The king is dead, long live the king! Congrats to Bell's Two Hearted

[isomerization]

The meltdowns I referred to were not on HBT and I wasn't referring to you in the post where I quoted you. Apologies if I didn't make that clear.

However, if a survey asks "What do you feel are the best commercial beers in America?" then that would be the appropriate label for its results.

EDIT: For the record I completed the survey the last two years and while I put Pliny in my top 5 it wasn't 1 or 2 and Two Hearted wasn't in my top 10 so the results don't agree with my opinions on the best beers in America. I do think it is interesting to see what a large group of homebrewers think are the best beers even if I don't agree perfectly with them. The meltdowns I've seen on other forums were along the lines of: those homebrewers are morons and the list is complete crap.

Yeah, I was probably being too defensive as well. I do find the differences using this format versus the blind taste testing that Paste magazine does quite interesting. I also suspect that the top 10 beers showed up on a ton of people's top 20 list, even if they hadn't tried them, because of how well known they are.

It is the beer that swung my opinion of IPA's a complete 180°! I don't drink it often in order to keep it as special of an experience as possible. Great product and worthy of the honor imo...

This could be another plausible answer as to how the top 10 came out. There might be a much higher percentage of home brewers that don't "really like" IPAs and something more approachable is viewed as superior (not saying that's wrong).

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I think the Rogue omission is puzzling to me too as they seem to be widely available and have a lot of GABF medals in their past yet none of their beers made the top 50 on the list either this year or last. Perhaps part of the reason is due to a negative perception of the brewery as described in their wikipedia entry? I didn't know about those controversies myself before reading that just now but maybe they are more well known on the west coast.

When I last was in Portland ten years ago one of our meals was at the Rogue taproom and I like their beers that I've tried though Dead Guy is the only one widely available in this area.

Dead Guy is on a short list of non-infected beers that I've drain poured. That list contains several other Rogue beers. Not sure what it is about Rogue, but they all have a nasty body odor type taste to them. I call it "The Rogue Effect". Posted about it on Beer Advocate and about 60 % of the responses said "What?" and the other 40% said "Yeah, me too.". I don't even try Rogue beers anymore. I've also had other beers with the same affliction, but Rogue is consistent.

 

[beernutz]

Dead Guy is on a short list of non-infected beers that I've drain poured. That list contains several other Rogue beers. Not sure what it is about Rogue, but they all have a nasty body odor type taste to them. I call it "The Rogue Effect". Posted about it on Beer Advocate and about 60 % of the responses said "What?" and the other 40% said "Yeah, me too.". I don't even try Rogue beers anymore. I've also had other beers with the same affliction, but Rogue is consistent.

Interesting. It has been several years since I had a Dead Guy ale but I am sure I never experienced anything like what you are describing. I wonder what the cause is?

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

Interesting. It has been several years since I had a Dead Guy ale but I am sure I never experienced anything like what you are describing. I wonder what the cause is?

I'm really not sure. Given that it's been with every Rogue I've had, I'm assuming it's their yeast, but I really don't know. I'm guessing it's a similar taste reaction like the people who taste cat pee from some hop element (which would suck royally). Some people taste it, some don't.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Haha, my wife just sent me an article from our local paper. According to this quality survey, the best beer made in colorado is left hand nitro milk stout. Now don't get me wrong, Left Hand brewery has a special place in my heart as I would pick up Growlers there on my way back and forth from boulder as long as 20 years ago (avery, zymurgy mag., aha head quarters). Great beers, but cmon man. This prom king and queen stuff is a little silly, isnt it. Oh thats right, didnt you all know the 18th best american beer is left hand nitro milk stout.

Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro is best beer in CO
Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro is best beer in CO - http://www.thedenverchannel.com/new...o-named-best-beer-in-colorado-18th-best-in-us

To be honest, Left Hand Milk Stout is an impressive beer. When I moved from GA (where LH was distributed) to CA (where it is not) in 2007, it was the beer that spurred me to brew my own milk stout.

And nitro was what took an already great beer and pushed it over the top IMHO.

 

[applescrap]

To be honest, Left Hand Milk Stout is an impressive beer. When I moved from GA (where LH was distributed) to CA (where it is not) in 2007, it was the beer that spurred me to brew my own milk stout.

And nitro was what took an already great beer and pushed it over the top IMHO.

Sure, its a great beer, but 18th in america? Its 71 on the ba rating list for colorado, yet number one in this survey. Would you put it in front of ALL these other beers? If so cool, different strokes and all that.

View attachment 1498261516292.jpg

View attachment 1498261525784.jpg

View attachment 1498261531941.jpg

View attachment 1498261539881.jpg

 

[AZBeer]

It's interesting to see people's opinion...or tastes. LH Milk Stout is great. Not my favorite but a really good stout.

Right now I have some Two Hearted and some Rouge 7 hop. For my taste buds, the Rouge is far superior, but that's just me. Honestly for me, Two Hearted is a pretty meh IPA. But then again, that's my opinion, not wrong or right, just my opinion.

