Ok, I’ll play. First off, I’m a hard-core hophead, which will explain my list of favorites:
-Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA(Delaware)-in my opinion, the best beer ever made. It’s wet-hopped for a full 120 minutes, dry-hopped every day for a month, comes in at a whopping 120IBU, 450 calories, 12 ounces, 20% ABV, and 10 bucks. It is one of the only 12%+ beers that still tastes like a beer to me.
-Stone Brewing Veritcal Epic 08.08.08-They make one of these every year, starting on 02/02/02. Quite possibly the best tasting, very drinkable IPA’s out there.
-Stone Brewing Ruination(San Diego)-7.7%ABV, 100+IBU’s, just an oustanding, not crazy-strong IPA. Runs about $18/6-pack
-Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale
-Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
-Ommegang Three Philosopher’s Ale
-Great Lakes Brewing Burning River IPA
-Guinness Stout
-Flying Dog Tire Biter Ale
-Heavy Seas Loose Cannon Ale
-Long Trail Double Bag Ale
-Rogue Dead Guy Ale
-Samuel Smith Imperial Stout
-Various Chimays
-Victory Hopdevil
-Victory Hop Wallop
Some of my lower-end staples
-Molson Canadian
-Molson XXX
-Linenkugel Sunset Wheat
-Pabst Blue Ribbon
“The Beast is a seducer - accomodating, complicated, powerful, dark and created to last the ages. With a deep burgundy color and aromas of honey, nutmeg, mandarin orange and pineapple, this massive and challenging brew has flavors akin to a beautiful Carribean rum. Dates, plums, raisins and molasses are dominant in a rich vinous texture. Cellarable for 10+ years.”
I recently had the opportunity of trying this brew and I must say, for those of you that like trying different and interesting brews…this is a MUST.
The flavors are soo complex that you find yourself tasting a different one everytime you take a sip. Notice I said sip…that’s because this brew has an alcohol content of 14.9%.
That’s right folks.
Because of the ultra-sweetness of the beer and the high alcohol content, I compare this beer to likeness of a Port wine. It has the sweetness of the Port, but the bite of a beer.
Every week, twice a week, my friends and I have a beer tasting night where we choose a different beer from “Ultimate Beer by Michael Jackson”, but this past week we decided to stray from the book and pick a beer purely on the appeal of it’s label.
Unconventional? Yes, but we found that sometimes the most random of brews turn out to be the most interesting.
No Flying Bison Aviator Red? Way to support your local brewery.
I asked the brewmaster there for something hoppy and his response was “I’ve got something that’ll put hair on your teeth.” That was a bit of an exaggeration, but it’s good.
lagunitas hop stoopid
imperial IPA
consumers beverage orchard park
great buy from lagunitas, located out in cali… comes in a 22oz individual bottle or on tap around here… very bold hop presence. great price also at 4.59 for a bottle.
Southern Tier brewing company, GEMINI
Belgium/IPA mix ( unearthly and unfiltered hop blend)
Consumers (tap/22ozbottle)/Pizza plant (on tap)
My favorite seasonal, not quite sure on the IBU scale but its up there, not overly bitter and undrinkable like some 10.5% beers can be due to the blend with the unfiltered hoppe. alchohol taste is very well hidden.
has anyone been to alternative brews lately? i used to enjoy that place but have a hard time with the smoke.[/quote]
was just there a few weeks back during the week… great beer selection as always and during happy hour you cant beat the buy one get one free pints. we should have a nyspeed happy hour meeting place some day haha.
