The Top 10 Beers of 2016

It's time for the 3rd installment of the Top 10 Beers list and 2016 was a pretty darn good year (pardon my French).

Admittedly, I did not review as many beers as I wanted, but I guess my resolution for 2017 would be to buckle down and produce more content. In spite of that, I still have put together a top-notch Top 10 and have had fun going back and reminiscing about so many good beers.

As with the years past, I did set some parameters for compiling this list...

• The beer had to be reviewed on the blog in 2016. If I had it at a bar, a bottle share, fest, etc, then it doesn't qualify.
• No re-reviews. I typically don't re-review beers, but sometimes an occasion calls for it. So sorry, Trillium Headroom, you do not qualify for the list.
• Multiple beers from one brewery are allowed. Frankly, if the brewery makes that many good beers (in my opinion) then I'm not going to fault them for it.

 As with last year, I will do Class-B categories before counting down the 10 best of the year. Thank you for your continued support and I hope to entertain you more in 2017.

Let's Go!

Most Disappointing Beers of 2016

Like last year, the following entries weren't necessarily bad, but to me, they fell below my expectations. We won't get into a philosophical argument over whether or not I (or anyone else) am entitled to expect nothing less than a great beer, but we all have those moments where you buy a beer and say "Oh, this sounds good", but then it doesn't knock your socks off. Again, not bad, but not what I personally expected.

3. Other Half 2nd Anniversary IPA

Other Half Brewing and I don't have a solid relationship. I have found almost all of their offerings to be middle-of-the-road, but I have remained hopeful. When I landed a can of their 2nd Anniversary IPA way back in February, I was hoping this would be the one to change my mind, but it didn't.

Like most of the others I have tried, this had a strong West Coast taste that leaned heavily on spicy, onion hops. The East Coast has built a reputation for hazy, juice bombs, but Other Half doesn't follow that lead. Granted, there's nothing wrong with trying to pay homage to classic West coast IPA's, but OH doesn't seem to please either side of the country.


2. Kern River Citra

 I got serious about craft beer about five years ago and one of the most sought-after DIPA's on the planet was Kern River Citra. I may be remembering this incorrectly, but back then (2012), this was a Top 10 beer on Beer Advocate (if not that, then a Top 20). Today the rating still holds steady thanks to years of high scores, but in a world today where everyone is producing hazy juice nukes, this West Coast offering doesn't stand out.

Those classic garlic and onion notes dominate throughout. I think with this all Citra DIPA, I was expecting pure juice, but this stayed true to its roots, which caught me off guard. It wasn't a bad beer, but its reputation preceded itself.

1. Lawson's Finest Liquids Double Sunshine

Now here's one I did not like (but not enough to get on the "Worst of" list).

I had this beer for the first time years and years ago and loved it...LOVED it. It was years ahead of a lot of the current Massachusetts breweries that have defined the typical "New England IPA". When I got my latest bottle this year, I was severely let down.

Gone were the tropical fruits and instead they were replaced with an odd assortment of butterscotch and burnt popcorn to go with dirty, grassy hops. The bottle I got was only a couple of weeks old, so freshness was not the issue. I don't know if the recipe had changed or something, but this was not the beer I once loved. It cost an arm and a leg to trade for, but I think I would have given them my other appendages (including "Death Proof") to take it back.

The Worst Beers of 2016

I've said it before, but I usually don't go out of my way to purposely review "bad" beers. I buy what I want and hope for the best with each beer review. Sadly, not everything goes as planned.

3. Ballast Point Pineapple Sculpin

I love me the standard Sculpin (though I've never reviewed it). The variations out there on the market are all okay for the most part. I enjoy the Grapefruit Sculpin, and the Habanero, while not my ideal flavor, was okay. Pineapple on the other hand was a different story.

As opposed to the others, this one tasted particularly artificial. More reminiscent of a pineapple shandy with a metallic aftertaste, Pineapple Sculpin was easily the least favorite of the series.



2. Samuel Adams Nitro White Ale

Earlier this year, Sam Adams released a series of Nitro beers. I reviewed all three and found their Coffee Stout to be a decent offering, but the other two were nearly undrinkable.

The Nitro White, while bad, still had touches of familiar macro brews like Miller Lite, which still helped the beer maintain some form of drinkability. This one at least started off with subtle (VERY subtle) orange and lemon, but they still disappeared in a flash. This was basically Nitro Same Summer, and that's not something I'd dive back into.


1. Samuel Adams Nitro IPA

As opposed to it's Nitro White brother, the Nitro IPA had no redeeming qualities.

