50 Fortitude's Founding Father (George Washington's Porter)
The story behind this beer might just be even more amazing than the brew itself. Never in my life have I worked harder to sample a single beer than I did with Fortitude's Founding Father. Early in 2011 I found out that during an archaeological dig, George Washington's personal recipe for beer had been uncovered and it was determined that, aside from distilling his own spirits, he brewed his own beer. Since the New York Public Library owned the rights to the recipe, they decided to collaborate with the Shmaltz Brewing Company to commemorate their centennial by having them brew a mere twenty-five gallons of the porter exactly as directed in Washington's recipe. The beer would be served at a gala for the library on May 23rd but it would be available briefly to the public at a bar called Rattle 'N Hum on the 18th.
I wound up having to go to Queens on the 18th for something (having just returned from my gargantuan beer drinking journey to Minnesota the day prior) and so I met up with my buddy JT. Together, we journeyed into the city on a nasty, rainy day. We decided that it would be prudent to get to the bar early to stake out a spot and to find out what the distribution would be like. When we arrived at 2:30 the place was nearly empty and so we had the freedom to plan out the rest of the afternoon. To make a long story short, it was pouring out and our plans to head elsewhere for food and to return later were destroyed. I saw that the bar offered flights of any four of the beers they had on tap (numbering more than 30 in total) and so I ordered one...and then another. We got food there and watched with horror as the hours flew by and people began to crowd into the small bar.
In short: it was a zoo. The press came and had first dibs on the beer. After they were done, it was opened to the public...and it seemed like every single person in Manhattan was in that bar. You couldn't move because there were just so many people--four and five deep going from the bar to the wall. I managed to wrestle my way through the crowd and up to the bar where the bartender that we had befriended earlier hooked me up with my one precious sample. It wound up being a decent porter--nothing truly to get hot and bothered over--but what made it worth the time and effort (and the spot of #50 on my list) is the history behind it and its rarity. Plus, I nearly recreated a scene from the Cyclops episode of Ulysses on my way out...but that's a story for another entry!
49 Tun Tavern Maple Brown Ale
Tun Tavern is the only microbrewery located in Atlantic City. I wasn't sure of what to think on my way in because most satellite versions of restaurants and the like that exist in Atlantic City are mere shells of their established selves. As Tun Tavern is a standalone spot, I thought that it might be good and it wound up far exceeding my expectations. The beer overall was quite good but their Maple Brown Ale blew me away. Sweet, syrupy notes complemented the rich maltiness of an excellent brown ale. It's a beer I would make the hour and change trip down for again!
48 Captain Lawrence Captain's Kölsch
Beer purists argue that Kölsch beers are brewed only in Cologne, Germany and that any other beer of the same ilk is merely a Kölsch style brew. Minutiae aside, the best Kölsch style beer that I have had, hands down, is Captain Lawrence's. It embodies everything good about the style--light, crisp, and refreshing--while somehow transcending it in the process. Amazing.
47 Captain Lawrence "Freshchester" Pale Ale
American Pale Ales are as commonplace as cola in the beer world and so it takes a truly spectacular brew to make a splash in the style. The "Freshchester" Pale Ale does just that. I don't know how Captain Lawrence can have so many A and A+ graded beers from me but I have just been routinely (and pleasantly) surprised by everything I have had from them. This might just be the definitive American Pale Ale.
46 Great Divide Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti
I'm always excited when a favorite beer style is brewed with a favorite ingredient and then aged in a favorite style. Chocolate imperial stouts are awesome in general but when they're oak aged? Forget about it! Smooth, velvety darkness with undercurrents of luscious vanilla and oak flavors--that's what Great Divide's exceptionally tasty brew is all about.
45 Captain Lawrence Pleasantville Smoked Porter
Hands-down the second greatest smoked porter I've ever had and, quite possibly, the second best smoked beer in general. Captain Lawrence knocked it out of the park with this one--just the right balance of smokiness and maltiness enjoined with the dark earthy hue of a great porter. This one is killer!
44 Brooklyn Brewery Local 1
Of all the beers I enjoyed at the Brooklyn Brewery happy hour (and I enjoyed MANY that night), the Local 1 stands out as the most memorable. A Belgian Strong Pale Ale that warrants mention in the same conversation as the likes of Duvel, Delirium Tremens, and Pranqster, Brooklyn's Local 1 sparkles with clear, crisp flavors. Want to impress your guests at your next house party? Screw the champagne--snag a few bottles of Local 1 instead.
43 Appalachian Brewing Hefeweizen
Hefeweizens are both as generic and diverse a style as you can find. Though most employ the tried-and-true banana and clove flavor profile, the nuances of the other ingredients are often what wind up fighting for your attention. Appalachian's offering induces more of a fight between a greater variety of quality flavors than any other hefeweizen I've had. If you're a fan of the style, you have to make the trek out to Harrisburg to try this beer!
42 Lancaster Brewing Milk Stout
Milk stouts are interesting in that they are brewed with lactose to give them extra character and a subdued sweetness. They really are noticeably different from your everyday Irish Dry Stouts and Oatmeal Stouts but, when done well, they are delicious. Lancaster does it best so if you see a bottle somewhere, pick it up! You won't be disappointed.