 

[mbobhat]

Maybe it's one of those generational things, like all the voters are really nostalgic about two hearted, that is true for me b/c I haven't had one in about four years but I didn't vote...it's true that there are newer hops out there as well, but two hearted was one of the original smash beers with centennial that was out of this world...

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Sure, its a great beer, but 18th in america? Its 71 on the ba rating list for colorado, yet number one in this survey. Would you put it in front of ALL these other beers? If so cool, different strokes and all that.

Well, I don't trust BA rankings for squat. A beer like LH Milk Stout isn't going to do well there because it's not 11% ABV, isn't barrel-aged, isn't soured, doesn't use any outlandish ingredients, etc.

I think it's one of the finest commercial milk stouts I've ever had.

 

[applescrap]

Well, I don't trust BA rankings for squat. A beer like LH Milk Stout isn't going to do well there because it's not 11% ABV, isn't barrel-aged, isn't soured, doesn't use any outlandish ingredients, etc.

I think it's one of the finest commercial milk stouts I've ever had.

Hey cool, I have no problem with that. I grew up 20 minutes away from there. There are back roads, well at least there used to be, between where I'm from and there and Boulder and Fort Collins. I've been driving by there and drinking their beers literally since they opened 20+ years ago. It is a great beer and my memories are very special of those drives and filling ice cold growlers there. Cheers.

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

Lists get people's panties in a bunch so fast. Taste is subjective, stop worrying about other people's opinions.

 

[Bosh]

Well, I don't trust BA rankings for squat. A beer like LH Milk Stout isn't going to do well there because it's not 11% ABV, isn't barrel-aged, isn't soured, doesn't use any outlandish ingredients, etc.

I think it's one of the finest commercial milk stouts I've ever had.

Yeah it's kind of hilarious how much price tags influence people's perception of quality.

 

[Homercidal]

Don't get me wrong, I think Two Hearted is a really good beer.

But these lists are worse than worthless IMO.

And having had both of them, I can honestly say that Pliny is LEAGUES above Two Hearted in my book. Two Hearted is a great everyday beer. Just about the right balance between pale ale and IPA and using one of my all time favorite hops.

Pliny is just a fantastic beer! More of a special occasion beer for me, but so tasty!

Anyway, these are more popularity contest polls, and there are MANY great beers that won't do well simply because people can't get them and they vote for their local beers, or expensive beers, and beers with notoriety.

Kind of a side note, I had avoided Right Brain beers for a long time because the owner moved form their very cool small and cozy taproom to a huge warehouse location (oddly, away from the "warehouse district". The new place is just too industrial and cold and big and loud. I understand that he has every right to grow, but I wish he had managed to re-create a space in this new huge building for some coziness. Also he fired the head brewer, whom I respected for his unusual recipe formulations. Anyway, due to limited options I chose a CEO Stout from Right Brain at dinner the other night and I was actually surprised at how good it was! Sometimes you gotta get past your hangups and have an open mind. I can see myself picking this beer up at the store now.

 

[NadoHawk]

I am not impressed with either. They are only great because A. they were among the best when they were first released years ago B. more people have had those beers and C. people just rave about them and people assume they are the best never having had them.

I personally prefer Golden Road's Wolf Among Weeds before the recipe was doctored by inBev. And for Russian River, I have not had a sour that has topped theirs.

 

[GOOCHY]

It doesn't matter how long ago Two Hearted was released. It's still among the best beers out there. Is Sierra Nevada Pale Ale somehow less of a beer just because it was first released almost 40 years ago? Nope. It's still the standard.

 

[NadoHawk]

It doesn't matter how long ago Two Hearted was released. It's still among the best beers out there. Is Sierra Nevada Pale Ale somehow less of a beer just because it was first released almost 40 years ago? Nope. It's still the standard.

Then the standard is set pretty low.

 

[Homercidal]

Then the standard is set pretty low.

And your post makes a great point about a beer being popular. With many people's tastes being so different, their can never be an absolutely perfect way to judge the perfect beer.

Based on basic quality alone, Bells is really good. And the flavor is well liked.

There are many similar beers that are done as well, IMO. I've had several right around me. But they could never compare in a vote such as this, because nobody knows about them.

OTOH, not many people can get to taste Pliny (relative to Two Hearted), but the name is very well known. So while Cranker's End of the World IPA can be very good compared to Two Hearted, it's just too unknown to "compete".

That's why I think these kinds of rankings are essentially useless. Better to simply let people who have tasted each beer give their opinion. I'd rather read someone's description about a beer than to judge based on this ranking business.

 

[MHBT]

i love two hearted but its not even close to pliny IMO

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

And hey, Pliny may no longer be the #1 according to Zymurgy, but when I'm at Russian River on Monday morning, you better believe I'm bringing home half a case of Pliny and half a case of Blind Pig! (And some sours. Of course some sours too).

 

[BBQB]

And hey, Pliny may no longer be the #1 according to Zymurgy, but when I'm at Russian River on Monday morning, you better believe I'm bringing home half a case of Pliny and half a case of Blind Pig! (And some sours. Of course some sours too).

Ha ha ha, totally agree