I think a forest fire had burned inside the can because the taste was heavy on roasted everything. Caramelized malts, wet tree bark, metal, and dirty dishwater were the best adjectives I could bestow upon this.

Leave it to Sam Adam to try and get in on a trend and just produce something most people don't want to drink.

Honorable Mentions

Compiling these lists is never easy and some unfortunate (but deserving) souls must be left behind. So, here are a few that JUST missed the cut for the Top 10 list.

3. Trillium Double Dry Hopped Scaled

Trillium seems to be a sure bet to produce a fantastic IPA and this was no different.

A one-two punch of El Dorado (a personal favorite) and Citra hops made for an explosion of peaches, oranges, sherbet, and even some dank hops. Trillium likes to put out DDH versions of all their IPA's and it wouldn't suck if they brewed this one more often.

2. Monkish Relax Your Mind

If you're heavy into the craft beer world, then you know Monkish has become as sought-after as Tree House beers. I was lucky enough to get a variety of Monkish beers in a trade, and they did not let me down.

Relax Your Mind was a near perfect combo of both juice and hop nuke with tropical goodness and hop flavors joining forces to combat evil. The creamy mouthfeel and familiar milkshake appearance were all gravy on this mound of mashed potatoes. I really hope I get to try more Monkish beers in 2017.


1. Bissell Brothers Swish

Much like the previously mentioned Relax Your Mind, BB Swish was another sublime combo of dankness and tropical fruits.

Swish is hard to come by in trade. As a MA resident, anything I usually have to trade is something that people from Maine buying the Swish have already had. So, I personally had to make the trip up North to wait in line and get this. It was actually a nice time talking beer with the other people and in the end I got a world class DIPA.

So, does that mean that personal touch elevated this above the Monkish beer? Maybe so, but those intangibles are what push it over the edge.

Now for the big show...

No, not that one!

As you read over the Top 10 list, you may find that they aren't necessarily ranked by overall rating. Beer A might be rated lower than Beer B, but Beer A is ranked higher on the list. When I went back and looked through all of my reviews, I had to not only take into account rating, but also whether or not the beer was memorable. Scrolling through page after page, some beers had me going "Oh, that one was good" and other outbursts of joy. So while some beers may have scored higher at the time, the lasting impression they left on me was also a huge factor. But hey, they were all great and that's why we're here.

Now here is what we've all been waiting for...The Top 10 Best Beers of 2016. Thank you for visiting the blog, the Facebook page, Instagram, Twitter, and Untappd and showing your support (FYI...please like and share all of these!). Here's to a 2017 full of great beer. Cheers!

10. Small Town Not Your Father's Root Beer (10.7%)

Ok, Ok, Ok, OKAY!!!! I can hear all of you screaming at your computer screens right now. What would a good list be without a little controversy? Yes, I get it. It's not technically a beer, but you need to hear me out.

While NYFRB isn't a beer in  your typical sense and might as well be lumped in with your Smirnoff Ice and Twisted Tea, the fact is I can't deny how delicious this really is.

I've ranted about this before, but in short, everyone loved NYFRB before it hit nation-wide distribution. Only when you were able to find it at every store that sold PBR, people revolted. Well, motherf***ers, I don't care because the 10.7% bigger brother is an accomplishment. With such a high gravity beverage being able to make the alcohol smell and taste and tasting exactly like god damn root beer, this was as pleasant to drink as it was impressively made. You can lie to yourself when you say you don't like the series, but I know the truth.

9. Cigar City Hunahpu

It seems like everyone is getting on this Mexican Hot Chocolate or Mole craze. Chances are, even the casual consumer has come across a stout on their local shelves that was brewed with chili peppers, cinnamon, vanilla, and cacao. Hunahpu was one of the first and it has not gone out of style just yet.

I used to never like the style, but this vintage was delicious in all aspects. Hot chocolate, fudge, cinnamon, and a lot of chili flavor (without the heat) all blended perfectly to add a kick in the pants to an already superb imperial stout.

It's hyped for a reason. If only I could get my hands on the barrel aged variants.

8. Carton Regular Coffee

I'll be the first to admit that I am in no way, shape, or form an expert on beer. When it comes to Cream Ales, I am even more clueless as it is not a particular type of beer that I have regularly had in my fridge. When it comes to the Cream Ales, Carton Brewing seems to have dialed it in and Regular Coffee is easily the best I've had of the style.

While not only a great coffee beer, this also had unexpected notes of vanilla, cream, and chocolate to make for a complex offering from a style not known for its world class library. At an unbelievable 12%, this is dangerously drinkable and it's really just a fun beer to experience.

