Aromatherapy... Photo: Tom Stainer
Here are 30 beers which really stood out from the many others I tasted during 2009. They’re not necessarily new beers, just beers I hadn’t tasted before, or for a long time, and that from the first taste made me want to laugh, jump, shout or simply chill out in a warm dark corner with a satisfied smile on my face, contemplating the riches of international beer culture and the pleasures it can deliver. They’re not necessarily the “best” beers I tasted during the year, though all of them scored on the high side for quality, but they’re all rich in interest and speak of the skill, dedication, imagination and urge for self-expression of their creators.
The selection inevitably reflects my personal tastes but I’m still pleased it’s quite varied. There are some big hitters from the USA in there — I’ve been really impressed with the variety and quality of American beers this year — and some decent stuff from Franconia. One great evening I spent in the Monk’s Kettle in San Francisco where I tasted two astonishing brews, Hair of the Dog Adam and North Coast Brother Thelonious, in succession, but even more memorable was a tasting at Fuller’s that included three variously aged samples of the incomparable Vintage Ale.
The beers are in alphabetical order — picking thirty was challenge enough, ranking them would be too much! Click on the links for detailed tasting notes and background information.
- Ale Smith Speedway Stout 12%, San Diego, California, USA
- Amager Imperial Stout 10.1%, Kastrup, Hovedstaden, Denmark
- Binchoise / Belgoo Luppoo 6.5%, Binche, Hainaut, Wallonie
- Bryncelyn Buddy Marvellous 4%, Ystradgynlais, Powys, Cymru
- Concertina Bengal Tiger 4.5%, Mexborough, South Yorkshire, England
- Dogfish Head 90 minute Imperial IPA 9%, Milton, Delaware, USA
- Dolle Cosmos Porter 8%, Esen, West Vlaanderen
- Fuller\’s Vintage Ale 1999 / 2005 / 2009 8%, Chiswick, London, England
- Glazen Toren Saison d\’Erpe-Mere Speciaal Eindejaar 9%, Erpe-Mere, Oost Vlaanderen
- Grasser Huppendorfer Vollbier 5%, Huppendorf, Franken/Bayern, Germany
- Hair of the Dog Adam 10%, Portland, Oregon, USA
- Hobsons Postman\’s Knock 4.4%, Cleobury Mortimer, Worcestershire, England
- Hopshackle Historic Porter 4.8%, Market Deeping, Lincolnshire, England
- Molen Bloed, Zweet en Tranen (Bruichladdich) 8.1%, Bodegraven, Zuid Holland, Netherlands
- Neder Schwarze Anna 5.2%, Forchheim, Franken/Bayern, Germany
- North Coast Brother Thelonious 9.4%, Fort Bragg, California, USA
- Orkney Dark Island Reserve 10%, Quoyloo, Orkney, Scotland
- Port Old Viscosity Ale 10%, San Marcos, California, USA
- Red Squirrel IPA in the USA 5.4%, Hertford, Hertfordshire, England
- Rodenbach Vin de Céréale 10%, Roeselare, Oost Vlaanderen
- Russian River Temptation 7.3%, Santa Rosa, California, USA
- Theakston Old Peculier 5.6%, Masham, North Yorkshire, England
- Thiriez Vieille Brune 5.8%, Esquelbec, Nord, France
- Thornbridge Alliance Strong Ale Reserve 2007 11%, Ashford-in-the-Water, Derbyshire, England
- Traquair House Ale 1000th Brew 2001 10%, Innerleithen, Scottish Borders, Scotland
- Troch Chapeau Oude Lambik 5%, Wambeek, Vlaams Brabant, Vlaanderen
- Weltons Pridenjoy 2.8%, Horsham, West Sussex, England
- West Dunkel 4.9%, Glasgow, Scotland
- Westmalle Extra 4.8%, Malle, Antwerpen, Vlaanderen
- Whitewater Belfast Ale 4.5%, Kilkeel, Dúin, Northern Ireland
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