant surprise of the year for me, and maybe my favorite "new" beer of 2011.
Deschutes Abyss: Always good, 2011 seemed like an especially good batch.
Deschutes Conflux #2: Not sure "white IPA" is actually a real thing, but very good.
Russian River Pliny the Elder: No one I've met hasn't liked this.
Deschutes Fresh Hop Mirror Pond: Mirror Pond is my favorite of the "Microbrew available at Red Robin for $9 a glass" set. The Fresh Hop version is surprisingly different, and wonderful.
As you can see, I'm in a bit of a Deschutes groove at the moment. Not sure that's a bad thing.
-Dude

 

[smokinghole]

Regular:

Bell's Two Hearted
Orval
Saison Dupont
Troegs Nugget Nectar (seasonal but regular non limited release)

Limited
?????????
I don't chase beers just like I don't chase smokes. If I happen upon one I will drink it but there is nothing that I seek out with vigor.

 

[rdm3000]

I do not know how you all have it narrowed down to five!

I can say I really love IPA's more than any other style. Other than that it be impossible to pick just 5.

 

[BeerAdvocate]

St Bernardus Abt 12
Rochefort 10
BLVD Tank 7
Bear Republic HopRodRye
SN Bigfoot

 

[D Quintero]

year round


512 pecan porter
mongo
blind pig
oaked arrogant bastard
kern river class v stout


seasonal

hopslam
victory at sea coffee vanilla imp. porter
whisky black betty
bourbon rahr winter warmer
rumble

 

[vivalanation734]

year round


512 pecan porter
mongo
blind pig
oaked arrogant bastard
kern river class v stout


seasonal

hopslam
victory at sea coffee vanilla imp. porter
whisky black betty
bourbon rahr winter warmer
rumble

Oooh... I still haven't had Hopslam but hopefully I'll get some this season.

 

[aea6574]

Very tough one-

Regular-
Bell's Oberon
Bell's Two Hearted
DFH 90

Limited-
Bell's Hopslam
DFH 120, I think, still have not found one

 

[scotchNstogie]

Great thread...

Top 5:
The Poet
Bells Two Hearted
Arrogant Bastard
Snake Dog IPA
Guinness (I know, but come on it is a great beer)

Top 5 limited:
Southern Tier Creme Brulle
Southern Tier Pumking
Fermentation without Representation
Matilda

By the way, most of my selections change in the summer... So where is the thread about top 5 Single Malt Scotches?

 

[joepais]

Top 5 limited
Andechser Doppelbock Dunkel
Black Albert
Pliny The Elder
Portsmouth Kate The Great
Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout
Saison De Peche (Selin's Grove)


Non limited
J.W. Lees Harvest Ale (Port Cask)
Chimay Grande Réserve (Blue)
Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel
90 Minute IPA
Wisconsin Belgian Red

 

[KPP]

Not surprising.....

Out of all the non-limited lists...only three beers have been on more than one list:

DFH 90 Min, Bells Two-Hearted, and Arrogant Bastard.

Damn nice call on the Oaked AB btw...that's a helluva beer!

 

[drinkingcoffee]

Great Thread! I actually had to put some time into this since I've been to a few beer shows this year, but I never keep track of anything. So here's the 5 that are close to the top:

Goose Island Pere Jacques: Got to visit one of their brewery pubs. Excellent, very refreshing.

Delirium Nocturnum: It's got that Belgium thing.

Founders Red's Rye PA: Technically I tried it last year, but I forgot about it and discovered it again.

Anchor Steam Christmas & New Years 2011 Ale: Just plain good.

Christian Moerlin Emancipator Bock: bold with good flavors.

Honorable Mentions:

Wooden Shoe Bock: Support your local brewer (even if local is in the state)

Thirsty Dog Cerberus: Another good Belgium style.

 

[drinkingcoffee]

scotchNstogie: Great name. I almost put Matilda on my list, but went with Pere Jacques instead. Both are good beers. I remember The Poet being pretty good too.