7. Trillium Double Dry Hopped Congress Street

Congress St is already a Galaxy hop overload and one my favorite Trillium IPA's. The DDH version is beloved by fans and tends to sell out quickly. So quickly in fact that the most recent release last month saw Trillium put a limit on 4-packs just to make sure they could spread it around and frankly, I can see the hype.

I keep saying that I prefer my IPA's to have a balance between the tropical juices and dank hops. Some of the other beers mentioned had that great combo, but DDH did it slightly better with the marriage of pure hop juice and wave after wave of peaches, lemons, apricots, and grapefruit. It truly is one of the best uses of Galaxy hops that I have ever experienced.

6. Barrel House Z Sunny & 79 (Tequila Barrel Aged)

Pilsner? Barely knew her!

Still here? Thank you.

Have I ever reviewed a pilsner before this? I'm too lazy to check, but my gut feeling is a big, fat no. BHZ is a new brewery to Massachusetts and they barrel age everything. A truly unique operation, but I don't think I could have expected to be blown away by their very first offering.

A pilsner aged in tequila barrels? Yes, it works, and does so masterfully. The crisp pilsner base followed by some awesome lime, salt, and oak from the barrel, but without any heat, made for a truly memorable beer. I actually pounded two full crowlers in one night it was so good. I paid for it the next morning at work, but it was worth it.

5. Stone Enjoy By Unfiltered 2/14/16

I think I say this every year, but I'm not a big fan of Stone IPA's. Their generic West Coast style has been a constant in their hoppy beers and I didn't think I'd see them attempt to change. Now with the "New England IPA" taking the country by storm, even Stone had to give it a shot by releasing an unfiltered version of their Enjoy By series. Again, I was not a big fan of that series and couldn't expect leaving the beer unfiltered to have that big of an effect. I was pleasantly disappointed.

Tangerines and peaches swimming in pure hop juice made for an orgasm in a glass (which I'll never try again). Some nice dank qualities and incredible drinkability for a near Triple IPA, and this was easily my favorite IPA made by Stone.

4. Alchemist Heady Topper

As I said in my review: What else needs to be said about Heady Topper?

A can full of hop juice, pine needles, grapefruit, and it's all encased in this wonderful bitter, dank quality. So many IPA's try to be either juice bombs or hop bombs, but Heady is an example of perfectly balancing out the two worlds. It's influence on the beer scene is undeniable and it still holds up to every new brewery that tries to imitate it.




3. Fremont Bourbon Barrel Aged Dark Star

Easily the best BA Imperial Stout I had in 2016, Fremont BA Dark Star had everything you know and love about the style, but was also ahead of the competition.

Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, oak, vanilla, marshmallow, creme brulee, and the list goes on and on. Barrel complexity plus all of the dessert-like flavors made for a massive sipper that was a pleasure to imbibe on for hours and hours.

I recently reviewed the coffee version, but the straight BA Dark Star wins out big time and does so without needing any further flavors.


2. Tree House Very Hazy

I celebrated my birthday in 2016 with a trip to Tree House Brewing. Standing outside in line in the cold, February winter, I think the world imploded into itself when the employees announced that Very Hazy would be on the menu. I guess I was just in the right place at the right time to enjoy what is considered one of the best beers on the planet.

Taking the original Haze and cranking everything up 12 notches, Very Hazy is essentially a glass of orange juice and sherbet with a perfect bitter hop finish and no resinous aftertaste. Everything from the look, aroma, and taste was almost worthy of perfection. I'm not one to buy into hype, but one sip in and I understood why it had the reputation it did.

1. Castle Island Swipe Ripe

You can call it a homer pick all you want, but to that I will kindly say "Merry Christmas to all and to all shut the f**k up".

Beer trends come and go and 2016 saw an emergence of IPA's aged on or brewed with fruit. Seriously, I don't think a week goes by where you won't see a brewery's Facebook post that says something along the lines of: "Brewed with Galaxy, Citra (etc)...and a heapin' shitload of peaches, mangoes, apricots, etc etc etc" Instead of letting the hops do their work, we are seeing so many IPA's infused with tropical or stone fruits. A lot of the time the beer ends up more of a shandy than an IPA, but holy crap, when a beer comes along that uses the fruit to enhance rather than overpower, then you have found a gem. Swipe Ripe did it the best in 2016, and may stand alone for the foreseeable future.

