Top 5 Beers thread

[chocotaco]

In the spirit of High Fidelity, name your top 5 commerical beers of all time!

1. Cafe Racer 15 / Bear Republic (soon to be in bottles! Yay!)
2. Essence / Hangar 24 (Just re-released! Yay!)
3. Ruination 10th Anniversary / Stone (Just re-released as RuinTen! Yay!)
4. Just Outstanding / Kern River (never had their Citra unfortunately)
5. Dayman / Stone + Aleman + Two Brothers

Yep, they are all IPAs and I won't apologize for that!

 

[DisturbdChemist]

Well today is in no order

1) Crooked Stave - Batch 1
2) Firestone-Walker 15
3) Cantillon - Classic Gueze
4) Karbach -Bourbon Barrel Hellfigher
5) Avery - Uncle Jacobs Stout (batch 1)'


Sours and bourbon.. Complete opposites but I f-n love them

Honorable Mentions

Avery- Odio Equum
Avery - Rumkin
3F- oude gueze
Karbach- Rodeo Clown DIPA
Heady Topper
3F Armand series
any cantillon (which i need desperately to find, well not in Texas, neighbor perhaps... time for a road trip)

 

[dpatrickv]

This is way too difficult I think but Ill give it a shot.
In no particular order...
1)Westy 12
2)RR Consecration
3)Dogfish Head World Wide Stout
4)Older Viscocity
5)Funkwerks Chardonnay Barrel Aged Blonde

Honorable Mentions:
New Glarus Belgian Red
GI Bourbon County Brand Coffee
Heady Topper
Hopslam
GI Juliet
Odell Wooden Elephant

 

[HawksBrewer]

1) Pipeworks - Blood of the Unicorn
2) Revolution - Anti-Hero
3) Russian River - Supplication
4) Alchemist - Heady Topper
5) Founders - Breakfast Stout

Hard to nail down 5 but that's what I'm feeling at the moment. So many good beers out there!

 

[Mozart]

Rather than list the top 5 by taste preference, I'm going to alter this slightly, and list the 5 beers that have had the most influence in my beer-drinking career, if you can call it that. That may not be the intent of this thread, but I figure it's my list, so I'll design it the way I like.

They are chronological, not preference, order.

#1: Olympia: The first beer I ever tasted, snuck from some leftovers my father had in the fridge. Blech! It tasted horrible to me. I thought I'd never be a beer drinker.

#2: Dinkel Acker CD Pils: During two summers in high school I was fortunate enough to be able to participate in a summer exchange student program, travelling to Stuttgart, Germany -- where the drinking age was 16! Everyone remembers their first love when it comes to girls (or boys). When it comes to beer, Dinkel Acker was my first love. I will always fondly remember this tasty brew.

http://www.brauereigaststaette-dinkelacker.de/index.php?site=Unsere_Biere

#3: Schaefer: Fast forward to my freshman year of college -- my "cheap buzz" period. Almost always had some Schaefer in my little dorm fridge, with the dorm fridge set as close to freezing without actually freezing the beer in an attempt to numb the tastebuds in preparation for this less than stellar tasting brew.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schaefer_Beer

#4: Samuel Adams Boston Lager: Everyone on HBT likely knows the proverbial 800 lb. gorilla in the craft brewing space (the gorilla having put on enough muscle that some think it might not be so 'craft' anymore, but that's not the point of this journey). Finally, I'd discovered a decent American beer, available just about everywhere, that I found thoroughly enjoyable.

#5: Murauer. Currently, my favorite commercially produced beer. If you haven't heard of it, don't worry. I'd be pleasantly surprised if anyone has. This one's a Märzen, but not your typical Märzen. This one's brewed in the Austrian Märzen style which is distinct from its German counterpart being lighter in both color and body. Brewed in the Austrian region of Styria, a region known as Austria's "green heart", this is my beer of choice during our family's somewhat frequent trips to Austria - my wife's original homeland. An absolutely delicious beer, it evokes memories of hearty schnitzel and gasthouses, my wife's heritage, winding my way thorough cobblestone streets surrounded by breathtaking cathedrals and churches, and the simple pleasure of spending time with friends and family we haven't seen in a while.

http://www.murauerbier.at

Prost!

