Best of each style?

[Crushdaley]

I would like to start branching out to try new styles but don't know where to start. I've been home brewing for 2 years and have been enjoying craft beer for about 10 years. Before I had kids I was able to enjoy a brew pub or bar quite regularly and sampled many beers although I was pretty limited to american ales and lagers and maybe the occasional English style ale. Since having kids I've been pretty limited to what I can buy in the supermarket and the occasional keg fill at the local bottle house.

In your opinion what is the quintessential beer to try of each style?

 

[cloudybrewer]

I've often wondered this, too. Although, sadly, here in BFE Iowa I probably won't be able to get my hands on most of the answers.

 

[dmtaylor]

Here's a place to start. Could take you 10 years or more to find all these:

https://bjcp.org/docs/2015_Examples.xls

 

[catdaddy66]

I can't say what the best is for ALL styles, but I love Bass pale ale (for British pale ale) and I got hooked on IPA's when I tried Bell's Two Hearted Ale (mmmmmmmmm!).

 

[Calder]

There is no best, people will disagree on what are the best, and all beers will have people who just don't like them. Everyone's taste perceptions are different.

There are some beers that just seem to define the style, but whether they are the best is a debatable question; such as Duvel (Belgian Golden Strong), Chimay White (Tripel), Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (American Pale Ale), etc. And it seems that thee days, there are new beers coming on the market every day to take advantage of the current craft beer fad, even even new beer styles.

 

[Crushdaley]

According to the responses to this thread I guess maybe I wasn't too clear on the intent of the thread.
In spite of the thread title I wasn't looking for "The best beer of a style". Really I want to know your personal favorite of a style.
If your a Belgian ale freak what is your favorite? If you love Saison what's the beer that got you started on it?
I really like porters and stouts. One of the best stouts I've had was a Yeti wood aged stout. Its been a long time since I've had it so I'm not sure the exact one but I remember it was awesome.

I guess the BJCP recomendations is a good place to start but I thought it would be fun to hear what YOUR best of style is.

 

[cloudybrewer]

In that case, I love hefewiezens. My two favorites are Paulaner and Weihenstephaner. But I have found both to be great on tap, and marginal in the bottle. This is probably because I've only had them on tap at a large brewhouse which goes through multiple kegs of each per day ( it's always fresh), and in the bottle from a local grocery store which barely sells any of either ( not so fresh).

 

[dmtaylor]

Here's a handful of my favorite styles and best examples that I have tasted, vaguely in order from my absolute fave (Gulden Draak) to "only a perfect 10" at the bottom too:

Gulden Draak Dark Tripel
Thomas Hardy's Ale
Baltika 6 Porter
Tallgrass Buffalo Sweat Stout
Gordon Biersch Anything
Scottish 90/- Wee Heavy
Ale Asylum Velveteen Habit IPA
Unibroue La Fin du Monde Belgian Ale
Franziskaner Hefeweissbier
Capital Autumnal Fire Doppelbock
Piece Golden Arm Kolsch

 

[wyowolf]

I've often wondered this, too. Although, sadly, here in BFE Iowa I probably won't be able to get my hands on most of the answers.

I see your in NW Iowa... anywhere near Akron?

 

[EDF713]

Here are some of my favs-

Pisner Urquell - Bohemian/Czech Pilsner
Spaten Premium - Munich Helles
American Pale Ale - Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Saint Arnolds Lawnmower - Kolsch
Saint Arnolds 5 o-clock pils - local Czech style pils
Bells Two hearted - American IPA
Fullers London Pride - English Bitter
Samual Smith's Nut Brown - Brown Ale
Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout
Any Saint Arnolds beer around Houston
Any lager Great Lakes Brewing makes when I travel to the upper midwest

 

[cloudybrewer]

I see your in NW Iowa... anywhere near Akron?

Yeah, about 45 miles NE of there in Hospers. You from Akron?

 

[JimRausch]

I didn't click on Dave's 'examples' thread, but the BJCP has classic examples of each style that are used as benchmarks. My local homebrew club is starting the classes and for each class we are charged with finding one or more examples to try. Some are fairly easy to find. Others, not so much.

 

[wyowolf]

Yeah, about 45 miles NE of there in Hospers. You from Akron?

im not, but my dads family is from there. Been there many times over the years... Most are from Akron, a few in Le Mars

 

[dyqik]

IMO, to get the best Kölsch, you'll have to go to Cologne and Brauerei Päffgen (not Brauerei Pfaffen) where it's served on gravity from the barrel.

Not helpful, I know...