One of my biggest factors in a great beer is: Would I buy it again? In this case, I bought my 4-pack, destroyed it, and went back to the brewery on three different occasions to get more. The sheer amount of apricots in this can was ludicrous, but not to be outdone, the overload of juicy and dank hops just added to the complexity. Swipe Ripe was part of Castle Island's rotating Imperial IPA series which produced so many complex DIPA's, but swipe Ripe was the clear winner for me not just for Castle Island beers, but for the best beer of 2016.

See you next time. Thank you for your support.

Memory Lane

2014 Top 10
2015 Top 10

Cigar City Hunahpu's Imperial Stout (2016 Vintage)

The Stats
Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 11.0%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.51/5 (Top 250: #38)
- RateBeer: 4.29/5 (Top 50: #13)

"In Mayan myth, Hunahpu gave cocoa to the Mayans. An Imperial Stout Aged On Cacao Nibs, Madagascar Vanilla Beans, Ancho Chilis, Pasilla Chilis and Cinnamon."

For those new to the beer scene, Cigar City Brewing out of Tampa, FL holds a party once a year called "Hunahpu's Day" which is not only a giant beer fest, but the one day a year where they release Hunahpu's Imperial Stout. I've done many reviews of the so called "Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout" that has been growing in popularity over the past several years, but Hunahpu was one of the first on the scene. Will it hold up to today's standards?

Got the classic Shane Diesel pour with a pitch black body and dark brown head.

Rich, chocolaty nose reminiscent of brownie batter. Noticeable pepper skin and subtle vanilla with some coffee thrown in for good measure. As it warmed, the cinnamon became quite prominent.

Surprisingly, the vanilla pops first on the initial sip with a sweet, marshmallow-like taste on the front of the tongue. The chocolate flavors from the aroma aren't quite brownie batter on the taste, but instead it's rich, melted dark chocolate which is akin to dark hot chocolate and the result is very cocoa powder-esque. The peppers have a lot of influence here. Not in terms of being spicy (although there is a heat sensation), but actual pepper flavor with the biggest hit coming in the middle of the tongue. Cinnamon is also here and is a nice, sugary addition to the other confectionery flavors of vanilla and chocolate. The finish is where the aforementioned heat from the peppers takes over with considerable warming and spicyness. I'm not saying that like it's setting my mouth on fire (far from it), but the warmth is most definitely noticeable and even lingers for a few seconds. The finish isn't all heat as the vanilla makes another appearance to bring the dessert to the pepper party.

Mouthfeel is thick and viscous just like a massive Imperial Stout should be. There's heat from the peppers, but not from the alcohol as the 11% is undetectable. The array of sweet flavors make this lean towards a dessert beer even with the heavy influence of the chili peppers. It drinks like a heavy stout, but also has drinkability with a velvety feel.

The so-called "Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout" has gotten more and more popular over the past few years. Hunahpu was one of the first to actually start doing it and it still holds up today. While I am usually not a fan of the style as most examples tend to favor the chili aspect the most, Hunahpu is one I would actually go back to again and again. The biggest difference with this as opposed to others is its emphasis on the dessert-like flavors of cocoa, vanilla, and cinnamon. The peppers are an accent instead of the main course and also with Hunahpu, the body is rich and thick and not watered down. So yeah, thumbs up from me on this one and its a beer that lives up to its reputation.

Rating
9.2/10

Top 10 Beers of 2015

2015 marked the 2nd year of this blog and my first full 365 day commitment to it. I reviewed over 130 beers this time around and hopefully that number will be even higher for next year.

Instead of just doing a standard Top 10 best beers (don't worry we are still doing that), I want to add a couple of other categories and even toss in some honorable mentions. I do have some ground rules for the lists...

• The beer had to be reviewed on the blog in 2015. If I had it at a bar, a bottle share, fest, etc, then it doesn't qualify.
• No re-reviews. I think I only re-reviewed one beer that I had in 2014, but still, a re-review of a beer that has already been featured on here cannot make the list
• Multiple beers from one brewery are allowed. Frankly, if the brewery makes that many good beers (in my opinion) then I'm not going to fault them for it. Is this foreshadowing? Maybe...

Other than that, is there anything else I'd like to say? Sure!

Plans for 2016

Ideally I'd like to get more reviews out. I will confess that I do get lazy sometimes and choose not to review a beer and just drink it instead. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I know if I want more content then I have to make more of an effort to review more of what I drink. I think a goal of 200 reviews is reachable if I stick with it.

Additionally, I want to do more than just reviews. Not that I don't like doing them all the time, but I want to diversify my content. I visit breweries regularly and it makes sense to do a write-up on them with photos. I also did one "Versus" review this year where I compare and contrast two different beers and I want to make sure to get more of those in too.