41 Alaskan Amber
One of the beers that made me salivate as I read its description in the 1,001 beers book, the Alaskan Brewing Company's Alaskan Amber singlehandedly set me out on a journey to procure beer from the Last Frontier. I had grown bored with American Amber / Red Ales but the ABC incarnation revivified my interest and reinvigorated my palette for the style. Truly world-class for its genre!
40 River Horse Saison Brewers Reserve
The River Horse Saison is one of my favorite beers because I had it purely by chance. I visited the brewery on a day-long trek through Jersey hitting up various brewpubs and microbreweries. On the day I visited they just happened to have this saison on tap. It had strong citrus/grapefruit flavors--something picked up on by numerous other drinkers--and yet there was absolutely no addition of any fruits during the brewing process. The brewers claim that it comes from the strain of yeast they used but whatever the source, it made for one incredibly refreshing beer!
39 Goose Island Matilda
Matilda...my first experience with brett (no, not Favre). After reading about the renowned strain of yeast in so many beers in the 1,001 book, I was stoked to be able to encounter a beer brewed with it. Brewed with brettanomyces yeast--a type with a VERY distinct flavor often described as "barnyard-like," the Belgian Strong Pale Ale packs a flavor punch that was unlike anything I had had before. It is definitely not something for the casual beer drinker but it's worth exploring for its complexity.
38 Lagunitas A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale
One of my first forays into Lagunitas-land, A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' stood out for having an awesome blend of fruit and hops in both its bouquet and palette. An awesome beer all-around!
37 Schlafly Pumpkin Ale
The best pumpkin ale I tried in 2011--it's like a pumpkin pie in a bottle. TRY IT THIS FALL!!!
36 Goose Island Tingly Tongue
Tingly Tongue titillated me with its description of Thai peppercorns and chilis fleshing out its body. I expected a peppery beer unlike anything I had tried (much like I did with Matilda) and I was not disappointed. It was spicy and peppery--unlike many other beers brewed with chilis. The peppercorn came through loud and clear and, though slightly overpowering, offered a great starting point for the warmth that the chili peppers ultimately developed further. A unique beer I am grateful to have tried!
35 Dogfish Head Sah'tea
Part of what I love about Dogfish Head is their interest in taking the old and making it new again. It's not every day that you get to enjoy a beer that was popular in 9th century-Finland. Yeah--NINTH century. As in the 800s. EIGHT HUNDREDS! This style of beer has some incredible history behind it and Dogfish Head's version is filled with some powerful spices that all leave a lasting imprint on the palette. I have a bottle chilling in the fridge and I can't wait to open it, drenching my tastebuds in this amazing ancient brew.
34 Stone Smoked Porter
THE smoked porter, Stone absolutely destroys the competition with their huge brew. If you're even remotely interested in smoked beers, try this. There's nothing else to be said!
33 Lagunitas Wilco Tango Foxtrot
Few beers balance malts and hops better than Lagunitas' WTF beer. This could just be a life-changing beer for you if you're on the fence about either hoppy or malty beers!
32 Founders Devil Dancer Triple IPA
While at the Founders brewery in Grand Rapids, Michigan last year, I was able to sample a variety of awesome brews. Most were delicious, some were strong, but the Devil Dancer Triple IPA nearly put me on my ass. Maybe it was the collective effort of all of the beers I had sampled prior to tackling this...or maybe it's the 12.50% abv that did it but, either way, this is one of the best Imperial IPAs I've been fortunate enough to enjoy. If you see it, try it!!!
31 Captain Lawrence Liquid Gold
Exactly as advertised: this one is liquid gold.
30 Innis & Gunn (Rum Edition)
I'm pretty certain that this was the first rum aged beer that I have had and possibly still the only one. As a fan of bourbon barrel and wine cask aged beers, I expected to enjoy this beer and found that I wound up loving it. The rum added a sweetness to the beer that was distinctly from the spirit and yet it somehow managed to transcend the individual identities of the beer and the rum in isolation. Simply delicious!
29 Maui Brewing CoCoNut Porter
This is probably my all-time favorite porter. It makes me think of Hawaii (even though I haven't been to Maui, I can still picture myself nursing one of these bad boys on a beach on the Big Island or on Oahu) and thinking of Hawaii makes me happy. Perfect blend of rich coconut flavor and smooth, creamy porter texture. You'll be hooked instantaneously!
28 Dogfish Head Black & Red
When I saw the Black & Red on the menu back in October I almost didn't add it to my sampler as I thought I had already tried it once before. After reading the description, though, I realized that this was a completely different brew from both the Black & Blue and Red & Blue that I had previously had. THIS beer was its own entity: a wonderful stout brewed with organic mint. Think Andes candy, grasshopper cookies, or Girl Scouts thin mints transformed into a beer. Brewing magic!
27 Dogfish Head Burton Baton (Cask Conditioned)
It's interesting that the Burton Baton would be cask conditioned as it is already an oak-aged blend of an IPA and an old ale...and yet somehow it worked. Really, really well. I think there was only one beer I had more of the day of the Analog-A-Go-Go. Man I hope they do that again this year!
26 Russian River Pliny The Elder
Pliny had been built up by a number of hopheads who proclaimed it to be an IPA among IPAs from the land of hops (the west coast). Though it really was incredible, I feel like it doesn't stand out necessarily from other awesome IPAs like Sierra Nevada's Torpedo and other northwestern-hopped beers. I really should try a vertical tasting of the best west coast IPAs to see if Pliny deserves the adulation but it is without question one of the best IPAs in the world.
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