 

[wailingguitar]

1) Bell's Amber Ale... not because I really believe it is somehow "best", though certainly VERY good, but it was the first beer that I ever tasted that was the way I imagined beer SHOULD be... it fit the image put in my head through reading James Herriot and Tolkien. It was known as Great Lakes Amber Ale at the time, this was 1986 or 1987

2) Beamish Stout. Guinness may be the touchstone of the dry, Irish stouts, but Beamish really did it for me... draft it seemed a little sweeter and creamier, my favorite commercial stout and I miss it terribly.

3) Spaten Oktoberfest. Oktoberfest/Maerzen is probably my favorite style across the board and Spaten is my favorite. My home recipe turned out to be an unintentional Spaten clone, although it stands to reason since I formulated the recipe to fit my taste.

4) Spaten Optimator. I love Spaten's beers and, while I love Salvator and Celebrator, their doppelbock is my favorite commercial example of the style

5) Sweetwater 420. This is my go-to commercial beer. More drinkable, to my taste, than SNPA, and very sessionable. Love the stuff

 

[chocotaco]

That may not be the intent of this thread, but I figure it's my list, so I'll design it the way I like.

Hey, top 5 is top 5 for whatever reason you wish

 

[danielofthedale]

These are my five. They may not be he best five bt they are my favorite five.

1.) Terrapin--Wake-N-Bake
2.) Sierra Nevada--Bigfoot
3.) Founders--Porter
4.) Weihenstephaner--Hefeweissbier
5.) Duchesse De Bourgogne

 

[tuskenraider]

Top 5 today:

Three Floyds - Alpha King
Left Hand - Milk Stout
Dogfish Head - 90 Min. IPA
Capital - Blonde Doppelbock
Rogue - Double Dead Guy

 

[chocotaco]

Updating mine (thought of this thread because of https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f85/time-play-can-you-name-style-pictures-game-252536/index1020.html)

Kern River Just Outstanding has gotten less Outstanding lately, not sure why (also had their Citra and while it was good, it doesn't match the hype which denies it a place on my list). Cafe Racer 15 in bottles was a huge disappointment. Also developed a taste for certain sours.

1. Firestone - Double Jack / Ballast Point - Sculpin (I will buy Double Jack every time, though, because Sculpin is a rip-off)
2. Hangar 24 - Essence (seasonal)
3. Lagunitas - Sucks (seasonal)
4. Russian River - Consecration / Bruery - Oude Tart (tie)
5. Logsdon Farmhouse Ales - Seizoen Bretta

I still reserve an honorable mention for Dayman, but since Stone refuses to make it anymore I can barely remember what it tastes like. Get on that, Stone!
Also, I had the privilege of having a Heady Topper, and despite my skepticism it was not just a bunch of hype; it was really delicious. Pretty much an ideal IPA for me. However, I can't in good conscience put something on my top 5 list unless I've had it at least twice. So it doesn't make the cut at this time.

 

[kroach01]

Based on my beeradvocate:
1.) Pliny the Elder
2.) Heady Topper (bought two cases on a recent VT trip)
3.) Founder's Breakfast
4.) St. Bernardus Abt 12 (just had a keg of this at my wedding!)
5.) Supplication (Russian River)

 

[kmckiou]

My top 5 favorites:

1. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. This is my craft beer first love
2. 3 Floyds Alpha King pale ale. I really like this over Zombie Dust. For me, it is more balanced. 3 Floyds has started a new pale ale style. That was evident at the local ale fest this year. With close to 100 brewers and 300 beers, there was a lot to review. Anyway, one thing I noticed is that a lot of brewers now have a pale ale in their lineup that has that extreme hop-forward character of something like Alpha King or Zombie Dust. Kudos to 3 Floyds for innovation.
3. Emmett's Brewing Victory Pale Ale. Last year at the local ale fest I attempted to taste every pale ale on the grounds (probably 25 or more). This one really stood out of the crowd.
4. Tighthead Brewing Chilly Water pale ale. This year at the local ale fest, I again tried every pale ale I could find. This one really stood out. It is similar to a 3 Floyds style, but more refined IMO.
5. Deschutes Mirror Pond pale ale. I find this very pleasant to drink. I look forward to the next one in the fridge. Also, it is currently on sale at $7 a sixpack at the local big-box grocery store.