Now let's get to it!

Biggest Disappointments of 2015

When you think of a disappointment in the beer world it more often than not has to do with the failure to live up to the hype. I think that's what happened in this small list. Granted, I didn't build any of these items up in my own mind as the be-all/end-all of existence, but when you hear about a beer's reputation you expect something good.

3. Lawson's Finest Liquids/Tree House Shhhhhhh...!

This was the 2nd collaboration between these two breweries with the 1st being an awesome DIPA called YAHHHRRRGGG! which I waited over seven hours in line for with a buddy. Yes we are that stupid. At the end of the day it was what you'd expect from two of the biggest hop powerhouses in New England: a super juice and hop explosion. When word got around that these two were going for it again, I thought the result would be similar. While it was by no means a bad beer, it still left me wondering how they didn't catch lightning in a bottle twice.

The taste was surprisingly more tree sap resin and hop oils as opposed to big citrus juices both breweries are known for packing into their beers. It was at best a satisfying beer, but not the world-class effort each brewery has put forward both on their own and together.

2. Other Half Brewing

Other beer reviewers and Beer Tubers (YouTube Reviewers) have blazed a trail before me and often times I use their reviews as suggestions for what to seek out. I had never heard of Other Half Brewing out of New york until this year and some of the aforementioned beer reviewers were going apeshit over their hoppy beers. Since they are not available in my area I had to work out some trades to get them in my belly. I reviewed multiple OH beers (and one of their collaborations which may or may not be seen later in this post) and found that almost all of them failed to blow wind up my dress.

The overall impression I got from their IPA's was a resinous, garlic/onion taste that I associate more with the West Coast rather than something from the East. Maybe that is the style New York/New Jersey IPA's have taken on, but for me they don't drink as easy. While my sample size was relatively small (and maybe OH's many other hoppy beers are better), I was not impressed with what I was able to have.

1. The Founders Backstage Series

At what point do you just give up on a series? When Founders started their (formerly) highly acclaimed Backstage Series of unique beers back in 2011, they produced one of the highest-rated beers in the history of mankind: Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout. Since then the series has put out a lot of pretty good to very good beers with a lot of "meh" thrown in. Last year one of the better ones I've ever had made my Best of List for 2014, but when it came to 2015, the series crapped out and frankly I don't think I care about it anymore.

There were three releases in 2015: Blushing Monk, ReDankulous, and Project Pam. Blushing Monk was actually a re-release of the first ever Backstage Series beer, but it was just a glass of raspberry juice. Re-Dankulous was a sticky malt bomb with no hop flavor, but most disappointing was Project Pam. This was supposed to be maple syrup and bourbon explosion over a base Imperial Black IPA. All it gave me was a sweet, thick, schnapps taste that left me crying myself to sleep. These releases used to be immediate "must haves", but now if I see them at my local stores, I will tread more lightly.

The Worst Beer of 2015

 I don't make it a point to seek out what are regarded as "bad beers". My thought process when I go into a store isn't to review something I'm sure I won't like in order to just give a low rating. Maybe I will review some of the more notorious macro beers (Bud, Miller, Coors, etc) in 2016, but for now I have to go with what I did review last year. Going through my reviews I didn't rate enough beers low enough to compile an entire "Worst of" list, so I decided to highlight just one, which got my lowest rating in 2015.

Miami Brewing Vice IPA

On a stupid side note, the photo for this beer has the best lighting of any photo I took in 2015. I have been unable to re-create the magic and its ironic the worst beer got the best photo. Ok, stupid rant over.

When I traded for some Funky Buddha beers last year this was thrown in as an extra. Miami Brewing was something I had never heard of and if I never have another beer from them again I won't complain. Vice IPA was possibly an infected can, but from what I read in other reviews, this is how the beer is supposed to taste. A chewy mouthfeel with odd flavors of stale Heath Bar, green beans, and V8, this was bordering on undrinkable, but I think the 12oz serving made it possible to finish. Any bigger and it might have gone down the drain.

There were some other beers I had that were flavored with fruits or poorly barrel-aged that almost were put in this spot, but Vice IPA was a standard IPA that was bad on its own. I only drank it because it was free of charge, but if you see it in a store or at a bar, do not spend your hard-earned money on it.

The Top 10 Beers of 2015

Before we get to the main course, here are some of the honorable mentions that just missed making the top 10.

