Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
Here is my best of 2010 list.
My only rules
I had to have tasted it for the first time in 2010.
Only 1 beer per brewery.
Kern River Brewing – Citra IPA
Southern Star Brewing – Buried Hatchet Stout
Anchor Steam Brewing – Our Special Ale 2010
Duck Rabbit Brewing – Milk Stout
Eagle Rock Brewing – Stimulus
Rising Tide Brewing – Ishmael Alt-Bier
The Bruery – Loakal Red
Peace Tree Brewing – Hop Wrangler
I know Alabama is not a beer destination yet. But with Good People and the soon-to-open Blue Pants, it is moving in the right direction.
The name is a head scratcher but their initial beer is not…
Knickerbocker Red
“Here is our preliminary planned product, Knickerbocker Red. Its a moderately hoppy, but balanced, agressive American Red Ale with a good Cascade taste and a strong malty backbone. The good head retention and foam lets you know that this beer has a lot of body, which complements the rich hop aroma and taste.”
I might have to buy a bottle of this to pair with my Batch 9,000 that is in my beer cellar. When I would pull them out is still in question but I think they might make a very compelling duo.
“After combing through the catalogs of many malt and hop suppliers, our brewers used over 100 different malts, grains, and other fermentables, and followed them up with a blend of 60 different hop varietals between the kettle additions and dry-hopping. The resulting beer presents a deep, chocolate brown hue and offers roasted and caramel notes from the malts mixed with an assertive hop character. Sharply bitter, the beer possesses a full mouthfeel without being heavy and will withstand aging in your cellar, if you prefer.”
Here are some excerpts from the press release about this special beer…
“Vintage 2008 was aged in oak vat number 96 at Brouwerij RODENBACH in Roeselare, Belgium for the last two years. The 750 ml bottles are cork topped and the Flanders sour ale resembles an Oloroso sherry wine with its deep red, coppery glow. Cask 96 was chosen for this year’s special Vintage because its track record in producing sour beer over the years has been superior.”
“Vintage 2008 is 7% ABV and is more mild than RODENBACH Grand Cru. Like other good sour beers, RODENBACH Vintage pairs perfectly with food because of the absence of hop bitterness. Vintage 2007 took home the Silver award in the Wood and Barrel Aged Sour category at this year’s World Beer Cup in Chicago.”
“There are only 30,000 750 ml bottles of Vintage 2008. RODENBACH is often called the missing link between beer and wine.”
The best way to navigate the beer scene of an unfamiliar or large city (I.E. New York) is to check out the local craft beer blogs.
Brew York, New York is another source of beery information for the traveler or local alike.
I don’t care what side of the US it is on. When a new beer store opens up, I start salivating. If you are in a New York state of mind (oh horrible reference) then head to 422 East Ninth Street and visit the 900+ beers at Good Beer.
You can get meat and cheese along with the draft and botle of your choice.
Just Beer from Massachussets has a new beer perfect to lift the spririts…
The website cryptically states “loaded with chocolate malt”. Just Beer is now, officially, on the list of breweries to try.
Here is the scoop…
“Doors open at 8PM. Vegan or Not Vegan feast, unlimited pours all night long, reserved table for the whole night and a Tony’s 2011 beer glass. $75.
Starting at 10:30, we will have a few more people join us for an after dinner celebration that will include unlimited pours and a Tony’s 2011 glass but seating will be very limited. $40.
DJ Randy Sosin is confirmed to play!
Email us at nye2011@tonys.la to reserve your spot.
Leave the number of guests for the feast and all night, and how many for after 1030 only. Leave a contact name and number.
Feast reservations will be given preference. Other than that its first
come first serve. We will call all requests and take credit card
payment or people can pay in cash at the pub.”
One of your New Year’s Beer Resolutions can be to learn more about beer!
Even after a year filled with new beer and new breweries, there is still room to learn more.
That’s why I am excited to post today about an Oregon outfit that aims to teach and promote the great beer places in Portland.
The Oregon Beer Odyssey conducts “…. classes {that} aim to educate a broad audience about the diversity and quality of craft beer, both from the Northwest and around the world. In an intimate, small-group setting, customers can enjoy themselves, while sampling unique beers during one of our structured workshops. Our staff steward the events personally, assuring that customers’ needs are met and that these artisanal beers are presented with the class they deserve.”
In my 50 Beers from 50 States quest, I came upon the Peace Tree Brewery in Iowa and I sample their Hop Wrangler IPA. One of the best beers of 2010 in my book.
Now they have doubled and a half the Hop Wrangler to come up with…