In case you could't tell, I am a pale ale kind of guy.

 

[elkshadow]

No particular order

1. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
2. Samichlaus
3. Rochefort 10
4. Unibroue Terrible
5. Odell's Myrcenary IIPA

 

[ktblunden]

Kern River Just Outstanding has gotten less Outstanding lately, not sure why (also had their Citra and while it was good, it doesn't match the hype which denies it a place on my list).

I've never been very impressed by Just Outstanding. Citra I thought was very good, but if it wasn't brewed in such limited quantities it wouldn't have the hype it does. I think Class X is the best thing they produce (and non barrel aged Class V is one of my favorite imperial stouts).

 

[chocotaco]

I've never been very impressed by Just Outstanding. Citra I thought was very good, but if it wasn't brewed in such limited quantities it wouldn't have the hype it does. I think Class X is the best thing they produce (and non barrel aged Class V is one of my favorite imperial stouts).

The first several times I had JO it would just punch you in the face with a huge, dank floral aroma that I really liked. And the hop flavor was unmatched.

I'm not sure if other beers have just gotten better, or if JO has gotten worse, or if I'm just doing it wrong somehow. But the last few times I've had it, it hasn't impressed me that much.

 

[cthulu1975]

1. Nugget Nectar
2. Zyweic Porter
3. Two Hearted
4. Westbrook Gose
5. Jever Pils

 

[jdm61]

1. Rochefort 8, I know this is sacrilege, but i actually like it better than than 10. That may be because I can drink in it when I get it home from the store and don't have to wait for 6 months. Rochefort 10 is great stuff, but it is a bit hot in the alcohol department when fresh.
2. Abbaye De Gembloux. My first real exposure to Belgian brewing. This is the beer made by the Agricultural University of Gembloux's brewing science program. The sell it at special events in town and at a few pubs and restaurants in the area in 1/6 bbls, In the last few years that have contracted with one of the regional bottlers to bottle it in 750ml size fro local sale.
3. St. Bernardus Abt 12.
4. Weihenstephaner. I discovered this brand over here in the US long after I had been to Europe. They are one of the best makers of "plain old yellow beer" that I have tried.
5. Whatever local or regional brand of beer the pubs were selling in my first couple of trips to the UK and Germany back in the 80's. It was a weird experience back then to just order a generic "pils" or "bitter" and have it be better than pretty much anything you had ever had at home.
As yo might have guessed, I am not a big fan of the super hoppy American craft beers that I have tried. To me, Sierra Nevada tastes like they use way too much Cascade............thats the dishwashing detergent and not the hops variety. :cross:

 

[kmckiou]

As yo might have guessed, I am not a big fan of the super hoppy American craft beers that I have tried. To me, Sierra Nevada tastes like they use way too much Cascade............thats the dishwashing detergent and not the hops variety. :cross:

Hmmm... That's ok. I tried real hard to like English and Belgian ales, but just can't seem to cultivate a taste for them. My tastes are not well rounded - but that's ok. I enjoy what I drink and brew. I hope you do too!

 

[jdm61]

Hmmm... That's ok. I tried real hard to like English and Belgian ales, but just can't seem to cultivate a taste for them. My tastes are not well rounded - but that's ok. I enjoy what I drink and brew. I hope you do too!

I'm not a complete Belgian homer. I was a devoted German and Brit guy and had not really tried anything Belgian other than plain old yellow beer like Stella and Jupiler until 2007-08. I tried some of the Duchess of Bourgogne stuff and all I can say is that she need to wash the alum and baking powder out of her knickers. Likewise, while I like Duvel and a number of the Trippels. I find Leffe Blonde to be cloyingly sweet for lack of a better term. I like their brown stuff. I don't anticipate making a rush to the Flemish sour red section at Total Wine anytime soon. I plan on making what I like as a home brewer, but that does raise an interesting question. If someone decides to make that move up to the commercial sideway as a nano-brewer, who do you brew beers that you don't like especially if those styles happen to be very popular? Do uyou make friends who like those styles of beer and can be your guinea pig while the beer is free? LOL

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

My list for the next 20 or so minutes:
1. Russian River - Blind Pig or Pliny the Elder (can't decide)
2. Cantillon - Gueze
3. The Alchemist - Heady Topper
4. Brooklyn Brewing - Black Chocolate Stout
5. FirestoneWalker - Pivo Pils

Honestly you could make a top 50 list and I'd have no trouble filling it, and it would also vary pretty much constantly.