Honorable Mentions

 

Cigar City Good Gourd

Pumpkin Ales get a bad rap among beer enthusiasts and I admit that 99% taste the same. Once in a while one comes along and blows your hair back. Enter Good Gourd by Cigar City - an imperial pumpkin ale with spices.

The genuine pumpkin taste combined with big cinnamon and vanilla will have you thinking of liquid pumpkin pie, but without the overly sugary sweetness that plague a lot of other examples of the style. I've also had the rum barrel-aged version of this beer, but the base beer wins out because the flavors shine brightly without the overpowering barrel character. Throw in easy drinkability and this pumpkin ale is at the top of the heap.

Trillium/Other Half Green Street

Previously I mentioned my underwhelming experiences with Other Half Brewing, but I guess they just needed Trillium to help them out.

Out of all the Trillium beers I had this year, this one stuck out due to it's incredibly sweeter demeanor as compared to other hoppy Trillium offerings. Lots of bubblegum taste with some lime and that notorious Trillium orange sherbet flavor had my mouth watering with each sip.

Collaborations are very hit-or-miss, but this one was stellar in all aspects.


Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout (2015 Vintage)

When the smoke cleared from Black Friday and I had all of my Bourbon County reviews done, there was one that stood out from the pack.

The base BCBS is amazing enough, but the addition of that coffee helped replace the base beer's smokey char and tobacco with rich espresso, chocolate, and coffee. It's almost like bourbon-soaked, chocolate-covered coffee beans and yes, it is as good as it sounds.

Hopefully I can also find some next year because I am officially hooked on this beer.


Now for the main event. You're here to see the best of the best and I will not hold out any longer. Thank you for your continued support of the blog and here's to a stellar 2016. Don't forget to like the Facebook page, follow me on Twitter (@threwredbutter) & Untappd (threwredbutter), and share with friends. Cheers!

10. Foundation Epiphany

What the hell is a "Maine IPA"? When I first read that on the can of Foundation Epiphany, I didn't know what to expect. The hop lineup had me excited with promises of Cascade, Citra, Columbus, Ella, and Mosaic and the result was the best IPA I had from Maine in 2015.

An explosion of orange and pineapple hit the tongue first and creates a juicy, refreshing feeling on the first half. That is until the back end which switches to an earthy bite with some pine. The mouthfeel is never dry and it drinks like a single IPA rather than an Imperial. It's so juice-forward that at times you forget that you are drinking beer. Maine may be the "Pine Tree State", but thanks to Epipany, it should be the "Orange Tree State".

9. Trillium Artaic

I've had so many Trillium IPA's that it's hard to keep track. From their stellar "Street" IPA's to their one-off Imperials, it is hard to find one that isn't good, so when one manages to distance itself from the pack, then that is an accomplishment.

Artiac is a DIPA brewed exclusively with Mosaic hops with an addition of raw wildflower honey. A near sensory overload, Artaic provided juicy pineapple, black pepper, cedar, and sugary honey to form one of the more unique flavor profiles I have experienced in a DIPA. To me 2015 saw an explosion of breweries using Mosaic hops, but Trillium (not surprisingly) seemed to utilize its potential best.

8. Firestone Walker 18th Anniversary Ale

The universally acclaimed Anniversary Ales from Firestone Walker blend together multiple FW beers which are aged in numerous spirit barrels. I've had the chance to try every Anniversary Ale since FW 14, but this year marked my first official review of one of these bad boys and frankly I wasn't surprised when it received one of my highest scores.

Despite having Parabola as its biggest component, the dark fruits and other Quad and Doppelbock qualities stood out most, but I wasn't complaining. The big punch of milk chocolate, coffee, and roasted malts also came through loud and clear as did the juicy hops of the Double Jack and Wookey Jack. Taking the best parts of Imperial Stouts, Quads, Barleywines, and then barrel-aging them made for an orgasmic experience. I can't wait to crack open my 19th Anniversary!

7. Avery Fortuna

It's not that I am opposed to the Wild Ale style, it's just that I prefer others in favor. Avery has a reputation for these massive, barrel-aged beers which can come off as too hot right out of the gate. When I heard they were making a tequila-aged beer, I was apprehensive to say the least. But since the beer was given to me for free as a gift, I knew there was no harm in trying. After having it, it was something I definitely would have spent my own money on.

The equivalent of a tequila shot with full salt lick and lime wedge, Fortuna was one of the best sour ales I've ever had. High quality, top-shelf tequila never at any point had an alcohol taste or burn and it matched perfectly with the lime zest and Gose-esque saltiness. Amazingly the sourness of the bacteria and the salt did not make the beer hard to drink nor did it make my mouth dry up as this was surprisingly refreshing for the style and the ingredients used. This was tequila aging done right.

6. Tree House In Perpetuity

Much like Trillium, I have had the chance to try a lot of Tree House IPA's and at this point I expect a great beer. I luckily one day had the time to drive to the brewery on a weekday to get this one-off IPA and man was I one lucky duck.

Supposedly brewed with both Nelson and Citra hops, I (for the most part) only picked up on the Nelson's dominating flavors, but the result was so good I didn't care at all. Overpowering (in a good way) white grape and white wine made for a Nelson Nuke, but a small amount of citrus was detectable as was a Trillium-esque orange creme taste. If you get hard for Nelson hops then this is where you want to be. Very reminiscent of Alpine Nelson, I really hope they decide to brew this one again.

5. Night Shift Darkling

Before rolling out my Bourbon County reviews, I dubbed this beer the "Bourbon County Killer". Now that I had a chance to give a full review of BCBS, and had the chance to compare the two, I must say that my opinion hasn't changed one bit.

Darkling had all the usual flavors you expect from BA stouts with the sweet bourbon, oak, char, and dark chocolate, but it also added in vanilla and even some caramel and quad-like dark fruits. What set it apart from others was that mouthfeel. It was the thickest imperial stout I've ever had and almost had a barium-like thickness that slowly moved over the tongue and covered everything in its path like The Blob. Night Shift has become known for their hoppy beers lately, but their barrel-aging program seems to be on point as well.

4. The Bruery Grey Monday

I received this in a trade and felt like a kid on Christmas morning when I opened the box. I knew this was going to be amazing even before I opened it as the sheer smell of the beer resonated from just the outside of the bottle. I could have held it to my face and smelled it all day and I would have been perfectly satisfied.

I've had Black Tuesday and Chocolate Rain from The Bruery and they made their mark as big-ass Imperial Stouts. While they were big and flavorful, they did tend to lean on alcohol taste and booziness to help move the sweeter aspects along. Grey Monday was the first Black Tuesday variant I had that didn't weigh me down and was light on the booze and heat.

This variant is made with hazelnuts and they added a nutty taste which accented the base beer's chocolate. The hazelnuts and chocolate made for liquid, bourbon-soaked Nutella and the additional coffee and vanilla turned this into a superb dessert beer. I was surprised at how drinkable an 18.0% beer was, but those hazelnuts neutralized the overly sweet/sugary flavors and masked the alcohol beautifully.

3. Toppling Goliath King Sue 

Toppling Goliath IPA's have much hype surrounding them. In my experience I have found them be ok for the most part, but not load-blowing by any means. Most recently I found their all-Mosaic DIPA to be a major letdown, but when it comes Citra-hopped DIPAs, then I think King Sue might be at the head of its class.

A pure Juice Nuke if I've ever had one, King Sue's aroma of orange and citrus was bursting from the bottle before I even poured into the glass. When I did, the aroma filled the room like an air freshener, but the taste told the whole story. If Hi-C was a beer, then it would be King Sue. The Citra hops are unrelenting from start to finish and there is never even a moment where the beer transitions to anything bitter, grassy, herbal etc. It's a flood of Citra at every turn and is just plain refreshing. It's hard to believe that it's even beer, but King Sue has earned its royal moniker with an elite DIPA.

2. New England Brewing Fuzzy Baby Ducks

I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate my birthday than with a beer like this. It was worth the effort to do the in-person trade down in Rhode Island because this Citra bomb has all of the Citra flavor as King Sue, but FBD is a single IPA and not a DIPA which makes it even more impressive.

I'd compare it to the aforementioned King Sue, but also Tree House Julius and Hill Farmstead Susan with its onslaught of orange, mango, and fresh-squeezed hop juice. The subtle addition of hop flavors gave it a little more complexity than any IPA on this list. In a blind test I'd swear this was a Citra DIPA considering the sheer amount of flavor, but when a Single IPA crams in this much flavor, then the result is a one-of-a-kind IPA that can't be missed.

1. Bottle Logic Fundamental Observation

One of the final beers I reviewed in 2015 was not only the best, but it was my only perfect score for the year.

Probably the best use of vanilla beans I've seen in a stout, Fundamental Observation was a melted s'more in a glass, but soaked in delicious bourbon. Massive chocolate and creamy marshmallow made me feel like I was having a hot fudge sundae, but covered in the contents of the four bourbon barrels the beer was aged in. The mouthfeel was also thick like hot fudge and the kicker was that there was no alcohol taste to be found out of that 14.0% abv. Very rarely will an Imperial Stout this big be this drinkable and dessert-like, but that is why it earned the perfect 10/10.