 

[FMWarner]

1. Deschutes Black Butte Porter (especially the XXIV version in the 750ml bottle with the cork)

2. Lagunitas IPA

3. Yeastie Boys Last Dictator Imperial Porter (uses fermented viognier wine as the brewing sugar - creative and delicious)

4. Garage Project Triple Day of the Dead Imperial Chile Chocolate Black Lager (the name is a mouthful, but it's rich and hearty and delicious, with just the right amount of chile)

5. Coopers Sparkling Ale (gotta reserve the last spot for my favorite everyday drinker)

 

[Spelaeus]

In no particular order (aside from Ten FIDY having additional sentimental value)

1) Oskar Blues: Ten FIDY
2) Cantillon: Fou' Foune
3) The Alchemist: Focal Banger
4) Evil Twin: Even More Jesus
5) Brouwerij Verhaeghe: Duchesse de Bourgogne

Honorable mentions:
The Alchemist: Heady Topper (beat out slightly by its little brother)
Westbrook: Gose (if I had an ideal lawnmower beer...)
Unibroue: La Fin du Monde (for getting me interested in beer)
Westy 12 (A little disappointing, but glad I got to try it)
KBS and BCBS (I remember quite liking them, but I had them too early on to rank them)

 

[Calichusetts]

FW- Double Jack
SN- BigFoot
Rochefort 10
SA- Utopias
DFH- Olde School

 

[Flipadelphia]

umm

1. Founder's Porter
2. Fathead Head Hunter IPA
3. Ayinger Dunkel
4. Wefffsasdlfjasdlfstepheiner Weissbeer
5. Rogue Shakespeare Stout

 

[kmcrae]

In no order... subject to change...still lots of beers I have on my "want to try" list!

Firestone Walker Pale31
Stone Levitation
Bass Ale
Bear Republic Racer 5
Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier Dunkel

 

[Redleg]

Weihenstephaner Vitus.

Guinness (in Dublin)

Maisel Dampfbier.

Erdinger Wiess Bier.

Crean's (in Dingle Ireland).

 

[Xpertskir]

Cantillon gueuze
Alpine Duet
RR consecration
Saison DuPont dry hop
Rodenbach character rouge

 

[Tutsbrew]

Lucky Bucket's Pre-Prohibition Lager.

I could type four more here but I don't see the point.

 

[lupulinaddict]

FW- Double Jack

SN- BigFoot

Rochefort 10

SA- Utopias

DFH- Olde School

What does Utopias taste like? Is it all booze? I've never heard it being good just expensive.


1- dogfish, world wide stout
2- moylans, hopsickle (cask conditioned)
3- Firestone, Sucaba
4- stone, enjoy
5- Firestone, pnc

 

[lupulinaddict]

Delete

 

[chocotaco]

I have to update mine, because of Modern Times Phalanx arriving on the scene. It is hands down my favorite beer of all time. I bumped Lagunitas Sucks off the list because it's been 8 months now since I've had one, and Phalanx displaces it as my favorite slightly-sweet highly-fruity IPA. IF YOU SEE PHALANX ON THE SHELF, BUY IT. It won't last. It is too amazing to last. It is in bottles rather than Modern Times' usual cans. Be on the lookout for it, seriously. You won't disagree with me, I promise.

1. Modern Times Phalanx IPA
2. Firestone - Double Jack / Ballast Point - Sculpin (I will buy Double Jack every time, though, because Sculpin is a rip-off)
3. Hangar 24 - Essence (seasonal)
4. Russian River - Consecration / Bruery - Oude Tart (tie)
5. Logsdon Farmhouse Ales - Seizoen Bretta

 

[Calichusetts]

What does Utopias taste like? Is it all booze? I've never heard it being good just expensive.

Its probably the most complex beer I've had. The tasting notes we took on it were so long. We even picked out numerous aromas from the empty glass.