Cigar City Good Gourd

The Stats
Style: Pumpkin Ale
ABV: 8.50%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.23/5
- RateBeer: 3.75/5

Pumpkin beers are the Nickelback of the beer community. I'll agree that most of them tend to follow the same recipe leaving no distinction between one pumpkin ale and another, but every now and then you find one that is not only better than the rest, but also better than any beer you've had in general. Enter Cigar City's Good Gourd. It's a self-described Imperial Pumpkin Ale brewed with spices. I have previously reviewed the Rum Barrel-Aged version and found that to be a pretty good, but better-than-most examples of the style. The standard version blows that one out of the water.

Pours a dark orange bordering on copper or amber. When poured it has two fingers of an off-white, eggshell head.

The spices take center stage on the aroma with big clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon all present. The pumpkin isn't overtaking the others including a sprinkling of graham cracker crust and dried flowers.

Pumpkin is a bit more prominent on the taste. Not only are the aforementioned spices of nutmeg and clove here, but I would compare the spiciness to pure rum more than anything else. Inherent with that is a slight alcohol taste, but it's a spirit taste and not off-putting. I'm certainly picking up a cream or vanilla flavor which, combined with pumpkin, reminds me of a dollop of Cool-Whip on top of a slice of pumpkin pie. The finish has a huge kick of pure cinnamon that brought a smile to my face.

At 8.50%, this is a big pumpkin ale, but it doesn't feel heavy enough to weigh you down. The flavors make full use of the weight of the abv and while some alcohol warmth is noticeable, it is easily forgiven. The amount of carbonation was noticeable on the pour and in the mouth, but it helped move the alcohol and flavors along the palate.

Good Gourd is an exceptional pumpkin ale that has backed up its reputation as one of the world's best pumpkin beers. In comparison to the Rum Barrel-Aged version, I prefer the base beer untouched as I think the rum took away from the spices and vanilla and really downgraded the standard version. It's probably the best pumpkin beer I've ever had, but it's a great beer regardless of style. It's complex and drinkable, so there's really nothing more you want in a beer.

Rating
9.4/10

Cigar City Good Gourd Almighty

The Stats
Style: Pumpkin Ale
ABV: 11.00%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.29/5
- RateBeer: 3.69/5

The pumpkin ale season is in full swing and do I have a treat for you. I acquired this in a trade several months ago and what makes it special is that it was available only to Cigar City's "El Catador" members, which is their reserve society. One of those members was kind enough to trade me a bottle. I've had the base beer "Good Gourd" once before and it was without question the best pumpkin ale I've ever had. The Almighty version was aged in rum barrels.

Pours an unexpectedly dark, murky, brownish, burgundy color. Typical orange glow of a pumpkin ale? Not here! It produced a generous two fingers of an off-white head.

This beer immediately lets you know it was barrel-aged because as soon as I popped the cap, the smell of sweet rum filled the room. After that it is an assault of pure nutmeg. I almost thought I stuck my face in a bowl of eggnog. Deep in there is a nice helping of cinnamon, but there's even more graham cracker crust. There's almost just the faintest vanilla kick on the end. This is rum-soaked pumpkin pie.

Most pumpkin beers these days have a distinct squash flavor that dominates and leaves little-to-no room for any spices. Good Gourd Almighty reminds you of a genuine, homemade pumpkin pie with no hint of artificial flavors or sugary sweetness.

The rum is first and foremost, but there is no burning sensation at all, which took away my biggest fear with this beer (or any rum barrel aged beer for that matter). A nice wave of nutmeg and graham cracker crust are what I detect the most. I pick up a small cinnamon flavor if I try real hard, but with the rum combining with the genuine pumpkin mash and spices, I do taste some dark fruits such as raisins and figs.

11.00%? Really? while there is a tiny, miniscule sting of alcohol, this goes down too easily. There are so many flavors that I find myself chugging away. There is no alcohol burn or taste and the only thing you get is genuine pumpkin pie flavor.

While Good Gourd Almighty is an excellent pumpkin ale, I do feel that the rum does take away some of the flavors of the spices and natural pumpkin. Don't let that deter you, because as far as pumpkin ales go, this one gives you genuine spices and pumpkin flavors/aromas. If I had to describe this beer in one sentence it would be: "Take a shot of rum, and then chase it with a bite of pumpkin pie."

Rating
9.0/10